What is the most popular police car?

New and Used Police Interceptor Prices, Ford Police Interceptor Model Years and History

The Utility Police Interceptor is a specially modified SUV made just for law enforcement.

2016 Sedan Police Interceptor

Ford’s Police Interceptor is the favored vehicle by law enforcement personnel nationwide.

2015 Utility Police Interceptor

2015 Sedan Police Interceptor

2014 Sedan Police Interceptor

The rugged and performance enhanced Police Interceptor by Ford puts officers in full control.

2014 Utility Police Interceptor

Ford’s SUV Police Interceptor gives officers the upper hand.

2013 Utility Police Interceptor

All new for 2013, the Ford Utility Police Interceptor is a law enforcement variant of the Ford Explorer powered by a 3.7-liter V6 engine that produces 300 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque.

2013 Sedan Police Interceptor

All new for 2013, the Ford Sedan Police Interceptor is a law enforcement variant of the Ford Taurus available with standard AWD.

2011 Police Interceptor

The 2011 Ford Police Interceptor is America’s most popular police vehicle with a long heritage of safety, reliability and capability.

2010 Police Interceptor

2009 Police Interceptor

A law enforcement version of the Ford Crown Victoria, the 2009 Ford Police Interceptor features updated brakes to aid in pursuit driving.

2008 Police Interceptor

A law enforcement version of the Ford Crown Victoria, the 2008 Ford Police Interceptor features updated brakes to aid in pursuit driving.

2007 Police Interceptor

A law enforcement version of the Ford Crown Victoria, the 2007 Ford Police Interceptor features ballistic door panels and updated brakes to aid in pursuit driving.

2006 Police Interceptor

Featuring a redesigned instrument cluster, the 2006 Ford Police Interceptor is the law enforcement version of the Crown Victoria, complete with ballistic door panels and upgraded brakes.

2005 Police Interceptor

The 2005 Ford Police Interceptor is the law enforcement version of the Crown Victoria, complete with ballistic door panels and upgraded brakes.

2004 Police Interceptor

The 2004 Ford Police Interceptor is the law enforcement version of the Crown Victoria, complete with upgraded brakes to aid in pursuit driving.

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About Police Interceptor

Acknowledged as a popular choice for North American police departments for the first decade of the 21st century, the Ford Police Interceptor featured many favorable attributes for law enforcement. Based on the Ford Crown Victoria, the Police Interceptor was characterized for its large sedan shape, rear-wheel drive and V-8 engine power. The 2002 Ford Police Interceptor was outfitted with a host of heavy-duty equipment. Strong rear suspension, larger disc brakes and an external oil-to-engine oil cooler were some of the features used to beef-up the endurance of the Police Interceptor. Power for the Police Interceptor came from a 4.6-liter Modular V-8 engine. Generating 235 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque in 2002, the eight-cylinder powerplant is steadily improved on future models.

Increased to 250 horsepower in 2004, the Ford Police Interceptors engine was able to run E85 blended fuel onward from the 2008 model year. A four-speed automatic transmission handled engine power from the 4.6-liter V-8 powerplant. While the shape of the Ford Police Interceptor remained largely unchanged from 2002 to 2011, a great deal of enhancements was made to the law enforcement sedan through the years. A new hydroformed frame served as the basis for the 2003 model of the Ford Police Interceptor offering an optional side-impact airbags and limited-slip differential.

Wheels on the 2006 Police Interceptor were enlarged from 16 to 17 inches while the front doors featured a Kevlar-lining. Along with improved braking, 2008 model year Ford Police Interceptor models included keyless entry for the first time. After the 2011 model year production of the Police Interceptor, Ford replaced the vehicle with an Interceptor Sedan based on the Taurus.

The 10 Best and Worst Police Cars In The World

An amuse-bouche of the good, the bad, and the downright hideous.

By Matt Crisara Published: Oct 13, 2022

Getty Images

Next to taxis, police cars are the most recognizable automobiles. Plop one of them in a movie, and most viewers will be able to instantly identify them. However, not every police department the world over chooses the same car to drive. Here are the best, worst, weirdest, and most revered police cars.

THE GOOD

Ford Crown Victoria

Alamy

It’s tough not to argue the Ford Crown Victoria as one of the best—if not the most popular police cars in the world. While the Blue Oval stopped making the Crown Vic in 2011, it had all the ingredients that you could ever want in a police cruiser; it was cheap, surprisingly fast, and built like a tank.

