I have yet to see any type of proof they hold a higher resale value (price new vs price used) than the other brands
I agree but for several reasons. Back in 2006 when I saw my first array of sub compacts . . Only 2 stood out from any others in my thunking . . Kubota bx and cub cadet yanmar sc2400. Nobody else was even close to the smooth lines, tight design features, and expandable features as a combination.
But times have changed in more ways than they stayed the same.
1. Now the quantity of tight interesting sub compact designs is multiplied . .
2. At the very same time as interested people has expanded by multiples . . .
3. At the very same time that prices and financing costs have plummeted in comparison to affirdability and capability.
Resale values are high for many sub compacts because demand is high. Name recognition is important . . but name recognition is different now than it was in a developing market.
And witness the maturity of design. Look at the floor of a Kubota bx, a Yanmar 221, a Massey gc1700. They are all flat floors with comfort seats and not a hump to step over or a knob to trip on. They are 3rd and 4th generation product. A 2nd generation brand (not named) in a 24 hp is nicely painted but it has a floor of humps, bumps, and control knobs. My point is . . a mature commodity market with currently growing demand . . has a new expectation by prospects.
Kubota and to a smaller extent JD, had huge parts of the sub compact market . . but never again will they hold the same new dominant percentage they once had. They'll sell a ton of machines . . but Yanmar and Massey and a couple more will sell a ton too. And current 1st and 2nd generation named products will split the remainder.
Selection and choices and design improvements are far greater now than ever before in the scut market . . exactly as quantity of demand and low cost financing all come together.