Escorts Steeltrac vs Powertrac Steeltrac 15
Comparing the Escorts Steeltrac and the Powertrac Steeltrac 15 — the Escorts Steeltrac carries 7 HP more, and the Escorts Steeltrac is about ₹0.36 lakh cheaper ex-showroom. The specifications below are from the manufacturers; the section under them explains what those differences mean on an actual farm.
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 Escorts Steeltrac is roughly ₹0.36 lakh cheaper ex-showroom — about 13% less than the Powertrac Steeltrac 15. On road that gap widens slightly, because RTO tax and insurance are calculated on the higher figure. Whether the Powertrac Steeltrac 15 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 Escorts Steeltrac delivers 6 HP more at the PTO (Escorts Steeltrac: 15.4 HP, Powertrac Steeltrac 15: 9.38 HP). That is roughly the difference between comfortably running a wider rotavator and working the engine hard to do it.
Lifting capacity
The Powertrac Steeltrac 15 lifts 100 kg more (Escorts Steeltrac: 450 Kg, Powertrac Steeltrac 15: 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.
Gearbox
Escorts Steeltrac: 15.4 HP. Powertrac Steeltrac 15: 8 Forward + 2 Reverse. Count the low-range speeds rather than the total — puddling and rotavating need slow ground speed at working engine revs, and a box with too few low gears forces a compromise between the two.
Other differences
They also differ on steering (Manual Steering vs Mechanical). 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 Escorts Steeltrac leads on more of the dimensions that affect day-to-day work. It is the safer pick unless the Powertrac Steeltrac 15 is meaningfully cheaper for you after the dealer quote.
- Wide rotavator, thresher or heavy PTO work: the Escorts Steeltrac — it has the PTO horsepower to hold speed under load.
- Heavy mounted implements: the Powertrac Steeltrac 15, which has the hydraulics to carry them.
- Tightest budget, or if none of the above apply to you: the Escorts Steeltrac. 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.
Specifications compared
| Specification | Escorts Steeltrac | Powertrac Steeltrac 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Ex-showroom price | ₹2.44 - ₹2.73 Lakh* | ₹2.8 - ₹3.3 Lakh* |
| Engine | ||
| HP | 18 | 11 HP |
| Cylinders | 1 | 1 |
| Displacement (CC) | 895 CC | 611 CC |
| Engine RPM | 2300 RPM | NA |
| Air Filter | Oil Bath | — |
| Cooling System | Coolant cooled | — |
| Torque | 220 NM | 33 NM |
| Transmission | ||
| Transmission Type | Synchromesh | Synchromesh |
| Clutch | Single clutch | Single Clutch,(Diaphragm) Hub Reduction |
| Gearbox | 15.4 HP | 8 Forward + 2 Reverse |
| Forward Speed | 25 kmph | 25.3 kmph |
| Reverse Speed | 4.53 kmph | 25.3 kmph |
| Brakes | ||
| Brake Type | Dry disc brake | NA |
| PTO | ||
| PTO Type | MRPTO | — |
| PTO RPM | 540 | — |
| PTO Power (HP) | 15.4 HP | 9.38 HP |
| Hydraulics | ||
| Lifting Capacity (Kg) | 450 Kg | 550 KG |
| Steering | ||
| Steering Type | Manual Steering | Mechanical |
| Dimensions & Weight | ||
| Total Weight (Kg) | 910 KG | 914 KG |
| Wheelbase (MM) | 1524 MM | 1524 MM |
| Overall Length (MM) | 2530 MM | 2530 MM |
| Overall Width (MM) | 1040 MM | 1020 MM |
| Ground Clearance (MM) | 300 MM | 300 MM |
| Turning Radius | 2550 MM | 2600 MM |
| Fuel Tank Capacity (L) | 18 litre | 17.4 litre |
| Wheels & Tyres | ||
| Wheel Drive | 2 WD | 2 WD |
| Front Tyre | 5.20 X 14 | — |
| Rear Tyre | 8.00 X 18 | — |
| Other | ||
| Warranty | 2000 Hour or 2 Year | NA |
| Accessories | Tool, Toplink, Canopy, Hook, Bumper, Drawbar | — |
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