For decades, Ford has been the de facto ruler of police car fleets in the US. It was virtually unchallenged during the era of the Crown Victoria, while the Explorer-based Police Interceptor Utility continues the Blue Oval’s dominance in that market.
While it’s the Police Interceptor Utility that takes the bulk of Ford’s police vehicle sales, the American automaker has a whole arsenal of options available as well. There’s also the F-150, F-150 Lightning, Transit, Mach-E, and Expedition.
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In line with the company’s 75th year in the police car business, it has rolled out the new Ford Expedition SSV. SSV stands for Special Service Vehicle, and it’s been beefed up for police, fire, or rescue duties. The SSV is available in two body styles, namely standard and long-wheelbase versions dubbed the Max.
But regardless of length, the SSV benefits from the split tailgate from the standard Expedition. The bottom half can hold up to 225kg, which should be a solid and stable platform during field operations. It’s a neat and useful addition to the SUV, and we generally think split tailgates are cool.
Per the usual, the underchassis has been beefed up to handle the extra punishment these vehicles are bound to face. The interior is void of any luxuries, although the SSV retains the wide digital instrument cluster and massive touchscreen. Also, the center console has been replaced by a panel for communication equipment, although it varies per a department’s specific needs.
You can forget about fancy leather and upholstery inside, too. Carpeting is non-existent, replaced by a vinyl floor for easy cleaning and durability. Hard-wearing cloth seats are the order of the day, and third-row seating is optional for the stretched Max body style.
Contrary to popular belief, police vehicles don’t get extra power under the hood. There are upgrades to keep them reliable in harsh conditions, but they generally have the same numbers as their civilian counterparts.
In the case of the Ford Expedition SSV, it’s the familiar 3.5-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 with 400hp and 650Nm. That engine is then paired with a ten-speed automatic transmission. Four-wheel drive is available, along with rear axle options for heavy-duty applications.
