Mahindra Automotive North America (MANA) promised a redesign of the Roxor after being forced by the United States International Trade Commission to bar the sale or import of the Jeep look-alike vehicle and its parts.

This cease and desist order came after being dragged for arbitration by Fiat Chrysler America (FCA). FCA is the parent company of Jeep which makes all Jeep models including the Jeep Wrangler. They claimed that the Mahindra Roxor infringed upon their trade dress. Basically, this means that if somebody was to look at the Roxor, they would think it’s a Jeep and as a result, it would affect the sales of their Jeep vehicle.

Initially, Mahindra did the first redesign for the 2020 model in the USA. However, it was deemed unacceptable by Jeep and they pursued their lawsuit, prompting Mahindra to do a further redesign. There were specific points that were brought up by the lawsuit and Mahindra sought to address them all. These parts included the exterior hood latches, fenders, wheel well, door cutouts, grille, and more. With these changes made in place, Mahindra’s design of the 2021 Roxor was approved for sale in the United States by the US International Trade Commission.

According to a note by Mahindra, the ITC claimed to have performed a review and after carefully examining the supporting violation investigation and modification proceeding record, while considering the comments and responses made by the parties.

The ITC concluded that they will adjust the ‘Cease and Desist Orders’ and ‘Limited Exclusion Orders’, and incorporate an explicit exemption favoring Mahindra’s new 2021 Roxor. After adopting the findings in the court, the US regulator assured that the 2021 Roxor vehicle doesn’t infringe the organization’s established trade dress.

Why Does the New Mahindra Roxor Look Like a Jeep?

After the back and forth between Mahindra and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles regarding the Mahindra Roxor vehicle, the case has finally been tossed after Mahindra succeeded to convince the ITC to approve the design of the Jeep look-alike vehicle. But after close reviews by the authorities, the redesigned 2021 Roxor does not infringe upon Jeep’s classic Wrangler trade dress.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, which owns Jeep, seem to still not be satisfied with the ruling as they are convinced that the Mahindra Roxor UTV copies the Jeep style. There are way too many elements that are similar to those of the Jeep Wrangler.

What is even more puzzling is that Jeep seems to have forgotten the previous deal made with Mahindra going back as far as 1947. Apparently, the Roxor’s design was licensed to Mahindra and given permission to penetrate the Indian market to make these vehicles that looked like the Willys CJ in the 1940s.

Even as the design still looks old-school, Mahindra has often updated its parts throughout the years. When Mahindra moved to the US market with the Roxor, the FCA claimed the grille, round headlamps and boxy body shape resembled that of the Jeep. But having imported full vehicle kits from Jeep to India in the past, Mahindra asserted that they were given permission in 2009 to use these parts by Chrysler Group – Jeep’s former FCA conglomerate.

Mahindra didn’t shy from arguing that the Roxor wasn’t even Jeep’s direct competitor by the fact that it’s a UTV and not road legal. But after the ITC favored FCA’s grievances, Mahindra went back to the drawing board and made something fresh for the US market. The new 2021 Roxor now features a new grille that resembles the classic Toyota Land Cruiser as opposed to the Willys Jeep CJ.

Is It the First Time Mahindra Has Made a Jeep?

The Mahindra has definitely made some noise in the recent past. But is it the first time we are seeing a similar Jeep? According to the ITC Administrative Law Judge, Cameron Elliot, Mahindra made one that looked a whole lot like the Jeep CJ-7.

Even with an approved license, the judge claimed that Mahindra took it way too after they created the 2019 model. But what most people don’t know is that the Indian firm has been building Jeep look-alikes for over 70 years now. Having served the Asian continent long enough, Mahindra seeks to expand its boundaries in the US market as a way of returning to its roots.

How is the Mahindra Roxor Different from an American Jeep, Anyways?

The Mahindra Roxor is being sold in North America as an off-road vehicle. In India, Mahindra sells this vehicle with the alias name of Mahindra Tahr. Because the Tahr did not pass the American safety standards to be an on-road vehicle, Mahindra brought it to the US as an off-road vehicle. The Roxor is not street legal and is essentially a side-by-side. However, it is inherently different from America’s side-by-side vehicles in significant ways.

The Roxor is quite unique in the side-by-side segment. It comes powered by a small turbo-diesel engine, has a fully boxed steel frame, front and rear solid axles, all-round leaf springs, and a five speed truck-style manual transmission with a clutch pedal rather than a CVT.

The 2500cc, four-cylinder, 2.5-liter turbo diesel produces 62 horsepower at 3200 rpm and gives off 144 pound-feet of torque at 1400 rpm – pushing this off-road machine to a top speed of 45 mph. These may not necessarily be the greatest numbers but the diesel is torquey down low in the rev range.

Looking at the dimensions, the wheelbase is typically 96 inches long and a total length of 148 inches, with a width of 62 inches wide, and overall 75 inches high. Ground clearance on the Roxor comes in at 9 inches, and one of the things that set this machine apart is its tow capacity of 3,490 pounds.

For stopping power, there are 9-inch discs in the front and 11-inch rear drum brakes. Underneath, this Roxor features 16-inch wheels covered in 235/70R16 tires.

7 Interesting Facts About the 2021 Mahindra Roxor

There are a few vehicles that influenced the automotive industry in a major way. The Ford Model T made transportation economical and made movement between cities and rural areas more efficient. The Toyota Prius inspired masses to get into the hybrid market. But one heavy-weight that has arguably been the most influential is the Willys Jeep CJ model. Popular for its military-like vigor, flexibility and durability, the Willys CJ lives on and manifests in the Mahindra Roxor.

