Front and center at Hyundai Construction Equipment’s booth at ConExpo 2026 was its previously teased, next-generation crawler excavator lineup: the HX Series.
The new HX series — which the company had been showing at international trade shows for a year and are now available in the U.S. — ranges in horsepower from 186 to 336 and operating weights of 52,260 to 92,240 pounds.
More Fuel Efficiency, Productivity
Boasting 336 horsepower and an operating weight around 92,240 pounds, the HX400 is the largest of the five new excavators Hyundai is bringing to the U.S. The others are the HX230, HX260, HX300 and HX360.
All five machines will come with fully electrohydraulic controls for smoother operation and a 22% boost in productivity, according to Hyundai. The new system avoids the hydraulic loss that can occur with traditional systems and increases the precision with which operators can work, the company says.
The DX08 and HX05 Hyundai engines for the excavators now offer a nearly 10% improvement in fuel efficiency compared to previous models. Replacement intervals for engine oil, engine filters and fuel filters have been boosted from 500 to 1,000 hours when using CK-4 oil, and coolant replacement intervals have jumped from 2,000 to 6,000 hours.
The majority of HX series service points are accessible at ground level, and higher points can be reached with a new side-access structure.
Contractors will be moving more dirt with standard, larger-capacity buckets, and durability has been upgraded through an increase of the booms’ box sizes and an updated arm design, the company says. The updated HX series also received strengthened upper and lower structures for improved resistance to external shocks and operations under heavy load.
Joe Hodges, product manager for excavators at Hyundai, says other upgraded areas of the HX Series include better heat treatment on the tracks, increased dimensions on the H-linkage, larger bucket cylinders and auto grease standard from the factory.
“With all the technology being added, the ideal targeted customer for like a full package would be a higher-end contractor, somebody who’s working with different infrastructures that have certain requirements for maybe a 2D or a 3D grade system,” says Hodges. “And having those autos enables you to put a more junior operator in the seat and still end up with the same finished product.”
Next-Generation Cabs
A series of cab improvements have come with the new generation to increase operator comfort and productivity, according to Hyundai.
All five excavators come with tilting console programable joysticks, spring-strength adjust lever controls, 12.8-inch monitor, and a wider seat with heating and cooling and improved ventilation. A straight-travel pedal upgrade and order assist control and grade control from the factory are optional.
Contractors will also get five free years of Hyundai’s telematics system, Hyundai Connect, which includes location tracking, theft prevention, maintenance notifications and fleet monitoring. The excavators also come with Equipment Health Monitoring for predicting potential failures, an e-boundary safety warning system, and a wide-band-frequency, white-noise alert to warn others of the excavator’s presence.
Another option: A 330-degree advanced detection system with visual and audio warnings for the side and rear that can also slow or stop the excavator.
Additionally, Hyundai’s Smart Around View Monitoring tech can be added, which brings six cameras and artificial intelligence to the excavator to detect nearby people during operation. Each HX Series excavator has a rearview camera and lamp built into the counterweight.
For determining trucking costs and shipping volumes, an onboard weighing function add-on, which displays the weight of the bucket’s load into the cab, is an option. Additional options include lighting beacons for the cab’s corners and a cabin guard for protection from falling objects.
Hyundai HX230L Crawler Excavator Specs:
- Operating weight: 52,260 pounds
- Engine: Hyundai DX05
- Net power: 186 horsepower
- Standard bucket: 1.2 cubic yards
- Max digging depth: 21.75 feet
- Max digging reach: 32.5 feet
- Tail swing radius: 11.6 feet
- Bucket breakout force: 32,860 pounds (Power Boost: 35,510 pounds)
Hyundai HX260L Crawler Excavator Specs:
- Operating weight: 58,140 pounds
- Engine: Hyundai DX05
- Net power: 226 horsepower
- Standard bucket: 1.53 cubic yards
- Max digging depth: 22.3 feet
- Max digging reach: 33.3 feet
- Tail swing radius: 12.2 feet
- Bucket breakout force: 36,170 pounds (Power Boost: 39,250 pounds)
Hyundai HX300L Crawler Excavator Specs:
- Operating weight: 72,800 pounds
- Engine: Hyundai DX08
- Net power: 277
- Standard bucket: 1.98 cubic yards
- Max digging depth: 23.9 feet
- Max digging reach: 35 feet
- Tail swing radius: 13.2 feet
- Bucket breakout force: 42,560 pounds (Power Boost: 46,220 pounds)
Hyundai HX360L Crawler Excavator Specs:
- Operating weight: 81,700 pounds
- Engine: Hyundai DX08
- Net power: 300
- Standard bucket: 2.37 cubic yards
- Max digging depth: 24.6 feet
- Max digging reach: 36.5 feet
- Tail swing radius: 14.6 feet
- Bucket breakout force: 55,040 pounds (Power Boost: 58,200 pounds)
Hyundai HX400L Crawler Excavator Specs:
- Operating weight: 92,240 pounds
- Engine: Hyundai DX08
- Net power: 336
- Standard bucket: 2.66 cubic yards
- Max digging depth: 24.25 feet
- Max digging reach: 36.5 feet
- Tail swing radius: 14.6 feet
- Bucket breakout force: 55,040 pounds (Power Boost: 58,200 pounds)
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