Eicher 242 vs Farmtrac Steeltrac 18

Which one should you buy?

Both of these are sold into the same segment, so the choice comes down to a handful of real differences rather than one being better than the other outright.

Price

The Farmtrac Steeltrac 18 is roughly ₹0.85 lakh cheaper ex-showroom — about 21% less than the Eicher 242. On road that gap widens slightly, because RTO tax and insurance are calculated on the higher figure. Whether the Eicher 242 earns that back depends entirely on the points below; if it does not, the cheaper machine is the better buy.

PTO power — the number that matters

Engine horsepower is the headline; PTO horsepower is what actually turns a rotavator or a thresher. Here the Eicher 242 delivers 8.9 HP more at the PTO (Eicher 242: 21.3 HP, Farmtrac Steeltrac 18: 12.4 HP). That is roughly the difference between comfortably running a wider rotavator and working the engine hard to do it.

Lifting capacity

The Eicher 242 lifts 670 kg more (Eicher 242: 1220 Kg, Farmtrac Steeltrac 18: 550 kg). This decides which mounted implements the tractor can actually carry, and it is where cheaper models usually cut corners. Check it against the heaviest implement you own — loaded weight, not the dry weight in the brochure.

Weight

The Eicher 242 is about 729 kg heavier. Weight is an advantage when braking a loaded trolley or pulling hard in draft work, and a disadvantage in wet fields and on soft ground where the Farmtrac Steeltrac 18 will compact less and sink less.

Other differences

They also differ on warranty (1 Year vs 5000 hrs / 5 years). None of these decide the purchase on their own, but oil-immersed brakes and power steering are worth paying for if you spend long days on the machine.

The short answer

Taken together the Eicher 242 leads on more of the dimensions that affect day-to-day work. It is the safer pick unless the Farmtrac Steeltrac 18 is meaningfully cheaper for you after the dealer quote.

• Wide rotavator, thresher or heavy PTO work: the Eicher 242 — it has the PTO horsepower to hold speed under load.
• Heavy mounted implements: the Eicher 242, which has the hydraulics to carry them.
• Loaded trolley and haulage: the Eicher 242 — the extra weight helps it brake and hold a load on a gradient.
• Tightest budget, or if none of the above apply to you: the Farmtrac Steeltrac 18. Paying for capability you never use is the most common and most expensive mistake at this size.

Before you decide

• Prices here are ex-showroom. Add roughly 7–10% for RTO registration and insurance, and get the on-road figure in writing from the dealer, itemised.
• Visit more than one dealer for each brand. Exchange value and finance terms vary between showrooms by more than the price gap between these two machines.
• Ask how far the nearest workshop is for each brand. A tractor that is down for a week in season costs more than the difference between these two.
• Drive both with an implement attached, not empty. An unloaded tractor tells you very little.

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