Stihl MS 362 C-M vs Husqvarna 550 XP Mark II

Stihl MS 362 C-M

Stihl / Gas

Stihl MS 362 C-M

50cc class

~$1,120

See it at Stihl
Husqvarna 550 XP Mark II

Husqvarna / Gas

Husqvarna 550 XP Mark II

50cc class

~$749

See it at Husqvarna

The Husqvarna 550 XP Mark II costs about $371 less; the Stihl MS 362 C-M has more engine (59cc); the Stihl MS 362 C-M swings a longer bar (20 in); the Husqvarna 550 XP Mark II is lighter at 11.7 lb on the same basis.

SpecStihl MS 362 C-MHusqvarna 550 XP Mark II
Approx. price~$1,120with 20" bar and chain~$749with 16", 18", or 20" bar and chain
Engine class50cc classby displacement50cc classby displacement
Power typeGasGas
Use caseProfessionalProfessional
Engine59 cc50.1 cc
Rated power3.5 kW3 kW
Bar length20 in18 in
Single-pass cutabout 18 inabout 16 in
Bar range16-25 in13-20 in
Chain3/8" pitch / .050" gauge (33 RS3).325" pitch / .050" gauge (X-Cut SP33G)
Weight12.3 lbpowerhead only11.7 lbpowerhead only
Warranty1-year consumer / 3-month professional (Stihl policy from Jan 1, 2026)2-year consumer / 1-year commercial

Tinted cells mark the better figure on that row alone: more engine, longer bar, lighter, cheaper. A lighter weight is only a win on the same basis.

What owners like and complain about

Stihl MS 362 C-M

  • Pro magnesium construction that's fully rebuildable — a keep-for-decades saw, unlike the clamshell farm models
  • M-Tronic auto-tunes for altitude, temperature, and fuel quality with no carburetor adjustments
  • 3.5 kW from a 12.3 lb powerhead — same carry weight as an MS 271 with roughly 35% more power
  • Repeatedly praised on forums as the ideal size for all-day firewood cutting
  • HD2 filtration and spring AV system built for professional daily hours
  • Runs 16"-25" bars, covering everything from limbing to moderate felling
  • Owners report it feels underpowered with a 20" bar buried in large hardwood — the 462 gap is real
  • Price has climbed past $1,100, double a Farm Boss and within sight of the MS 400/462
  • No meaningful online retailer review aggregate — pro saws sell through dealers, so ratings are thin
  • Professional use carries only a 1-year warranty
  • At 12.3 lbs it's no lighter than the farm saws, so the upgrade is all in power and durability, not carry weight

Husqvarna 550 XP Mark II

  • Class-leading power-to-weight — 3.0 kW in an 11.7 lb package
  • Mark II revision put the original's air-leak reputation behind it
  • AutoTune self-adjusts for altitude, fuel, and filter condition
  • Factory X-Cut SP33G chain is sharp and smooth out of the box
  • Magnesium crankcase built for rebuild-and-run-again pro life
  • Light enough and smooth enough to run at full output all day, though fallers who run both rate the Stihl MS 261 as the less vibey saw in the cut
  • Crank-bearing failures are still reported on Mark II saws despite Husqvarna calling the problem fixed — one dealer stopped stocking them over it
  • Dealer-only pricing runs $660-760 — double a big-box 50cc saw
  • Wants to be run at full throttle; feels flat when lugged
  • AutoTune requires a dealer with diagnostic gear for deep service
  • Overkill money for occasional weekend cutting
  • 20-inch bar is its ceiling — big-wood buyers need the 562/572
Stihl MS 362 C-M in fullHusqvarna 550 XP Mark II in fullMore matchups