Kubota Mini Digger vs Lion: An Honest Comparison
Researching a Kubota mini digger for sale? Kubota build excellent, premium machines, and if you run a digger hard every day, that quality and resale value can be worth the price. But if your work is small-to-medium jobs, or occasional use, you may be paying for more machine than you need. Here's an honest look at where a Lion makes sense, and where a Kubota is the right call.
- Brand new, not ex-hire
- Factory-direct prices
- Free UK delivery
- 12-month warranty
Kubota vs Lion: it's about the job, not the badge
Let's be straight: a Kubota is a premium, heavily-engineered machine with strong dealer support and excellent resale. If you're a full-time groundworker putting thousands of hours on a machine, that build quality and residual value often justify the higher price.
Lion machines are different by design. They're mechanically simpler and cheaper to build, which is exactly what lets us sell them brand new, direct, for far less. That trade makes them ideal for homeowners, smallholders and trades doing small-to-medium jobs, or anyone who wants a capable machine without paying premium-brand money for capability they won't fully use.
So the honest answer is: if you need the absolute top build and resale for daily heavy use, look at Kubota. If you want a new, warrantied machine that does the digging most people actually need, for a fraction of the price, a Lion is worth a serious look.
Want the full picture? Read our complete mini digger buying guide, work out payback with the excavator ROI calculator, or get in touch and we'll help you choose.
Our mini diggers for sale
Every machine is brand new, built to order and delivered direct to your door. Prices include VAT and free UK delivery.
Save £1,800
Mini-pelle Lion L600 | Micro-excavatrice
Mini-pelle Lion L1800 PRO | 1,8T avec pouce hydraulique
Mini-pelle Lion L1800 | Mini-pelle 1,8T
Save £2,000
Mini-pelle L1000 | Mini-excavatrice
Save £500
Mini-Pelle Lion L1200 PRO | Mini-Excavatrice 1.2T | Pouce/Grappin Hydraulique
Compare the mini digger range
 Lion L6000.65t micro£4,69499
View |  Lion L10001t mini£6,99499
View |  Lion L12001.2t mini£8,49499
View |  Lion L18001.8t£9,49499
View | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating weight | 650 kg | 1,050 kg | 1,200 kg | 1,800 kg |
| Engine | Petrol | Diesel | Diesel | Diesel |
| Access | 690 mm wide | 930 mm wide | 930 mm wide | Compact |
| Best for | Tight access & gardens | General groundworks | Heavier groundworks | Regular heavy-duty work |
What you get with a Lion instead
For the price of a used Kubota, you can have a brand-new Lion with zero hours, a clean history and a full 12-month warranty. Our range runs from the 0.65-tonne L600 for the tightest access up to the 1.8-tonne L1800 for heavier work, so there's a size for small gardens through to regular groundworks.
You also get UK-based support, genuine spares delivered in 3 to 7 days and a nationwide service network, plus the option to spec the machine, engine, cabin, tracks and attachments, to suit your work. It's not a like-for-like Kubota, and it isn't trying to be. It's an honest, affordable machine for the jobs most people actually do.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Lion as good as a Kubota?
Why is a Lion so much cheaper than a Kubota?
Should I buy a used Kubota or a new Lion?
Are the machines new or used?
How much does a mini digger cost?
Do you deliver across the UK?
Is finance available?
Can I add attachments?
Find the right machine
Browse the range, work out your payback with the calculator, or talk to a real UK-based person who can help you pick.