The four-wheeled American icon was originally propelled by a 4.6-liter V8 engine cranking out 210 horsepower. Ford found another 40 hp for an updated version of the Vic that it released in 2004, but that’s where the power adding ended. The real meat and potatoes of the police cruiser was its rear-wheel drive, solid-axle layout—similar to what you’d find in a truck.

Most of the Crown Vic’s durability came from its body-on-frame chassis. This meant that it could take big hits without sustaining too much structural damage. Thankfully, when impacts got bad enough to bend and break components, these behemoths were notoriously cheap and easy to repair; the chassis and body could be fixed or replaced individually thanks to them being separate from each other. Modern unibody vehicles are named as such because the chassis and body shell are all one unit.

Lykan HyperSport

Alamy

Abu Dhabi is synonymous with extravagance. This includes one of the most amazing police fleets we’ve ever seen. Among it is the Lykan Hypersport, a Lebanese-built hypercar. With only seven in existence, it’s one of the rarest vehicles in the world.

Ever since its debut at the 2013 Qatar Motor Show, the Lykan Hypersport was touted as the Arab world’s first foray into the supercar market. It was a big deal. Powered by a twin-turbocharged flat-six engine (cranking out 750 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque), the Hypersport could eviscerate any of the ultra-fast vehicles you’d find multi-billionaires driving in the United Arab Emirates.

However, the Hypersport doesn’t necessarily have what you’d call a proven track record of performance or reliability. Sure, it made an appearance in the Fast and Furious saga, but it’s since been accused of being nothing more than vaporware after disappearing soon after its fifteen minutes of fame—some news outlets even called it an outright scam. We’ll reserve our judgement, but the impact this $3.4 million car made will definitely be remembered.

Renault Twizy

Alamy

Fast patrol vehicles are great but can be difficult to maneuver in tight city streets. Here in the U.S., many police forces have fleets of Smart Cars that are able to squeeze down tight alleys. However, even the Smart ForTwo would be no match for Renault’s Twizy in a close-quarters police chase; the Twizy is nearly 2 feet narrower.

Befitting such a car, the Twizy has its quirks—like a peculiar lack of waterproofing. Even with available side windows—yes, an optional extra—trace amounts of water still make it into the cabin.

Lenco BearCat G3

Creative Commons/Matti Blume

Lenco’s BearCat is purpose-built for transporting SWAT teams (and other tactical officers) in and out of harm’s way. For some perspective, a BearCat was used by police to rescue civilians in the 2015 Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood shooting, as well as the 2016 Pulse nightclub shootings in Orlando, Florida, where it breached the building. More recently, multiple BearCats were used in January of 2022 during the Congregation Beth Israel hostage crisis in Colleyville, Texas.

While there are mixed opinions on police forces having access to these military-style vehicles, the goal with the BearCat is safety, and few cars can match the protection that this beast provides. Its V-shaped hull can stop .50-caliber BMG rounds and even withstand explosions—keeping both the fuel tank and its passengers safe. Despite the vehicle weighing just a smidge over 17,000 pouns, it can still giddyup thanks to its 6.7-liter turbodiesel engine, cranking out 400 hp and 880 lb-ft of torque.

Suzuki Super Carry

Alamy

Few Keijidosha (Kei) vehicles—small Japanese city cars—have established a solid reputation as police cars. However, this absolutely microscopic Suzuki Super Carry still aims to serve and protect on the streets of Vietnam. Both versions—pickup truck and van—have a surprising amount of space in the back for the considerable amount of gear police officers carry. With a wheelbase of just 72 inches, the tiny van was actually pretty mighty on the inside—offering up to 34 square feet of storage space.

Breaking The Law

THE BAD

Lada 2107

Getty Images

For better or worse, Cuba uses a number of Lada 2107s to patrol its streets—a funny choice given the automaker’s dismal reputation over the years. To offer some perspective, the Soviet brand was originally formed as a collaboration between Fiat and its department of foreign trade.

It’s pretty surprising really that the Lada was so bad, given the fact that it was based on the Fiat 124—one of the most advanced sports sedans of its time. However, the Russians did end up making a number of changes to the original design. Disc brakes were exchanged for drum brakes, a starting handle was added, and the body was made from much thicker steel. The collection of all of these new bits effectively ruined all of the engineering brilliance that had made Fiat’s 124 such an icon.

