America’s Police Fleet: Every New Cop Car You’ll See In The U.S.

In America, almost any make and model can be a police car. However, some automakers offer models that are prepped and ready for police duty – for the most part – right from the factory floor. Ford, Dodge, and Chevrolet build and sell them, as they have for decades. Going through each company’s offerings reveals there aren’t many police “cars” left.

Law enforcement agencies have followed consumers toward SUVs and trucks, now dominant patrol vehicles in the U.S. However, the likes of Chevy, Ford, and Dodge still offer a variety of police vehicles, none of which you’d want to see in your rearview mirror. Check out America’s law enforcement fleet below.

Chevrolet Bolt Special Service Vehicle

• Powertrain: Single Permanent Magnetic Drive Motor
• Output: 200 hp (149 kW), 266 lb-ft (360 Nm)

Chevrolet added the Bolt and Bolt EUV to its police fleet last year. The EVs are bare-bone models with very few extra features. However, Chevrolet does add two additional electrical circuits to accommodate any extra equipment. The conversion to police duty doesn’t hurt the range of either the Bolt or the Bolt EUV – 259 and 247 miles, respectively.

Chevrolet Express Transport Van

• Engine: 4.3-liter V6 / 2.8-liter I4 / 6.0-liter V8
• Output: 276 hp (205 kW), 298 lb-ft (404 Nm) / 181 hp (134 kW), 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) / 341 hp (254 kW), 373 lb-ft (505 Nm)

The Tahoe and Silverado are great for picking up a perp or two, but hauling several requires something bigger – the Chevy Express Transport Van, which can seat up to 15 people. This isn’t trying to look pretty because it’s all about function over form when it comes to keeping prisoners secure.

Chevrolet Silverado Police Pursuit Vehicle

• Engine: 5.3-liter V8
• Output: 355 hp (264 kW), 383 lb-ft (519 Nm)

The Chevy Silverado Police Pursuit Vehicle gets a makeover that gives the police vehicle the 271 off-road, six-piston Brembo front brakes with 16-inch rotors, all-terrain tires, and 20-inch steel wheels. Powering the pursuit pickup is GM’s 355-horsepower 5.3-liter V8.

Chevrolet Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle

• Engine: 5.3-liter V8
• Output: 355 hp (264 kW), 383 lb-ft (519 Nm)

No police vehicle is complete without spotlights and a beefed-up police-rated suspension, and the Chevrolet Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle doesn’t disappoint. It’s the go-to Chevy police vehicle for departments across the country, boasting a cavernous cargo area, upgraded brakes, and fresh styling. Available options include a suite of driver assistance features like forward collision alert, lane keep assist, front pedestrian braking, following distance indicator, and more.

Dodge Charger Pursuit

• Engine: 3.6-liter V6 / 5.7-liter V8
• Output: 300 hp (220 kW), 264 lb-ft (357 Nm) / 370 hp (275 kW), 395 lb-ft (535 Nm)

The Dodge Charger is one of the few cars to make this list, and for a good reason. Its intimidating style has made it the staple of many law enforcement agencies across the country for nearly two decades, even as SUVs gain in popularity. Expect to see the Charger pulling up behind you for several more years.

Dodge Durango Pursuit

• Engine: 3.6-liter V6 / 5.7-liter V8
• Output: 293 hp (218 kW), 260 lb-ft (352 Nm) / 360 hp (268 kW), 390 lb-ft (528 Nm)

Like the Charger, the Durango is one of the more stylish police SUVs out of the bunch. Dodge beefs up the SUV’s safety structure, offers a K-9 friendly automatic temperature control system, and installs high-performance brakes.

Ford Expedition Special Service Vehicle

• Engine: 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost
• Output: 375 hp (279 kW), 470 lb-ft (637 Nm)

The Expedition is the Explorer’s larger police sibling, though it’s not seen as often. The larger footprint makes the Expedition even more versatile, giving police the option to replace the third-row seats with extra cargo space for additional equipment. Ford also offers the Expedition Max in police guise for even more storage.

Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility

• 3.3-liter V6 hybrid / 3.0-liter V6 EcoBoost / 3.3L V6
• 318 hp (237 kW), 322 lb-ft (436 Nm) /400 hp (298 kW), 415 lb-ft (562 Nm) / 285 hp (212 kW), 260 lb-ft (352 Nm)

The Ford Police Interceptor Utility is today’s go-to police vehicle for many law enforcement agencies. Ford worked hard to make it a superb Crown Vic/Taurus replacement. It’s based on the Explorer and stands out from its competitors with its varied powertrain lineup. Ford offers it as a hybrid, which is the standard powertrain for the vehicle. Full-time all-wheel-drive and a 10-speed automatic are also standard features.

Ford F-150 Police Responder

• 3.5-Liter V6 EcoBoost
• 400 hp (298 kW) 500 lb-ft (677 Nm)

The Ford F-150 Police Responder combines off-road capability and on-road pursuit performance into one vehicle. It arrives with a higher top speed, now reaching 120 miles per hour (193 kilometers per hour). The F-150 also has a max tow rating of 11,200 pounds (5,080 kilograms) and Ford’s latest technology features.

Ford Mustang Mach-E

There isn’t an official Ford Mustang Mach-E police car just yet, but that hasn’t stopped departments in Europe and the US, like the NYPD, from adding one to their fleets. Ford announced a pilot program in 2021 that would test the Mach-E for police duty as the automaker explores producing purpose-built EVs for government agencies such as law enforcement.

Ford Transit Prisoner Transport Vehicle

• Engine: 3.5-Liter V6 / 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost / Electric
• Output: 275 hp (205 kW), 262 lb-ft (355 Nm) / 310 hp (231 kW), 400 lb-ft (542 Nm)

Sometimes you have to haul some prisoners, and Ford has a solution – the Transit Police Transport Vehicle. It’s a Transit that Ford offers in three roof heights and three body lengths, with two different engines with two different engines that pair with the same 10-speed automatic. Ford also offers the all-electric E-Transit for police duty.

Ram 1500 Special Service Vehicle

• Engine: 5.7-Liter V8
• Output: 395 hp (291 kW), 410 lb-ft (555 Nm)

There’s a new Ram 1500 that launched for 2019, but don’t expect to find it in your town’s police fleet. For that, Ram offers the last-gen Ram 1500 Classic that’s ready for patrol. Ram offers it with both 3.21:1 and 3.92:1 rear axle ratios. Ram also provides it with on-the-fly four-wheel-drive capability and rear in-floor storage bins.