John Deere S120 - 42 vs. CUB CADET XT1 LT46

Is the John Deere S120 - 42 right for you?

Most Customers shopping in this range own a half-acre to two-acre yard and want a reliable, easy-to-own machine they can count on season after season without a lot of fuss. The Cub Cadet XT1 LT46 will catch your eye on paper because it carries a 46-inch deck and a longer warranty on paper, and we will not pretend otherwise. But here is what we see play out in the real world: a wider deck only helps you if your property is open and obstacle-free, and for most residential lots, the S120's 42-inch Edge deck is actually easier to maneuver around trees, beds, and fence lines.

Where the S120 pulls ahead in ways that matter day to day is the Easy Change 30-second oil change system. No drain plug, no mess, no excuses to skip maintenance. That one feature alone keeps engines running longer because Customers actually use it. Both machines share the same rear tire size and a comparable hydrostatic transaxle, but the S120's side-by-side pedal layout gives you more intuitive, precise speed control compared to a single foot pedal setup.

Add in the John Deere dealer network behind it, genuine parts on the shelf at our stores across Indiana and Ohio, and technicians who know these machines cold, and the value picture shifts quickly. If you want to talk through your specific yard and figure out whether this is the right fit, our team is here for exactly that conversation.