The Tractor of the Year (TOTY) awards are returning to Bologna, Italy for EIMA this year, offering a snapshot of where agri-machinery is heading.

TOTY awards highlights range from flagship tractors designed for high horsepower fieldwork to more specialised machines built around having an aptitude for certain tasks.

The awards rotate annually between Agritechnica in Hannover, Germany and EIMA - the International Agricultural and Gardening Machinery Exhibition - in Bologna, Italy (such as this year's 2027 TOTY awards).

But who is in the running to take home gold this year?

HighPower

Previously just the Tractor Of The Year category with no horsepower restriction, the HighPower category is dedicated to tractors above 300hp, recognising the high-powered tractors in modern farming.

One contender for the award is Fendt's 1167 Vario MT Gen 2, a 680hp tracked behemoth that was unveiled last month at the Farm Progress show in Iowa.

CNH is represented by Steyr's Cervus CVT tractor range, which was previewed by the Austrian brand at Agritechnica 2025, becoming its flagship high-hp line.

Ranging from 360-435hp, a maximum travel speed of 60km/h and a new central tyre inflation system, a lot of care and attention has gone into this machine.

MidPower

Now in its third year, the MidPower category is focused on tractors ranging from 150-280hp, and machines that balance power, versatility and efficiency.

The 2027 MidPower category is dominated by two global parent corporations.

One of these is AGCO, with Massey Ferguson's 7S.245 Mark 2 andValtra's T263, both of which use the 7.5L, six-cylinder, AGCO Power Core75 engine.

The other major corporation is CNH, with both the Case IH Puma 185 and the New Holland T7.270 Methane Power competing in the category.

The Puma combines the PowerDrive transmission with a 6.7L six-cylinder FPT 6 engine rated for 180-241hp.

Unveiled at Agritechnica 2025, sister-brand New Holland's T7.270 Methane Power tractor provides an option for farm businesses with an anaerobic digestion plant.

While anaerobic digestion is not currently widespread in Ireland, the sector is expanding, and this tractor shows potential for operations with access to methane as a fuel source.

Utility

TOTY's Utility category is for tractors with a maximum of four cylinders, maximum operating weight of 10,000kg and a power range of 70-150hp.

The Fendt 314 Vario Gen 5 will be looking to reclaim the Utility category award that it won back in 2020 with its last edition.

Meanwhile Landini will be hoping to win its fourth award in TOTY's history and first outside of the Specialised category with its 6-145 RS.

In addition to the 7S Mark 2 in the MidPower category, Massey Ferguson has the 5S.145 Dyna-VT challenging for the Utility award.

Announced last year at Agritechnica, customer deliveries of the 5S Dyna-VT began rolling out this summer.

TOTY origin

Established in 1998 by Italian magazine Trattori, the TOTY award category winners are decided by a group of 26 independent journalists representing 25 European countries.

In a statement to Agriland, TOTY chairperson, Fabio Zammaretti said he believes the "international dimension is one of the greatest strengths of Tractor Of The Year.

He added: "Agricultural requirements can vary significantly across Europe and bringing together different experiences, perspectives and farming traditions allows us to evaluate tractors from a much broader point of view."

According to Zammaretti, there isn't one single feature that determines the winner, as the jury's objective is to identify the tractor "that offers the best overall combination of technology, performance, efficiency, innovation and practical benefits for farmers.

"Ultimately, we are not looking for the tractor with the longest list of features, but for the one that makes the most meaningful contributions to modern agriculture," he said.