How Much Does the Mahindra Roxor Cost? We Compare it with the Competition

Matthew Guy / March 5, 2018

You’ve seen the styling and specs already, so now let’s look at the most important question: how much does the Mahindra Roxor cost?

Mahindra dropped its entrant into the kinda-sorta side-by-side market on Friday. Called the ROXOR, it’s an off-road only rig that gets one up on traditional SxS units in a few ways but cedes ground to them in a few others.

Its 2.5-liter inline-four turbodiesel only makes 62 horsepower, driving the 3035-pound ROXOR to a top speed of 45 mph. But, this machine is far more of a “real truck” than anything from a powersports dealer thanks to its fully-boxed steel frame. That it looks like a vintage Jeep is simply a bonus and a byproduct of agreements put in place in the 1940’s for Mahindra to produce the Willys Jeep for the Indian market.

The ROXOR sets an opening bid of $15,499. That amount nets buyers a solid, rough-n-ready fully boxed frame that can tow 3490lbs. Hewing to the laws of physics, 10 percent of that amount can be spent on payload in the rear. Major options include a $1350 winch, $395 LED light bar, and a $650 sound system. Pocket change is charged for the likes of grab handles and rear view mirrors. A $160 bikini top sounds like big fun until you realize it’s only for the ROXOR. The most one can spend is just over $18,000.

So let’s take a look at what you can get from the competition for that price.

While this author’s eye automatically goes towards the RZR line of machines when opening the Polaris website, it is the Ranger that makes for a more direct comparison to the ROXOR. Specifically, the 2-passenger RangerXP 1000 EPS with its non-enclosed cabin and workaday construction is likely the ROXOR’s closest competitor from the north star brand.

That machine starts $800 higher than the ROXOR. Adding a roof is at least double the cost of the Mahindra’s top but a cheap windshield – not found at any price on the ROXOR – is available for those who don’t like bugs-in-yer-teeth wheeling. Surely the aftermarket will cater to the Mahindra in short order. Rearview mirrors and sound bars are available on the Polaris for about the same price as on the ROXOR.

The Polaris does, however, pack an extra 20 horsepower into a much lighter body and it is – technically – fitted for three passengers. It can’t tow as much, 1000-pounds less than the ROXOR, but its payload capacity is greater (direct payload comparisons are difficult as one machine lists total payload including passengers and the other lists only cargo payload in the rear). The ROXOR is 28-inches longer, about the same height, and has a 15-inch shorter wheelbase than the RangerXP 1000 EPS. It also gives up some ground clearance: 9-inches in the ROXOR vs 13-inches in the Polaris.

Over at Can-Am, this author’s eye again immediately goes towards the sporty Maverick line but the staid Defender lineup is arguably the better comparison to a ROXOR. Cranking up the wick on a Defender XT to include the 72 hp HD10 Rotax engine sends its price to an eye-watering $21,299. The Defender XT does equip itself with a winch and top, items that are optional on the ROXOR.

Mahindra’s machine is a good two feet longer than the Can-Am, about the same height, and its wheelbase is 13-inches longer. It only gives up 2-inches of ground clearance. The base model Defender, also equipped with the optional 72 horsepower Rotax but devoid of any other features whatsoever costs $16,599. That is much closer to the ROXOR but gives up a lot in terms of gear like a winch and soundbar. Plus, drivers can shift the ROXOR’s five-speed manual gearbox with a stick, the way nature intended.

For fun, let’s see how the off-road only ROXOR stacks up against its long-lost cousin, the Wrangler. And before we talk brand new, we must acknowledge that for the money the ROXOR will cost you, the used market could offer a road-legal Jeep in decent shape.

A new JL starts at $26,995, representing a $3000 increase over the still-available JK. Power comparisons are no contest, as the Jeep puts out nearly 300 hp in base trim from its Pentastar V6. Remarkably, both machines are listed to have roughly the same wheelbase and height of 96-inches and 75-inches respectively. This author will have to see them parked side by each in order to believe his eyes on that one. Naturally, the Wrangler JL is much longer, laying down a 166-inch footprint.

The ROXOR is slated to pop up in Mahindra powersports dealers across America later this year. It surely won’t be long before we hear their 2.5-liter diesel mill growling along off-road trails and doing chores around the farm.