Here are 7 interesting facts about the 2021 Mahindra Roxor that you should know:

New Overall Design

After all the controversy Mahindra faced in the past year, the company has come out with a new shape showcasing different physical features on its new 2021 Roxor release.

Once marketed as a non-registerable side-by-side off-road buggy, the Roxor is derived from the 1st generation Indian Thar model that features a design reminiscent of the classic Willys Jeep CJ model. It was deemed that the Mahindra Roxor was intentionally evoking the Jeep trade dress and would automatically diminish the value of the original Jeep Wrangler.

However, Mahindra took it to themselves to satisfy the FCA’s demands by doing something different. They redesigned the front face of the Roxor from its four and a half tall and angled grille with tapered slots and a badge above. It now has a totally different design and comes with headlamps that are reminiscent of the Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser on its primary face.

Product Improvements

Apart from the new front headlights that were also there in the old models, the 2021 Roxor features other twitched design elements. While the exterior latches still firmly hold the hood, there are a few touches done here and there to precautionarily please Jeep’s CJ-7 complaints.

The 2021 Mahindra Roxor now has a new hood that doesn’t taper and has no external latches. The grille is entirely new and has new headlight positions, accompanied by fender panels that stop at the grille instead of reaching forward like the old models. It might seem awkward but the new improvements will definitely grow on you.

Decent Motor

One of the outstanding features of the 2021 Mahindra Roxor is the decent updated direct-injection turbo-diesel engine. With 6300 horsepower and 144 foot-pounds of torque, the machine can attain 55mph. This machine covers a lot of mileage with the ability to provide efficient fuel economy.

With other side-by-sides only providing 8 – 10 miles per gallon, the Roxor can provide 32 – 36 miles per gallon depending on how one drives it. Imagine getting almost 360 miles on a tank of fuel. How cool is that? Keeping in mind that the 2021 Roxor is an off-road vehicle, so it doesn’t have to meet the DEF fluid.

Boxy Body Shape

Mahindra hasn’t changed a lot on the vehicle’s sides. Even though Jeep claims that the boxy body has flat upright sides with panels at the end of its rear being as high as its hood, the Roxor has somewhat a similar but different look altogether. The Mahindra Roxor quite unique because the classic Jeep’s military M38A1 model and civilian CJ 3B version have taller hoods compared to their rear panels.

Unique Door Openings

The case of the door openings remains debatable even though other car models have also incorporated this design. Instead of extending downwards to the rocker panel, the 2021 Roxor is basically door-less. All that exists is an opening and it would be absurd for Jeep to complain about this.

Utility Terrain Vehicle

As mentioned before, the 2021 Mahindra Roxor is being showcased in a separate market as compared to the Jeep models. This vehicle is a UTV – meaning it is not street legal and can only be used for off-road purposes. There are other off-road UTV competitors in the US market that have different designs and feature too. Two popular ones are the Honda Pioneer and Polaris Ranger.

Good Handling

What makes the new 2021 Mahindra Roxor a great buy is its handling capability. The Mahindra team built front axles with hand-adjustable manual-locking features accompanied by electronic rear differentials.

If that wasn’t enough, check out what MotoVator did with their huge 30-inch EFX tires. With these tires, you can go to deeper waters or on harsh and muddy terrain as long you observe the 9-inch ground clearance.

What Does the Updated Design of the New Mahindra Roxor Include?

New Body Design

One significant upgrade of the 2021 Mahindra Roxor is the newly-built front fascia. Mahindra was not going to take any chances and decided to do a complete overhaul in its new model. To remove all the Jeep look-alike features, the front has a wider nose which brings more space between the headlights. It got rid of the vertical slate grille and replaced it with a two-plate horizontal grille featuring a mesh-like honeycomb design. This makes it look like the Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser.

Apart from the new front and new wider hood, the 2021 Roxors has new fenders that cut off right at the grille. There is no longer a curved shape which makes it look weird if you’re not used to it. Those back in India might not appreciate the new design but they wouldn’t mind because the new Thar fenders are not like the 2021 Roxor’s. With no curved fenders to show, the Roxor presents a wheel opening that eliminates the trapezoidal shape one is used to seeing.

New Engine

Another new update is the addition made to the 2.5L capacity turbo-diesel engine. With 64 horsepower, this four-cylinder UTV can top speeds of 55 mph and comes with a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission depending on your taste.

Conclusion – Which Is Better Between Jeep or the 2021 Mahindra Roxor?

It has been quite an eventful year for the Mahindra company. Jeep has been at their toes but they miraculously found light at the end of the tunnel. What is left now is to decide which one of the two you would go for.

Mainly all about functionality, the 2021 Mahindra Roxor is not road legal as this UTV only comes as an off-roader categorized as a side-by-side. On the other hand, a Jeep is road legal and can be driven both on-road and off-road. If you want a convenient vehicle that you can drive on your farm or have fun with, the Mahindra Roxor suits this avenue more.

While the 2021 Mahindra Roxor looks a lot like the front of the Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser, this off-road UTV is definitely not looking to compete with that giant. However, one of the best after-sale services that Mahindra offers is the long-term warranty packages. Who can say no to a 3-year, 5-year or 7-year warranty deal? Not you, I hope. For only $16,599, you can enjoy this Jeep look-alike for the cheap. It’s all up to you.