I have a 2022 Cub Cadet Z-force SX54 which had Hydro-gear ZT-3100 transmissions
I have a John Deere GX335 with Diff/lock older Version of the X500 series Basically and Older Version of the John Deere X580
I also Have a 2018 Cub Cadet XT3 GSX stopped Production in 2022
My Z-force SX54 will make it Up slopes steeper than 20 Degrees without Issue
My Main House In on a flat 3.9 acre Plot But I also Have an 18 acre weekend Home which has 4 Hills On it That are 20 Degrees or steeper The tractors with diff/lock also don't have an Issue with the Hills
Here are all the tractors and riding Machines I Currently Own
Cub Cadet Original Garden Tractor 1961
Cub Cadet 60 Rear engine rider 1968
Cub Cadet 70 Garden Tractor 1963
Cub Cadet 106 Garden Tractor 1970
Cub Cadet 1450 Garden Tractor 1976
Cub Cadet 1541 Garden Tractor 1991
Cub Cadet 2182 Garden Tractor 1991
Cub Cadet 3208 Garden Tractor 2000 -Diff/lock
Cub Cadet XT3 GSX Garden Tractor 2018 -Diff/lock
Cub Cadet Z-Force SX54 Zero turn 2022
Ingersoll 3016PS Garden Tractor 1992
John Deere 110RF Garden Tractor 1964
John Deere 112SF Garden Tractor 1969
John Deere 140H3 Garden Tractor 1974
John Deere GX335 Garden Tractor 2004 -Diff/lock
John Deere X748 Garden Tractor 2012 -AWD and Diff/lock
John Deere Sabre 1542 HS Lawn Tractor 1999
Simplicity Wonder-Boy Rear Engine Rider 195?
Wheel Horse 416H Garden Tractor 1992
White GT2055 Garden Tractor 1999
John Deere 2032R TL Compact Tractor 2026 -Shift-able 4WD
Many of those machines listed will not make it to the Top Of those Hills with out 4wd/AWD or Diff/lock
John Deere is really worth the extra money. It really has been since MTD became the parent of Cub Cadet, because MTD has slowly marched Cub Cadet to be a cheaper and lower-cost machine than what IH had really intended for the brand. As you see, I have several post-IH machines (any Cub Cadet machine made after April 1981).
That said, I really do love my Cub Cadet Z-Force SX54. Because it is such a billy goat, and I hate zero-turn with lever steering. I prefer the steering wheel control of the Z-Force SX54. It's like driving a lawn tractor, but you get to do a 180 at the end of the row and go back the other way.
If you go with a garden tractor, get a Deere X500 series, as it really is worth the money over an XT2 GX54 D. Because with the X570, you get an easily serviceable K72 transmission. You can service the K62 in the XT2 GX54 D, but you have to go through the battery box to refill the transmission, and the K62 does have drain plugs. But the K72 in the X570 can be refilled without having to be an orangutan to refill the transmission.
But if you go with a zero turn, you can't go wrong with a Z3 Synchro Steer Zero Turn for slope mowing.
Here Is My 2022 Z-Force SX54 Below