Lada still somehow managed to sell more than 18 million 2107s—making it one of the best-selling cars in the world

Pontiac Aztek

Wikimedia Commons

Few cars are quite as dreadful to look at or drive as the Pontiac Aztek. Pontiac’s bad egg is often referred to as one of the worst American cars ever made. Montreal still decided to buy a fleet of them for its officers.

Many motorists argued that the SUVs poor handling and weird options cemented its reputation as one of the all time failures. And they weren’t completely wrong. However, its inability to give chase would definitely be its shortcoming as a police car. With its feeble 185-hp V6 engine, I doubt the design team ever used the words “hot” or “pursuit” in any meetings. In fact, the Aztek is one of the only vehicles I’ve seen where the two-wheel-drive (2WD) variant is actually faster than the all-wheel-drive (AWD) model—the 2WD sprinting to 60 mph in 8.5 seconds compared to 9.1 for the AWD.

Another major sticking point with the Aztek was that it was a challenge to work on—not helped by its chronic unreliability. Just changing the battery was made doubly difficult by a metal crossbar that needed to be removed along with the fusebox to swap it out. A mere 30-second job took several minutes.

Dodge Diplomat

Getty Images

While Americans have the Ford Crown Victoria to look up to, it’s no surprise that we’ve also had some misfits when it comes to police cars. Few are as dreadful as the Dodge Diplomat—which somehow managed a brief stint in the California Highway Patrol.

We can’t argue that it was quite an iconic car—especially after its appearances in Law & Order, True Blue, and even Beverly Hills Cop 2. However, the Diplomat’s biggest issue was its lackluster power output. It’s 5.2-liter V8 engine (fitted with a two-barrel carburetor) huffed out a dismal 120 hp, meaning you could essentially outpace it on a bicycle. That would be bad enough, but the Diplomats shortcomings included poor braking and chronic unreliability.

Subaru Forester

Shutterstock

Italy often heralds many of the greatest police cars we’ve ever seen to keep up with the locals. But it would simply be impossible for all of the Carabinieri—Italy’s government agency that oversees policing duties—to afford each of its officers an Italian supercar. That’s why you’ll often find much more affordable vehicles like this Subaru wending through tight city streets. With most variants barely able to break the 200-hp barrier, the police force would almost be better off taking Vespas.

Star Police Cars

Fiat Bravo

Shutterstock

The Bravo isn’t inherently bad. It just isn’t what you’d call remarkable. It’s important to note that only a small few of the Vatican Police Force (Gendarmerie) are actually tasked with protecting the Pope during his international travels. Rather unsurprisingly, his holiness has a dedicated task force—referred to as the Pontifical Swiss Guard—keeping him safe wherever he goes.

While Fiat’s compact hatchback isn’t as bad as a car like the Pontiac Aztek, it’s cheaply made, outdated, and slow. Sure, the cheap interior plastic won’t affect its ability as a police car, but the Bravo is a fairly old model, having first been released in 2007. That’s not to mention that the base trim-level rolled out of the showroom with a feeble 1.4-liter engine putting out 90 hp. Even with its relative lack of power, the basic engine somehow managed to spit out the worst emissions and economy in the line-up.

Matt Crisara is a native Austinite who has an unbridled passion for cars and motorsports, both foreign and domestic, and as the Autos Editor for Popular Mechanics, he writes the majority of automotive coverage across digital and print. He was previously a contributing writer for Motor1 following internships at Circuit Of The Americas F1 Track and Speed City, an Austin radio broadcaster focused on the world of motor racing. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona School of Journalism, where he raced mountain bikes with the University Club Team. When he isn’t working, he enjoys sim-racing, FPV drones, and the great outdoors.

What is the most popular police car?

Have you ever wondered how much a police vehicle cost? Police cars are fully stocked with everything an officer might need during their day. You can think of a police car as a moving office because most are out patrol streets and responding to emergencies.

With that being said, there’s a lot that goes into outfitting a police car. From things as small as a first aid kit to the emergency lights on the top of a vehicle, police cars are equipped with a lot of things.

In this article, we’ll go over the main equipment that can be found inside and outside of a police cruiser and how much all of it costs. You’ll be surprised with all that’s inside and the price tag that’s attached.

Models of Police Cars

In the United States, the most popular company for police cars is Ford. In 1950, Ford was the first manufacture to offer a Police Package on their vehicles. The most popular model in the later years was the Ford Crown Victoria. With that model slowly phasing out, in the past years and 2021, we see models like the Ford Explorer and Ford Fusion.

