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American cop cars come in all shapes and sizes, but no matter what, they’re all fast enough to catch the bad guys. Many automakers make cars for the police, and as such, some people may be wondering if they can buy a brand-new cop car for themselves. As it turns out, when it comes to the Ford Police Interceptor, it’s entirely possible.

Buying a new police car is pretty easy

A black Ford police cruiser parked on a rural road, trees visible in the background.
2016 Ford Police Interceptor Utility | Ford

Automakers make cars for corporate customers who need a fleet of cars, and that’s usually what Ford does for the various police departments in the country. That being said, as Autotrader wrote, that doesn’t stop regular civilians from getting their hands on the latest models of cop cars or police crossover SUVs. In fact, in Ford’s case, it’s a rather simple process for anyone who wants one.

Indeed, Autotrader said that all someone needs to do is walk into a Ford dealership, and they’ll be able to buy a brand-new model of Ford’s police car.

With that being said, these cars, such as the Ford Police Interceptor Utility, aren’t exactly cop cars just yet. They are the cars that the police departments buy, but they don’t have sirens, they don’t have logos, and they don’t have anything that would make a regular person think that it’s a cop car.

A look at the 2021 Ford Police Interceptor Utility

A black Ford Interceptor SUV built for police, based on. the Escape
2016 Ford Police Interceptor Utility | Ford

What it does have, however, are features that make the car very useful for the different situations that a cop may find themselves in. For example, the Police Interceptor Utility, which is based on the Explorer, is rated for the 75-MPH rear-impact crash test, and Ford claimed that it’s the only car in the world that can pass that crash test. 

On top of that, the Police Interceptor Utility has all-wheel drive standard, and it also has a hybrid engine standard. This powertrain gives it good handling, according to Ford, as well as obvious gas savings. This standard hybrid engine gets a combined 318-hp, and it also gets an estimated 24 MPG combined. 

Furthermore, since it was based on the Explorer, it has plenty of cargo room as well as towing capabilities. It has 90.3 cubic feet of space behind the first row, and it can tow over 5,000 pounds.

There are some options that only the police can add on from the factory, such as a 12.1-inch Integrated Computer Screen and a Police Perimeter Alert system.

How much the 2021 Ford Police Interceptor Utility costs

A black 2016 Ford crossover built for the police with blue and red lights.
2016 Ford Police Interceptor Utility | Ford

All of those police-oriented features come at a cost, though. While there is some variability in how much a Police Interceptor Utility may cost, according to Autotrader, a brand-new 2021 Police Interceptor Utility may start at about $42,000. For comparison, a regular Explorer will cost about $32,000, which means that the cop version will be about $10,000 more expensive. 

With that being said, just like any other car, it’s also possible to buy a used Police Interceptor Utility. And, just like any other used car, there’s a lot of variability in terms of its price.

For example, Autotrader said that there’s a used 2021 Police Interceptor Utility going for about $36,000. However, that particular one doesn’t have a hybrid engine. Instead, it has a V6.

There are a lot more used 2020 versions though, and Autotrader said that their price tags are in the $40,000 range. Curiously, these new but used cars all have very low miles on them, with one only having 10 miles on its odometer.

It’s not clear why these barely used cop cars are on the market, but it might have to do with budget cuts, as budget cuts happen very often to police departments.

Next, find out why the Ford Interceptor is the best-selling police cruiser in the U.S.A. in the video below:

See a bumper-to-bumper walkthrough of the Ford Interceptor for yourself in the video below: