The John Deere X370—A Smooth Operator for Year-Round Mowing

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For a new riding lawn mower, shoppers can choose from options lined up outside their local home improvement and hardware stores, or they can seek out an equipment dealership. It’s easy to fall into the lowest-cost trap, or to assume that the premium offerings at the big-box stores represent the best that those brands have to offer. The truth is, there are major differences between retail offerings and dealer-exclusive equipment. I tested the dealer-exclusive John Deere X370 lawn tractor, in part, to showcase that difference.

Previously, I reviewed the John Deere S130 lawn tractor available from Ace Hardware and Lowe’s. It’s a strong, capable mower with a comfortable ride, and DIYers will find everything they need for routine maintenance right there in the store. In contrast, the dealer-exclusive John Deere X370 lawn tractor includes standard performance, comfort, and convenience features not found on the S130. The dealership also provides assistance before and beyond the sale when it comes to upgrading features, adding attachments, routine maintenance, and repairs. 

I had enough interaction with the dealership staff (shoutout to Ag-Pro in Cartersville, Georgia) to vouch for their timeliness in delivering the mower, depth of knowledge of the equipment, and care and concern that I had all the necessary information and support for safe operation. For this review, I will focus on the unique features of the base model X370 that I tested, and my experience mowing with it. 

John Deere X370 Lawn Tractor: At a Glance

The X370 is a strong and reliable lawn tractor for large yards. It comes equipped with a 21.5 horsepower iTorque engine, a 42-inch Accel Deep mowing deck, and two-wheel power steering. Everything about this mower seems to make yard work more enjoyable. The 18-inch high-back seat provides a seriously comfortable ride. Adjustable suspension springs and a smooth-sliding 15-position fore-aft adjustment system let you customize the ride for your height and weight. The power steering system allows it to carve incredibly tight turns with minimal operator strain. 

More than just a riding mower, this John Deere lawn tractor is designed to help with all of your year-round outdoor chores. Dozens of attachments and feature upgrades are available to customize the X370 for specific tasks and property needs, including mulch kits, bagging systems, utility carts, sprayers, spreaders, snow blowers, wheel weights, and more. 

As for mowing performance, the Accel Deep deck produces excellent airflow to ensure a crisp, clean cut without double mowing or slowing to a crawl. The 13-position deck-height dial and hydraulic deck lift let you adjust the mowing height from 1 to 4 inches at the touch of a button. As alternatives to the standard side-discharge configuration, the X370 can easily be upgraded with a mulch kit or bagging system. 

I tested the John Deere X370 on 1.5 acres that included a half acre broken up with structures and landscape beds, and an acre of open grass. The terrain included some flat, some sloped, and some undulating ground. It was the perfect place to put a riding mower through the paces, and this one excelled in several important ways.

Start-Up

Upon its delivery, I parked the X370 lawn tractor for 24 hours before assessing start-up. The next day, I checked the oil, topped off the gas, and followed the manual instructions for starting. I have always appreciated that John Deere positions its fuel tank openings conveniently on the side or rear of the machine, not under the hood (in this case, it is on the left rear-wheel fender). I also liked the spring-action automatic choke return as a simple convenience factor. Unsurprisingly, the engine came right on and idled smoothly.

Before getting started with mowing, I sat for a moment and acquainted myself with the controls. The dash was laid out well, with an easy-to-read LCD display at the top right, showing the fuel level, hours meter, battery level, and service interval. Beside the screen were the ignition, blade engagement switch, cruise control, and parking brake. To the left of the steering wheel was the side-by-side throttle and choke, with the mower lift switch just below. The deck height adjustment dial was centered on the floor. Forward and reverse pedals were located on the right footrest area. Everything was easily visible, easy to reach, and easy to use.

Ease of Operation

In many ways, operating the X370 was similar to operating other hydrostatic lawn tractors. Turn it on, adjust the throttle, and press the forward or reverse pedal to travel. A switch turns the blades on and off, and it includes a separate safety control that allows for mowing in reverse. Two additional features stood out: the power steering system and the hydraulic deck lift.

