The Roxor Off-Road Utility Vehicle Is Ready for Work or Play
If your hunts or other outdoor adventures take you far from pavement, having a rugged, dependable off-road vehicle might be a necessity. The Roxor is such a vehicle. It’s a hard-use utility vehicle capable of handling the tough terrain.
The Roxor is world-war proven. It’s descended from the Willys Jeeps of the 1940’s. Mahindra licensed the rights to build those vehicles way back then and is now assembling these updated models in their Auburn Hills, Michigan factory.
More Capable Of Hard Off-Road Work
The Roxor isn’t equipped for highway use; it’s designed for off-road use only. It’s purpose-built and priced to compete against side-by-side utility task vehicles (UTVs) typically used around the farm or ranch.
No, the Roxor isn’t as sporty or quick-handling as off-road vehicles designed primarily for recreational use. But it’s much more capable of hard work. The Roxor uses a heavy-duty automotive transmission. It’s not powered by a large rubber band as most UTVs are. The Roxor is built on a steel frame with steel body, not flimsy plastic. It runs on standard automotive 16-inch wheels.
Perhaps the biggest advantage of the Roxor is that its 4-cylinder, 2.5-liter turbo diesel engine coupled with that transmission allows it to tow 3,490 pounds.
Roxor Is Perfect For Setting Up Hunting Camp
For the outdoorsman, the Roxor can be used to haul tools and seed for planting and maintaining that food plot before the next hunting season.
Load it with building materials to construct that remote hunting cabin you’ve always wanted. Truck in the gear for your seasonal base camp. And hopefully, you will use it to haul out that deer or elk.
Choose How To Equip It For Off-Road Use
Start with the basic Roxor and customize your off-roader exactly the way you want it. Keep it as a two-seater or get an extended roll cage and add back seats. Keep it open to the fresh air or fully enclose it against harsh weather.
A windshield; bumper with mounted Warn winch; rear locking differential; manual locking hubs; grab handles; spare tire kit; and snowplow mount are just some of the ways to equip your Roxor.
The company offers the RBT2000 utility trailer with a 2,200-pound payload capacity too. Add the Mattracks zRX Rubber Track Conversion System and the Roxor’s wheels are replaced with tank-like all-terrain rubber tracks.
The Roxor is available in seven standard colors, but you can custom-order your Roxor with a choice of about 400 different paint schemes and treatments.
My Time Off-Road With The Roxor
I met with Roxor dealer Rich Borra, owner of O’Shea Tire & Service Center in Cortland, NY for some springtime trail riding. The model we drove was set up as a two-seater with windshield, soft bikini top, grab handles and side-door netting. It featured and automatic transmission. A five-speed manual transmission is available too.
The cargo bed was coated with ROXliner, a super scratch-resistant wrinkle finish. You can order the Roxor with then entire vehicle coated with this if you prefer.
The inside is kept intentionally stark. There’s a single gauge to indicate speed, miles and fuel level. One 12-volt power outlet was available to power electronic accessories. A lever on the floor provided the means to shift from four-wheel-drive high to four-wheel-drive low. Roxors are also available with a five-speed manual transmission.
The wooded trails led us up and down steep grades and through shallow streams and mudholes. Getting enough traction on slippery inclines is a matter of proper tire selection and I wished at times for rubber with a more aggressive tread pattern.
Because the Roxor uses standard automotive tires, a wide range of tire options are available. Still, we never managed to get ourselves stuck in the mud. I came away favorably impressed about the Roxor’s capabilities as an off-road utility vehicle.
The Roxor’s Not Perfect
While I found the Roxor absolutely fun to drive, there is room for improvement. For one, the turning radius is not very good and I had to judge the tight turns carefully, jockeying back and forth a couple of times.
The ground clearance – just nine inches on the basic Roxor — could be better too. Larger tire would help and the company does offer a 3-inch lift kit with multi-plate high camber leaf springs, extended front stabilizer bar links and longer front and rear shocks. The Roxor is equipped with skid plates should you hit bottom.
Great Starting Point For Off-Road Adventure
Despite these shortcomings, the Roxor provides an excellent platform to customize an off-road vehicle to your exact needs. For general utility in and out of hunting camp or around the homestead, you won’t find a more solid work vehicle. Remember that it’s a fun playtime vehicle too, whether you keep it on your property or take it to an off-road vehicle park.
Those interested in extreme off-roading will probably want to choose some upgrades. But all off-roaders do that to their vehicles anyway. And the Roxor, with its rugged construction, is a great starting point.
For more information, go to www.RoxorOffRoad.com.
Key Features: Specifications
DIMENSIONS / CAPACTIES
Wheelbase: 96 inches
Length: 148 inches
Width: 60 to 62 inches, depending on wheels chosen
Height: 75 inches
Weight: 3035 pounds
Ground Clearance: 9 inches
GVWR: 3750 pounds
Towing Capacity: 3490 pounds
Fuel Capacity: 12 gallons
Passengers: Seating for two standard, with optional rear seats
ENGINE
Engine Type: Liquid cooled, direct injection 4-cylinder, 4-stroke 2.5-liter turbo diesel
Power: 62 horsepower at 3200 rpm
Torque: 144 foot-pounds at 1400-2220 rpm
DRIVETRAIN
Transmission: 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic; 2WD/4WD
Transfer Case: 2-speed manual
Axles: Full floating front; Semi-floating rear; 5.38:1 ratio
PERFORMANCE
Top Speed: 55 mph
Fuel Economy: 32-34 miles per gallon
OTHER FEATURES
Wheels: 16-inch steel
Chassis: Boxed steel frame
Suspension: Rigid leaf spring with stabilizer bar front; leaf spring with double-acting hydraulic shock absorbers rear
Steering: Hydraulic power
Brakes: Dual hydraulic vac-assist; 11-inch disc front; 11-inch drum rear
Battery: 72 Ah / 12-volt
Alternator: 45-90 amps
Lighting: Halogen headlights
Standard Colors: Molten Red; Bonfire Orange; Sand; Shadow Gray; Signal White; Jet Black; Olive Green (400 optional colors/wraps)
MSRP: $16,599 (basic model)
Steven Paul Barlow is a retired sergeant/station commander and former firearms instructor with the New York State Police. He is an avid hunter, fisherman, and enthusiast with all things related to firearms, knives, and survival. He has been writing on outdoor topics for more than 35 years. His collections of outdoor humor stories are available at BriarHill Books.