- The Ford Police Interceptor Utility has been updated for 2025
- A hybrid powertrain is now standard in the Police Interceptor Utility
- A Pursuit Mode button has been added to the Police Interceptor Utility's steering wheel
Ford's version of the Explorer built for police agencies all around the country has been enhanced for the 2025 model year.
Known as the Ford Police Interceptor Utility, the Explorer police cruiser misses out on tweaks made to the civilian Explorer for 2025, like revised styling and a new infotainment screen, but there are key updates that will make life easier for police personnel while on duty.
Key among these is a button on the steering wheel that allows the driver on-demand access to the Ford's Police Pursuit Mode. Much like a sport mode on a civilian vehicle, the Police Pursuit Mode places the Police Interceptor Utility into its high-performance setting. Previously the mode was automatically activated when the vehicle detected certain driving patterns and conditions.
The steering wheel has four additional buttons whose functions agencies can program, like to active warning lights and a siren, to open cages for dogs, and more. There’s also an available lockable vault for storage of weapons, ammunition, or crime scene evidence.
2025 Ford Police Interceptor Utility based on the Explorer
Safety features, either standard or available, include ballistic panels that can protect up to 0.30-caliber armor-piercing rifle ammunition, a perimeter warning system (with adjustable sensitivity levels) that can detect movement around the vehicle and automatically lock the doors and wind up the windows, while also providing a warning sound to occupants, and an idle mode that leaves the powertrain running but lets the occupants lock the vehicle and take the keys with them.
Agencies have three powertrains to choose from. These include a twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter V-6 rated at 400 hp, a 3.3-liter V-6 rated at 285 hp, and a hybrid option that uses the 3.3-liter V-6 as its gas component. The hybrid is rated at 318 hp and is popular, as it helps contribute to significant fuel savings for agencies. With the hybrid powertrain, police no longer need to have the engine running in idle to maintain power for onboard equipment.
Other vehicles offered by Ford for police agencies include Pursuit versions of the F-150 and Expedition, plus a Transit van designed for transporting prisoners or personnel.
Ford is also exploring ideas for civilian vehicles that could help police and other first responders, though enthusiasts won't like them. One is a system that could detect if another vehicle is speeding and then automatically report it to authorities. Another is a system that would automatically limit a vehicle's speed at night, regardless of who is behind the wheel.
