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2020 Ford Explorer Previewed By All-New Police Interceptor Utility

As CUVs and SUVs increase in popularity, even the police took notice of this trend. It shouldn’t come as a surprise the Police Interceptor Utility is the most popular police vehicle in the U.S., outnumbering even the ever-popular sedans from Dodge, Chevrolet, and the Ford Motor Company.
2020 Ford Police Interceptor Utility 38 photos
Photo: Ford
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2020 is the model year that brings forth an all-new generation, previewing the Explorer that’s scheduled to premiere on January 9th at the Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. No photographs of the interior have been released so far, and as far as the exterior is concerned, it’s obvious the Police Interceptor Utility is a mixed bag of whatnots.

Take, for instance, the extremities of the mesh grille. Covered and made from low-quality plastic, these elements are joined by uninspiring cladding on the wheel arches and halogen headlights that look more at home in the early 2000s than on a vehicle launched for the 2020 model year.

The carparazzi caught the all-new Explorer inside and out, and the low-quality plastic theme carries on throughout the cabin. Ford announced that it would cut corners here and there to streamline operations and maximize profit, but this is getting a bit too much for our liking.

No fewer than three powertrains are available for the Police Interceptor Utility, starting with the 3.3-liter Ti-VCT hybrid coupled to an automatic transmission with 10 forward gears and full-time Intelligent All-Wheel Drive. In other words, the CD6 vehicle architecture uses a transfer case instead of a PTO and RDM as it was the case for the previous generation.

The RWD-biased utility vehicle is also available with a 3.3-liter Ti-VCT without hybrid assistance and the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 that develops 400 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque in the case of the Lincoln Continental. All engine options come with Snow and Sand driving modes.

When equipped with the Class III trailer tow receiver, the Police Interceptor Utility is much obliged to tow up to 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms). The hybridized V6 is capable of returning 24 miles per gallon on the combined cycle, representing a 41-percent improvement over the outgoing model with the 3.7-liter Ti-VCT.

Top speed? Make that 137 miles per hour for the hybrid and a bit more for the EcoBoost V6. On that note, the underpinnings of the Police Interceptor Utility and Explorer appear to be the right stuff. It’s a shame, however, that Ford cheaped out on the quality of materials where it matters to the customer.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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