Ag machinery giant John Deere shared details on its mid-sized model year (MY) 2027 Series 6R and 6M tractors, which include numerous updates to improve comfort, command, and performance, Anne Anderson, go-to-market manager for the tractor series for John Deere, told AgNavigator.
John Deere’s 6 Series tractors — including the 6E, 6R, and 6M — represent the middle of the OEM’s portfolio, with tractors that range from 95 to 260 horsepower. Historically, the 6 Series tractors were used as haying and chore tractors, but as John Deere added horsepower, these tractors were able to perform more farm operations, including in row crow applications, Anderson explained.
The 6 Series tractor is “a good all-rounder tractor for a lot of folks. It’s the tractor that they use on a daily basis, so you can do all sorts of functions. For instance, my dad runs a 6, and he’s clearing snow with it in the winter. He’s planting with it in the spring. He’s mowing with it throughout the summer, bailing with it, [and] using it to grade our driveway. He does everything with it, constantly,” Anderson elaborated.
Popping the hood of John Deere’s 6R, 6M tractors
The MY27 Series 6 tractors updates were made to the 6M and 6R, which represent “the most customizable tractor that John Deere makes” and the “premium top-level tractor,” respectively, Anderson explained. The 6M can be customized to include John Deere’s tech solutions, while the 6R has the precision ag features integrated into the base model, she added.
The upgrades to the Series 6R were designed around three components, including ...
- Command: John Deere is bringing a series of changes inside and out of the cabin to control the tractor with a customizable CommandX control arm that is a series of drive levels and transmission control, available in a base, plus, and pro configurations. The plus configuration has two set speeds and six assignable buttons, where the pro tier has more button-mapping options, cruise control settings, and implementation configurations.
- Comfort: After conducting customer research, the OEM brought a suite of comfort features into the MY27 tractors, including more leg room and a wider door, Anderson explained. Additionally, farmers can add a massaging seat, a refrigerator, or customizable ambient lighting in 12 colors to the tractor.
- Performance: The 6R tractor is adding five horsepower to large-frame 6R tractors and a new power dense model, and then in the extra-large frame size, adding a top model that has 260 horsepower – 10 more than it initially had previously, Anderson explained. Additionally, 6R tractors will have a new e19 powershift transmission, allowing farmers to switch from automatic and manual transmission.
Additionally, the 6R tractors comes with a JD Link Boost with licensing in the base model, allowing farmers to capture data during normal operations and feed it into John Deere Operations Center, Anderson explained. This means that farmers can analyze that data themselves or share with agronomists and nutritionists to better inform on-farm decisions, she added.
Similar to John Deere’s large tractors, the 6M tractors come with the OEM’s G5 CommandCenter display and the CommandX drive lever, customizable to meet a farmer’s preference. Additionally, the 6M comes with the e19 powershift transmission.
John Deere will run demos of the new tractors and the various settings at associated dealers, once the company opens up ordering later in the year. Also, the OEM will be showcasing the 6R tractor at the upcoming Farm Progress show in Des Moines, where it will share additional equipment news.
