Iron Insider: The Top-Selling New Construction Equipment So Far in 2026

First up: compact track loaders. Tracked skid steers continued to pull away as the most popular machine on our list — by a long shot. 

Nearly 28,000 CTLs were sold during the first half of 2026, up 4.8% from the same period last year. 

The top manufacturers by sales volume were Kubota, Caterpillar, Bobcat, Deere and Takeuchi. 

And the top-selling models were: the Kubota SVL75-3, Cat 255, Kubota SVL97-3, Cat 265 and Deere 325G. 

And OEMs clearly see an opportunity here. 

In just the last six months, numerous manufacturers have released new CTLs, all looking to grab a piece of the growing market for this incredibly versatile material handler and tool carrier. 

So, here’s some of the new iron contractors should have on their radar. 

Caterpillar combined the structure of its D3 with a next-gen undercarriage to deliver the new 253, a roughly 9,000-pound machine offering just over 2,000 pounds in rated operating capacity. 

Kubota launched its largest CTL ever at ConExpo, the SVL110-3. Sitting at just over 12,000 pounds, the SVL110-3 features the same footprint as the smaller SVL97-3 but brings more operating capacity, horsepower and hydraulic flow to the table. 

Hyundai teased its HT30 CTL at ConExpo too, a 72-horsepower, 11,141-pound little brother to the HT38 launched in 2025. Hyundai is billing this latest model as a tool carrier suited for residential construction and landscapers. 

Yanmar brought 9 new CTL models to the U.S. market this year as it “patches over” the lineup of its subsidiary manufacturer ASV. All these models are maintaining the ASV Posi-Track undercarriage combined with Yanmar engines. 

Well, Ben, Sales of full-sized crawler excavators weighing more than 10 metric tons slipped 12% during the first six months of the year, to just over 7,000 units. 

Caterpillar remained the category leader — and it was the only manufacturer in the top five to post a sales increase. 

Meanwhile, sales for Deere, Komatsu, Kubota and Hitachi all declined, some by significant margins.  

The most popular models included the Kubota KX080-5, Deere 85 P-Tier, Cat 336, Cat 315 and Cat 340. 

Despite the softer sales numbers, there’s been no shortage of new iron. 

Major manufacturers have rolled out a large array of new excavators over the past year, with new technology, updated designs and plenty of changes aimed at improving productivity. 

Here are some of the new excavators making headlines. 

Volvo hit the market with two next-gen crawler excavators: the short-swing, 51,000-pound ECR255, and the 126,000-pound EC560, which Volvo says now offers the largest bucket capacity in its class at 6 cubic yards.  

We also saw two medium-sized wheeled excavator models from Volvo: the 35,000-pound EWR150 and the 40,000-pound EWR170.  
 
Side note: Hitachi also unveiled some wheeled excavators this year, its debut for the U.S. market: the 43,000-pound ZX180W-7 and the 52,000-pound ZX220W-7.  

We saw the first models from Develon’s new lineup of next-gen excavators at ConExpo, ranging from 53,000 pounds to 95,000 pounds: the DX230LC-9, the DX260LC-9, the DX300LC-9, the DX360LC-9 and the DX400LC-9. Operators are going to find the new Develon diesel engines on these models for 20% more power and an 8% drop in fuel consumption. 

Hyundai also launched its own next-gen excavator lineup, the 5-model HX series, which ranges from 186 to 336 horsepower and 52,000 pounds to 92,000 pounds. These five new models – the HX230, the HX260, the HX300, the HX360 and the HX400 – are getting a 10% boost in fuel efficiency and a redesigned cab. 

We’ve covered over 40 new excavator models this year and counting, so be sure to check out our Excavator content feed in the description below to learn about the ones we didn’t have time to hit on.  

Next up: wheel loaders. 

Sales tumbled 10% for the first six months of the year, compared to the same period last year, with approximately 4,800 new financed units sold.  

Case was the only manufacturer in the top five to post a sales increase, while Cat, Deere, Komatsu, and Volvo saw sales declines.

The most-purchased models included the Deere 624 P-Tier, Komatsu WA320-8, Cat 938, Komatsu WA270-8 and the Deere 544 P-Tier. 

But the product category isn’t standing still. 

Manufacturers continued to innovate and release new models with advanced automation features, roomier cabs and high-tech safety features…. 

LiuGong debuted the first models of its new T series wheel loaders at ConExpo: the 33,000-pound 842T, and the 44,000-pound 856T. Key upgrades here include larger cabs, improved serviceability and standard iLink Telematics. 

Hitachi brought us the 19,000-pound ZW120-7 and the 25,000-pound ZW140-7, offering 2-cubic-yard and 2.7-cubic-yard bucket capacities respectively. Both are aimed at material handling, snow removal and utility work applications and bring Hitachi’s full dash-7 wheel loader lineup to 8 models. 

And finally, John Deere added two new models to its X-series lineup: the 844 X-Tier and 904 X-Tier. Weighing in at roughly 72,000 pounds and 80,000 pounds respectively, these production-class models feature Deere’s Electric Variable Transmission and a new Pile Slip Assist feature to trigger the differential lock as operators approach piles. 

Dozer sales also took a hit. Sales dropped by nearly six percent, falling to roughly 2,400 units sold.  

Caterpillar held onto the top spot, while Deere overtook Komatsu for second place. Case came in fourth and sister companies Hyundai and Develon swapped spots for the fifth and sixth positions. 

Models topping the sales charts included the Cat D4, D5 VP and D3 and the Deere 700 P-Tier and 650 P-Tier. 

And, once again, manufacturers are looking for ways to make these machines more productive. 

New models are arriving with advanced technology and features designed to make operation easier and boost productivity. 

That includes the expansion of Caterpillar’s electric-drive dozer lineup with the D8 XE. Suitable for a variety of applications – including road construction, mining, and waste management – this new model offers 10% less fuel consumption, more torque and constant power, and fewer moving parts than the standard D8. 

Case’s smallest dozers have gotten a next-gen upgrade to become the 650N, 750N and 850N, ranging from 74 horsepower to 120 horsepower. As part of their ascension from the previous M series, these three new models got visibility enhancements, better performance management and more operator cab comforts. 

Finally, we have backhoes — and the numbers here are a little tougher. 

Backhoe sales continued their downward slide as more contractors opt for CTLs and mini excavators.  

During the first half of 2026, sales dropped 21% compared to the same period last year. And every leading OEMs in the category – Cat, Deere, Case, JCB, and New Holland – saw sales declines. 

When purchasing a new backhoe, contractors and municipalities favored the Deere 320 P-Tier, Cat 420, Case 580 Super N, Cat 420 XE and the Cat 416. 

While backhoe loaders have lost market share over the years, their versatility still makes them a favorite for many contractors – and manufacturers continue to make advancements. 

And this year we saw Sany bring its second backhoe to the U.S. market, the BHL95. This 19,000-pound machine offers 95 horsepower and a max dig depth of 17 feet 7 inches. Operators will be working with a hydraulic 4-in-1 multipurpose loader bucket for clamping, grading and dozing.