The power steering system was noise-free and incredibly smooth. I had no trouble rounding tree rings at about half speed while mowing the grass. It allows for a 22-inch turning radius with a 30-inch uncut radius, making it easy to navigate around yard obstacles. The mower’s weight balance also helped the front wheels to “stick” rather than slip around tight turns, which gave the mower a sure-footedness that many cheap riding mowers lack.

The hydraulic deck lift system was also a big win. With the mower deck in the “up” position, I simply dialed in my desired mowing height using the knob on the center of the floor. Then I pressed the deck lift button to lower the deck to the preset height. No locking levers or foot assist pedals are required, and there’s absolutely zero strain. 

Operator Comfort

WIthout the need to raise and lower the deck by hand or steer by force of arm strength, the X370 already elevates the comfort level through ease of operation. But it provides a smooth ride, too. As I mentioned above, the weight balance helped the machine “stick” to the ground, which might seem to imply that the operator absorbs the bumps. But that was not so. The right combination of tires, seat suspension, and the seat itself eliminates most of the jarring and jostling, without making it feel too bouncy. 

The seat was well cushioned beneath and behind, and molded with form-fitting contours. Buyers can upgrade the seat with optional armrests, but I liked the ease of getting on and off without them. When seated, I was able to squeeze the adjustment lever and easily slide the seat back to the most comfortable position. I did not adjust the suspension springs, but they did their job perfectly for me, so I suppose the default setting is dialed in for a 200-pound rider. Whether I drove fast or slow, or on sloped, bumpy, or smooth ground, the ride was consistently excellent.

Mowing Performance

The iTorque engine delivered ample power to the Accel Deep deck for a high-quality cut. I only tested the side discharge configuration, but what I experienced should only improve with a mulch kit attached. For those considering a bagger, there was plenty of airflow to expect clog-free bagging as well.

I wanted to gauge different mowing conditions, so I started by cutting as I normally would for regular maintenance. The grass was about 3.5 inches high, and I set the cut height at 2.5 inches. In this scenario I was able to mow between 4.5 and 5 mph over the flat ground and about 3 mph on bumpy ground. Then I moved to an area of overgrown grass and weeds that were up to 18 inches tall, where I had to slow down to about 2 mph. 

The grass that I mowed in these scenarios was crisp and even, with no uncut tops left behind. The mower evenly discharged fine-textured clippings with no clumps. The deck produced enough airflow to spread the clippings evenly up to 10 feet from the discharge chute. The grass looked great.

Is the John Deere X370 worth the money?

Starting at a little over $5,000 before upgrades or sales tax, the John Deere X370 is priced reasonably well. As a point of comparison, the S130 is currently priced below $3,000. The difference lies in the quality of the build and the numerous built-in convenience features. The proportions of the X370 are slightly larger, and the overall specs point to a heavier-duty machine. It also comes with power steering, a hydraulic deck lift, and a premium mower deck that outperform the retail model.

Although it is not the top of the line according to John Deere’s offerings, the X370 offers premium features that make mowing more enjoyable. It is clearly a step above retail quality and  worth the price.

Should you buy the John Deere X370?

This is a really nice lawn tractor, but it might not be the best pick for every buyer. If you are shopping for the least expensive, most reliable mower, you could save thousands of dollars by going with a retail model. It will last through a decade or more of seasonal mowing with minimal maintenance. 

But increased usage adds wear and tear that ultimately causes lighter-duty machines to fail. Many are not optimized for winter operation, so simply starting the engine in freezing weather can be a hassle. If you need a reliable lawn tractor for year-round property maintenance, then the X370 could be the right choice. This machine starts, maneuvers, and mows well while greatly reducing operator fatigue, and it is designed for reliable year-round use. With dozens of helpful attachments available, it could become the lawn helper you didn’t know you needed.

Get the John Deere X370 lawn tractor at John Deere for $5,099.

Meet the Tester

Mark Wolfe is a writer and product tester with an extensive background in the nursery and landscaping industry. For more than 20 years he mowed, edged, planted, pruned, cultivated, irrigated, and renovated beautiful landscapes. Now he tests and writes reviews about the latest outdoor power equipment, hand tools, lawn care products, and other outdoor-living goods.