Aside from Ford, police also use the Dodge Charger and Challenger which perform better in faster pursuits.

What’s Inside a Police Car?

Now, we’re going to list the big equipment that is inside and outside of a police patrol car, how much it costs, and who are popular brands in the industry.

It’s important to note the brands mentioned in this article are NOT sponsored and are strictly for educational purposes.

• Safety Equipment
• Mobile and Portable Two-Way Radio
• Laptop
• Lights
• Cargo Storage
• Radar Gun
• Electronic Ticketing
• PIT Bumpers
• Automatic License Plate Reader
• Antennas
• Video Camera
• In-Vehicle Router

Safety Equipment

This type of equipment is standard and helps officers assist in any medical emergencies when arriving on a scene or before EMS arrive.

• First Aid Kit
• Fire Extinguisher
• Flares
• Traffic Cones
• AEDs

AEDs or Automated External Defibrillators is an electronic defibrillator that is used when someone is going into Cardiac Arrest and helps control the pulses of their heart, keeping them alive until taken to the hospital.

These AEDs are manufactured by Phillips and Defibtech and can go for $1,200 USD. Other safety equipment like first aid can go for around $200. Fire extinguishers can cost between $35 to $75. Police flares can cost $90 for a large pack. Traffic cones depending on height, you can get them relatively cheap for about $20.00.

Two-Way Radio

Police are always communicating whether it’s with other officers or dispatch, they need to be connected to their team to make sure everything goes right. Officers and their vehicles are equipped with two-way radios, both Portable and Mobile that let them quickly and easily respond to and hear transmissions happening across departments through different channels.

Mobile radios are installed inside their vehicle while portable radios are used on the go and when they’re not inside their car.

Popular radio manufacturers include Motorola, Harris, and Kenwood.

How much does a two-way radio cost?

Two-way radios are a hefty investment to the police force. These radios are not cheap and can go for thousands of dollars. Between the radio and the radio accessories like speaker microphones, surveillance kits, and more, you can look at spending well over $2,000.

Mobile radios, the Motorola APX 1500 Mobile Radio, for instance, goes for $6,000.

Computer

Police laptops can do anything a regular laptop can. These laptops are used to access emails, files, crash/incident reports, crime management systems, and much more. The laptops allow police to have access to PNC, the Police National Computer, to show vehicle information, drivers/people, and pull up their driver’s licenses.

What laptops do police use?

The most popular laptop used in police cars is the Panasonic Toughbook.

How much do police laptops cost?

A Panasonic Toughbook cost depends on the amount of capacity and memory GB. These laptops, like the latest Toughbook 33 can go for closer to $3,700.00 on TransCor.

Lights

Police cars are known for their red and blue lights that alert drivers and civilians. These are found all around the vehicle with the light bar on top and the front headlights.

Cars also have spotlights found on the driver’s side of the vehicle that allows them to move the light and point to zero in on someone or see something better while in the dark.

Who makes police car lightbars?

• Police Valor Federal Signal
• Police Allegiant
• Police Reliant
• Police Vision
• Police Integrity

How much does a lightbar cost?

Depending on the size of the Lightbar, a 51” Lightbar on Police Valor Federal Signal goes for $3,109.00.

Cargo Storage

Cargo storage containers can be found in the trunk and hold many items an officer might need like police tape, fingerprint scanners, blankets, hazmat equipment, and any useful item. There’s not much room in the trunk of a police car because of the cargo box and additional equipment.

Who makes Police Rear Cargo Box? How much?

Setina is a popular cargo box storage brand that is equipped with police vehicles. Setina cargo boxes can go for around $1,000 USD as seen on Fleet Safety.

Radar Gun

Radar guns are configured to capture the speed of a moving vehicle and show the officer how fast someone was traveling.

Radar Gun Brands Used by Police

• G3 Advanced Traffic Radar Gun
• OnSite 300 MX Speed Trailer
• MPH Sure Shot Lidar Gun
• Falcon HR K-Band Radar Gun
• Genesis Handheld Directional Radar Gun

Price of Law Enforcement Radar Guns

Radar guns go for thousands of dollars. The Genesis Handheld Directional Radar gun goes for about $900 while the MPH Sure Shot Lidar Gun goes for about $3,200.

Electronic Ticketing

Also known as eCitation, electronic ticketing gives a faster way to print citations and warnings at traffic stops and prints out the information to hand to the individual. Before you had to write it all down on paper, now because of electronic ticketing, citations and warnings are written much faster and efficiently. This system is installed inside the vehicle and in easy access to the officer.

