Ford Launches New Explorer Police Interceptor

When we hear the term “police car,” we all likely have a specific image in our minds. Columbia residents may think of the SS sedans or Suburbans patrolling our streets. The nostalgic may think of Sheriff Andy Taylor’s early ‘60s Ford Galaxie 500 calmly making its way around that fictional town of our neighboring state. Hill Street Blues fans will probably think of the Plymouth Fury emerging from the garage and oversteering through the wet, thinly veiled Chicago streets. And speaking of Chicago, who can forget the hundred-plus Furys in the Blues Brothers movie crashing in that city behind the title characters driving their own former-police-car Plymouth?

One thing these all have in common is rear-wheel drive (RWD), which police prefer for various performance reasons. With RWD sedans steadily disappearing, police forces have steadily turned to SUVs to retain their preferred drivetrain or, even better, all-wheel drive (AWD). Ford, which has a long history of supplying police vehicles, has announced its new 2025 Explorer Police Interceptor Utility (PIU) based on the Ford Explorer. Dick Smith Ford gives you a peak at a vehicle you can expect to patrol highways across the country.

One of the most significant aspects of the Explorer PIU is that it comes standard with a hybrid drivetrain. The 3.3-liter direct-injected V-6 is combined with a hybrid system and AWD. The engine is rated at 318 horsepower and 322 lb-ft of torque. In addition to saving driving costs, the hybrid system battery can power onboard equipment when the gas engine is off, contributing to a potential savings of up to 838 gallons of fuel per year. This translates to projected cost reductions of approximately $17,500 over a six-year ownership term with gas at $3.50 per gallon.

“Officers often have long idle times when on patrol, so the hybrid powertrain is a popular choice,” said Lindsey Bertino, Ford Pro Police Vehicle Marketing Manager.

Other engine options include the 3.3-liter V-6 without the hybrid arrangement and RWD, which reduces power to 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. On the high-performance side, there is the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V-6 with AWD, which produces 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque.

Part of the pursuit-tested, pursuit-rated designation was that the Explorer PIU was designed to pass the Ford 75-mph rear-impact crash test to help keep officers safe out on the highways. Additional advanced driver-assist technology includes:

• Automatic Emergency Braking
• BLIS (Blind Spot Monitoring with Cross-traffic Alert)
• Rear Parking Sensors
• Reverse Brake Assist
• Rear Cross-Traffic Braking

Other special features designed to help officers in their duties include:

• Standard 12.3-inch LCD digital instrument cluster with certified speedometer for clearer information display during operation
• Manual Police Pursuit Mode with a steering wheel activation button that allows officers to easily put the vehicle into a high-performance tuning configuration without taking their hands off the wheel
• Standard Police Perimeter Alert system and Police Engine Idle feature
• Police Dark Car feature to help law enforcement remain discrete during a stakeout
• Ford Pro Vehicle Integration System 2.0 for easier customization
• Advanced over-the-air capabilities for seamless updates

Ford also made the steering wheel controls remappable to provide instant access to lights, sirens, speakers, or other police-specific functions. Toward the end of 2024, you can expect to start seeing the Explorer PIU around the country, hopefully just as an observer.

It won’t be equipped quite the same way, but if you are interested in the SUV that will have the confidence of police forces all across the country, come see the Explorer models in the Dick Smith Ford Inventory.