Mahindra “Fixes” 2020 Roxor After Jeep Lawsuit, What Does It Look Like Now?

In November 2019, the U.S. International Trade Commission found the Mahindra Roxor to violate Jeep’s trade dress and recommended a cease-and-desist order against the Indian automaker.

Faced with the prospect of not being able to sell the Roxor in the U.S., Mahindra instructed its designers to make some changes to the side-by-side utility vehicle so that it looked less like a Jeep CJ.

The result is the Mahindra Roxor ditches the five vertical slats in the grille that were considered too Jeep-like for a new layout that may raise some eyebrows at Toyota’s headquarters. That’s because the body-colored frame that surrounds the headlights reminds of the legendary Land Cruiser FJ40.

Before: 2019 Mahindra Roxor

After: 2020 Mahinda Roxor Facelift

The 1977 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40

Besides the new front grille treatment, the only other difference we can spot is the new wheel design. Mahindra says it has also added new gearing and an array of accessories for its off-road only UTV. The drivability stands to gain from smoother and effortless shifting made possible by a 5:38 axle gear ratio which also allows the off-roader to climb hills easier and enhance engine response.

Speaking of the engine, it’s the same 2.5-liter four-cylinder turbo diesel that makes 62 HP (63 PS) and 144 lb-ft (195 Nm) of torque. The unit is mated to a standard five-speed manual gearbox or optional six-speed automatic transmission – both working with a standard four-wheel drive system. As for the new accessories, Mahindra lists stuff like a factory-installed lift kit and over 450 color options.

“The new Roxor line includes new design elements and performance enhancements and we will be introducing new accessories every month, said Richard Ansell, Mahindra Automotive North America Vice President of Marketing.

“We are beginning to shift more focus to the fleet, work, and ranch/agricultural opportunities as the Roxor is strong, tough, and vastly outperforms light-duty SxSs when it comes to getting real work done on a daily basis,” the representative added. Prices for the updated Mahindra Roxor start at $16,599 in the U.S. and C$19,900 in Canada.