It’s interesting how two vehicles can be enjoyable to drive, and yet be completely different from one another. 

I thought I knew the sensations I needed out of a vehicle to make me happy: Communicative and precise controls, good weight distribution, thoughtful (or sometimes quirky) engineering, and a nice noise out of the exhaust. I also knew that a tractor, a vehicle that deliberately omits all of my criteria for what I consider a fun vehicle, would make me smile as much as the Smart BRABUS did. 

I must admit that I know nothing about tractors. So this isn’t a review, but simply a written trace of one of my vehicular experiences. 
Since I have not researched the matter, all I can tell you for sure is that this Kioti KL5510 has a diesel engine and a manually actuated transfer case (to engage or disengage four-wheel drive).
Sure, I can also tell you with complete confidence that it has a steering wheel, three pedals, and four wheels and tires, but that is usually standard stuff.
I can finally tell you, albeit without as much certainty, that it has two transmissions. One to change the gear ratios, the other to alternate between moving forwards or backwards while keeping the gear ratio selected on the aforementioned transmission. 

I was surprised, although with hindsight I probably shouldn’t have, at how forgiving it was to drive. I was under the impression that driving a tractor would require a technique only acquired if you were born in a barn in between stacks of hay. Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong. The hardest bit is making sure that you’ve handled all the gear leavers properly. But once you’re sure first gear is engaged, that you’re in the forwards moving gear, and the footbrake is off, it’s easy peasy lemon squeezy. 

Another thing that surprised me, is how light the steering is; It’s as light as a Rolls-Royce; Drive-with-one-finger light. This is a useful feature considering how many times you need to turn the steering wheel to go from lock to lock (due to its incredibly small turning radius). 
You don’t think about this before you drive one, but driving a tractor around a farm is basically like manoeuvring a cart in a crowded supermarket. Lots of sharp turns, left, right, then left, and then right again to go around a post, or a gate, or a tree, or a horse, anything and everything, really. I knew it could perform very sharp turns, but I didn’t think it could do a 180° in between two atoms of cow manure. 
What you need to keep an eye on while performing manoeuvres like these is, the bucket up front, and the mower at the back. They extend the length of the vehicle by quite a few metres. But the added complexity makes skilful manoeuvres more rewarding. 

Driving a tractor has confirmed what I already knew: what makes a driver really happy is a vehicle that challenges him; that forces him to acquire the necessary knowledge in order to master the vehicle’s inner workings. A vehicle that, when at the wheel, makes you proud of your driving skills. 
In sum, a vehicle that makes you happy shouldn’t be simple to drive, otherwise, anyone could drive it, and that doesn’t make you feel special. What does make you feel special, however, is a tractor, or at the very least it will put a smile on your face and that’s good enough.

Max,