Kubota rolled out its next-generation 1.7-metric-ton U17-5 mini excavator at World of Concrete 2025, with new standard features, retractable tracks and zero tail swing.
In the video above, Kubota product manager Bill Holton gives us a walk-around tour of the new compact excavator.
The U17-5 is made for working in tight spaces with zero tail swing. The tracks can also be hydraulically narrowed to 39.4 inches for fitting through gates and other confined areas and expanded to 51.2 inches – 2.4 inches wider than the previous model – when extra stability is needed for heavy-duty attachments. The dozer blade can also be retracted and expanded with the tracks.
The U17-5 is the latest in Kubota’s U Series lineup of its smallest excavators to move up to the Dash 5 improvements. Its larger compact excavators under the KX Series have also been getting fifth-generation improvements. The Dash 5 machines can be distinguished by their new color scheme of two-tone orange and black.
New for the U17-5 is a larger cab interior with a lower noise level and semi-suspension seat. A new thumb mount comes pre-welded at the factory for easily adding a hydraulic thumb attachment.
Kubota U17-5 Mini Excavator Specs
- Operating weight: 3,902 lbs.
- Engine: 16.1-gross-hp Kubota diesel engine
- Dig depth: 7’ 6.2”
- Dump height: 8’ 1.2”
- Bucket breakout force: 3,547 lbs.
- Auxiliary hydraulic flow rate: 7.3 gpm
- Max travel speed: 2.7 mph
- Ground pressure: 4 psi
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00:00:00:01 - 00:00:22:16
Bill Holton
New things for this U17 dash five are going to be standard from the factory, a thumb mount. So these are welded on at the factory with our machines, allows us to mount a thumb in operation with a bucket for those landscapers and hardscapers, utility line work. We've also got standard from the factory the diverter valve. This allows us to plumb in our thumb, as well as an auxiliary hydraulic attachment out front.
00:00:22:20 - 00:00:30:03
Bill Holton
So in this case, for example, I've got the hydraulic breaker. I can also put an auger out front.
00:00:30:05 - 00:00:43:15
Jordanne Waldschmidt
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00:00:43:17 - 00:01:10:23
Bill Holton
Because it's a five series, we get LED work lights. These are a standard feature for the Dash five machines. We've got a swing frame for the boom only, so we can swing just the boom out, or we can turn and swing the entire house. Our tracks are expand and retractable on the width of the undercarriage as well as the dozer blade. So now I can expand the blade to match the tracks, because I can retract the undercarriage and shorten the width of the dozer blade.
00:01:10:23 - 00:01:30:01
Bill Holton
I can now carry this through a gate or a doorway, work inside a building, do some basement work with it. There are some that we'll rent this machine and lower it down into basements, do some demo work in those basement areas. This is great for digging out footings. I've even seen this U17 dig out a swimming pool in a backyard.
00:01:30:08 - 00:02:00:17
Bill Holton
While sitting in the cab, I've got a fully retractable seat belt, the hydraulic lever lock, the ergonomic design to the ISO pilot control joysticks, four-way function joystick controls. I've got two foot pedals at my disposal, plenty of foot room. It's a quiet cab space, even for an open ROPS. It's well under the OSHA requirement for ear protection. I do have a switchable pattern control, so I can swap between the ISO and backhoe controls.
00:02:00:19 - 00:02:29:06
Bill Holton
The monitor has been moved forward, so it's more in line with the line of sight for the operator between where he sits and the dig out there at the bucket. So we've redesigned this whole panel here. You've got comfortable adjustable wrist rests, one-touch button operation for the auxiliary operation. So I can hit this button, and I've got three programed presets in my auxiliary features inside the monitor.
00:02:29:09 - 00:02:49:03
Bill Holton
Here, I have an auto-idle feature. This is going to be my fuel savings and economy out there on the job site. Here's my USB port. I have a work light button. I have a strobe option button. I've got the key start. I've got the dozer control with two-speed control button on top. So this controls the operation of the dozer blade as well as the track expansion.
00:02:49:06 - 00:03:09:23
Bill Holton
Convenient rocker switch for the thumb operation. The horn button. It's all right here, laid out within easy reach. Inside this door is going to be our fuel fill and hydraulic oil fill. So it's locked for security out there on the job sites. Easy maintenance. There's a lot of good stuff packed into a tight space here, but it's organized.
00:03:09:26 - 00:03:25:17
Bill Holton
It's an open-station ROPS, not available in cab, but it's easy to trailer. Rental houses and a lot of our Kubota dealers have rental lots that they run the U17 out of, because it's easy to throw on a lowboy trailer and haul behind a half-ton pickup.
00:03:25:19 - 00:03:26:13
Jordanne Waldschmidt
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00:03:26:13 - 00:03:28:28
Jordanne Waldschmidt
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