Jeep Wrangler Indian Clone Blocked in the U.S.

Do you know Indian manufacturer Mahindra? It sells an off-road vehicle that looks awfully like older generations of the Jeep Wrangler in certain markets, including Canada, and wanted to do the same in the U.S.

For the record, the Roxor is not really an SUV—more of a side-by-side recreational vehicle. It’s not even road-legal.

• Also: Mahindra Roxor: for Off-Road Adventures
• Also: 2020 Jeep Wrangler EcoDiesel: Extreme in Many Way$

Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) originally filed a complaint to the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) in August 2018 and won the battle this week.

In the latest ruling, the ITC said the Roxor is a “nearly identical copy,” particularly the “boxy body shape with flat-appearing vertical sides and rear body ending at about the same height as the hood.”

It added that Mahindra is purposefully trying to evoke the Jeep image while selling the Roxor at a much lower price, which would affect the value of the Wrangler. The styling changes made by Mahindra for 2020 are not enough, so sales of the Roxor in the U.S. cannot be allowed.

Ironically, this low-budget 4x4 is made with Indian-built components at an assembly plant in Auburn Hills, Michigan… right near FCA’s headquarters.

Mahindra was counting on the U.S. market to boost sales in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. It failed to sell a single unit in India during the month of April.

According to Mahindra, FCA wants “a practical monopoly over the import and sale of components used in any boxy, open-topped, military-style vehicle.”

For now, the Roxor continues to be offered in Canada at a base MSRP of $19,990.