Bobcat tractors in my area are just not selling at all. Between the sales staff preferring the skid steer customers, and tractor customers feeling that attitude on the sales floor. Combine that with doubts about Bobcat staying in the tractor market for long term, customers just are not buying. And its nothing negative about the Kioti engines or the Bobcat dealer network with highly certified diesel mechanics. They just are not selling in my area.
If he's considering New Holland, the Workmaster line is what I would suggest. The LS variants they rebadge, are more of a compact utility tractor. The Workmaster line is significantly heavier, has a longer wheelbase and more loader capacity. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles the LS tractors have. I have been very happy with my Workmaster 60 and the dealer network. If he wanted to go bigger, they offer the Workmaster 75 in open station also.
The larger NH Workmaster and the Case IH 75A both appear to be good options. The Kubota 6060 appears to be a similar size as well so for the money seems to have some advantages over the MX series. I'm hoping to see an MF4707 soon as well though the dealer network is significantly weaker though, similar (locally) to Kioti.
I owned two economy tractors before buying my Kubota 'Grand L' L3560. To me $5,000 extra for a 'Grand L' L6060 over an MX6000 is money well spent, especially if the owner/operator is over fifty-five years old.