Motor graders rank far down on the list of top-selling types of construction equipment, but their unique talents mean they will always have a place when it’s time for building roads and other projects that require precisely leveled ground.
This year is also proving to be a big one for top grader manufacturers, with next-generation models from Caterpillar and John Deere released at ConExpo 2026.
Also revealed, Case has re-entered the 200-plus-horsepower market it exited a decade ago, and China-based LiuGong has released its first motor grader for the U.S. market.
Motor graders ranked 14th of all types of new-financed construction equipment sold between March 1, 2025, and February 28, 2026, according to Fusable’s EDA. (Fusable is also the parent company of Equipment World.)
Grader sales have remained steady over the past three years, averaging about 830 new-financed models sold annually.
Along with building and maintaining roads, motor graders are handy at plowing snow, leveling dirt for home and building foundations, and forming drainage ditches and slopes.
Their basic design hasn’t changed much in more than 100 years, but OEMs continue to roll out improvements to operator comfort, ease of use and performance.