Who makes police citation systems?

• Gtechna
• L-Tron

Push and PIT Bumpers

Automatic License Plate Reader

Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) works by capturing an image of a vehicle’s plate then checking them against information stored in databases to help police identify vehicles that may have been involved in crimes, missing persons, or stolen. These are placed on the vehicles and lets them capture information throughout their shift.

Who makes Automatic License Plate Readers?

OpenALPR Rekor Finder mounts on your vehicle with 2 HD cameras with a wide viewing angle and capturing up to 50 ft. This company also sells mountable recognition systems and portable systems for speed detection and messages.

Utility Inc. works with Sony Imaging Products and Solutions to bring their ALPR, the Smart ALPR, with RocketIoT.

How much does an ALPR cost?

The cost of these Automatic Number Plate Recognition devices are expensive pieces of equipment and can range from $15,000 to $20,000 USD and can even range further to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Antennas

As you may have noticed law enforcement have a lot of antennas installed on their car. Police have multiple antennas to help assist in radio communication through their FM band radio, computer system, connection to a police station or another agency, GPS, and additional UHF and VHF antennas for other frequencies. Antennas help keep the vehicle connected wherever they are.

Types of In-Vehicle Antennas

• Panorama Antennas
• Pulse Larsen Antennas
• Pantheon
• PCTEL

Cost of Vehicle Antennas

The cost of the vehicle antennas can vary depending on the type (Yagi, Base Station, etc.), frequency band (UHF or VHF), size, and length.

Video Camera

It’s important for law enforcement to use video cameras in their vehicles to record activity happening outside and inside of their vehicle. They then can use the information recorded at traffic stops in court or training.

Police are now wearing body cams to record interactions too, but for this article, we’re mainly talking about in-vehicle video cameras.

Who makes law enforcement in-vehicle video cameras?

• Axon AI Fleet 3 with a dash video camera and ALPR
• Motorola Solutions WatchGuard 4RE
• Coban EDGE HD
• Panasonic Arbitrator 360⁰ HD

In-Vehicle Routers

In-vehicle routers help keep not only law enforcement but first responders connected to their vehicles. A lot of the technology used in vehicles needs to be connected to the internet. With the help of In-vehicle routers, law enforcement can connect to their laptops, tablets, in-vehicle cameras, and ALPR.

Types of In-Vehicle Routers

• Cradlepoint IBR 1700 and IBR 900
• Sierra Wireless Airlink MG90
• Digi IX30 4G LTE Router

Cost of an In-Vehicle Router

In-Vehicle routers can cost over $1,000 depending on speed, plans, and manufacture. Cradlepoint IBR1700 routers cost about $1,600 on reseller websites.

Grand Total

To upfit your department’s law enforcement vehicles, the technology and equipment, amount to around $40,000 give or take. There are more things that go inside a cop car that can up the total. There is a lot that goes into fitting a patrol car that you may have not noticed was inside. All this equipment helps officers every day in assisting emergencies and traffic stops.

If you’re an officer with equipment in your patrol car that we didn’t mention, let us know in the comments below.

TAYLOR THOMAS

MARKETING SPECIALIST

Taylor Thomas is from Mount Airy, MD. After graduating from Salisbury University with a B.S. in marketing Taylor completed a marketing internship with TSL Marketing. Her time at TSL was spent redesigning blogs and various pages on the company’s website as well as social media planning. Following her tenure with TSL, she worked in the marketing department for PB Dye Golf Club. Here she designed content for their social media accounts and promoted various events.

Taylor has received numerous marketing certifications through the HubSpot Academy, with concentrations in content creation, CRM software, and inbound marketing. In her free time, Taylor enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with close friends.

About Author

Taylor Thomas

Taylor Thomas is from Mount Airy, MD. After graduating from Salisbury University with a B.S. in marketing Taylor completed a marketing internship with TSL Marketing. Her time at TSL was spent redesigning blogs and various pages on the company’s website as well as social media planning. Following her tenure with TSL, she worked in the marketing department for PB Dye Golf Club. Here she designed content for their social media accounts and promoted various events.

Taylor has received numerous marketing certifications through the HubSpot Academy, with concentrations in content creation, CRM software, and inbound marketing. In her free time, Taylor enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with close friends.

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police car communications equipment automatic license plate reader in-vehicle routers NMO MOUNTS Antenna