John Deere's New 40 P-Tier Mini Excavator “Transports Like a 35, Digs Like a 50”

John Deere has expanded its mini excavator lineup with the new 40 P-Tier, designed to “transport like a 35, but dig like a 50.”

Coming in under 10,000 pounds, the 40 P-Tier can be transported, in most cases, without a CDL. A 42-gross-horsepower turbocharged Yanmar diesel engine powers the mini, providing strong digging forces and quick cycle times, Deere says. Multiple configurations are available to match operator preferences, including a canopy, a secondary auxiliary function and four-way blade.

“This 40 P-Tier is an incredible balance of power and performance packed in a small footprint,” said Deere Product Marketing Manager Emily Pagura. “This is a conventional-tail-swing machine, and that additional weight in the back is going to give you great balance for putting a lot of weight on the front of the machine.”

The new model fills a gap in the company’s lineup, between the 35 P-Tier and the 50 P-Tier. Here’s a look at how the specs compare:

The 40 P-Tier was developed as part of a long-term supply agreement with Wacker Neuson for compact excavators weighing less than 5 metric tons. “The 40 P-Tier machine is based on John Deere specifications backed by John Deere design influence and went through strict testing with our customers in the field,” the company says.

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Equipment WorldCab or Canopy? Take Your Pick

The 40 P-Tier is available with an open canopy or heated and air-conditioned cab. The cab has large glass windows for good visibility to the jobsite, including a front window that can slide overhead for increased airflow and unobstructed views.

The new large monitor displays key machine information, as well as the optional camera display.

Deere removed the swing control pedal on the left-hand side of the floor and moved it to the control rocker on the left joystick. The rocker also controls the second set of auxiliary hydraulics, if equipped. Operators can switch between the two functions with the push of a button.

Equipment WorldAttachment, Blade and Coupler Options

Multiple bucket and coupler options are available, and the 40 P-Tier can also be spec’d with or without a thumb.

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An optional factory-installed secondary auxiliary function is available for operators running more demanding, multi-function attachments. “If you add that second auxiliary circuit, you're still going to have the diverter valve, but that second circuit gives you the ability to plumb, for example, your thumb into your first circuit,” Pagura says. “You can then put your attachment on your second circuit. That's going to give you the ability to keep both active and run both from within the cab.”

Operators can use John Deere Attachments Manager to store optimal hydraulic flow and pressure settings for multiple attachments. “It's going to make it quick and easy to change attachments. It's also going to give you maximum efficiency, because once you find that setting that works perfectly for your attachment, your operating style and your job, you can get that setting right back,” Pagura adds.

An LED boom light, protected within the crook of the arm, provides added visibility to the attachment in low light conditions.

A straight blade or a four-way blade are available. Pagura recommends the four-way blade to contractors doing a lot of backfilling. “With an angle blade, you can angle it, position along your trench and then just move along to slough that material back into the trench. You can backfill with a straight blade, but it's going to require a lot of repositioning to make one pass at a time to move that dirt. It is going to take you more time. It's also going to disturb the ground more because you're moving around so much,” she says.

Both options come with blade float, allowing the blade to follow the contour of the ground for simplified finish grading.

Equipment WorldMaintenance and Serviceability

The lockable engine and service compartments open wide for easy access to daily check points, including fluid fills, the battery disconnect and the JDLink modem.

JDLink telematics comes standard on the 40 P-Tier. It automatically sends key machine information to the John Deere Operations Center, allowing operators to monitor machine location, operation time and more.

To get a first look at the John Deere 40 P-Tier mini excavator, check out the video below:

Equipment WorldMini Excavator Market Pulse

Mini excavators are the second-highest selling type of construction equipment, behind compact track loaders, according to Fusable’s EDA equipment finance data. More than 32,500 new financed units were sold from June 1, 2025 to May 31, 2026, making up more than one-fifth of all construction equipment sales.

Deere ranks fourth for mini excavator sales, behind Cat, Kubota and Bobcat. The 35 P-Tier and 50 P-Tier are Deere’s top-selling mini excavators, positioning the 40 P-Tier as a strong contender in the market.

Here are spec comparisons of similar-sized top-selling models the 40 P-Tier will be competing against:

For more information on the latest and popular mini excavator models from Bobcat, Case, Cat, Develon, Hitachi, Hyundai, JCB, John Deere, Kato, KOBELCO, Komatsu, Kubota, LiuGong, Mecalac, New Holland, Sany, Takeuchi, Volvo, Wacker Neuson, XCMG and Yanmar, check out Equipment World’s 2026 Mini Excavator Buyer’s Guide

To view more images of the John Deere 40 P-Tier, check out the gallery below:

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