Mahindra 255 DI Power plus vs Powertrac 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 Powertrac Steeltrac 18 is roughly ₹1.94 lakh cheaper ex-showroom — about 44% less than the Mahindra 255 DI Power plus. On road that gap widens slightly, because RTO tax and insurance are calculated on the higher figure. Whether the Mahindra 255 DI Power plus 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 Mahindra 255 DI Power plus delivers 9.4 HP more at the PTO (Mahindra 255 DI Power plus: 21.8 HP, Powertrac 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 Mahindra 255 DI Power plus lifts 670 kg more (Mahindra 255 DI Power plus: 1220 kg, Powertrac 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.

Engine

The Mahindra 255 DI Power plus runs 2 cylinders against the Powertrac Steeltrac 18's 1. More cylinders generally means smoother running and less vibration over a long day, at the cost of a little more fuel and slightly dearer servicing. Fewer cylinders is simpler to maintain, which matters if your nearest workshop is far.

Weight

The Mahindra 255 DI Power plus is about 834 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 Powertrac Steeltrac 18 will compact less and sink less.

The short answer

Taken together the Mahindra 255 DI Power plus leads on more of the dimensions that affect day-to-day work. It is the safer pick unless the Powertrac Steeltrac 18 is meaningfully cheaper for you after the dealer quote.

• Wide rotavator, thresher or heavy PTO work: the Mahindra 255 DI Power plus — it has the PTO horsepower to hold speed under load.
• Heavy mounted implements: the Mahindra 255 DI Power plus, which has the hydraulics to carry them.
• Loaded trolley and haulage: the Mahindra 255 DI Power plus — 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 Powertrac 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.

Specifications compared

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