- 2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptors Recalled Over Strange Issue
- What makes the 2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor special?
- A fix is already underway
- 2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor: Specs, Performance, Updates
- 2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Exterior
- Interior
- 2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Performance
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- 2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility Review: Coming to a Rear View Mirror Near You
- First Impression
- Performance
2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptors Recalled Over Strange Issue
Few things spike your heart-rate faster than a set of red and blue lights in your rearview mirror. One of these vehicles tasked with fighting crime and creating minor panic attacks across the country is the 2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor. However, a new recall by Ford covers a very bizarre problem with this specialized …
Few things spike your heart-rate faster than a set of red and blue lights in your rearview mirror. One of these vehicles tasked with fighting crime and creating minor panic attacks across the country is the 2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor.
However, a new recall by Ford covers a very bizarre problem with this specialized SUV. According to CarComplaints, a contaminant in the windshield washer fluid can cause problems as severe as paint damage. Unfortunately, the Interceptor isn’t even the only model affected.
What makes the 2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor special?
According to a new report by CarComplaints, a recent recall for the 2020 Ford Explorer Interceptor surfaced, covering a weird issue. The problem in question concerns the windshield washer fluid. However, the recall does not explain how the fluid itself was contaminated at some point. Since many of Ford’s models share components with Lincoln models, the 2020 Aviator is also covered in this latest recall.
According to CarComplaints, this issue affects a total of 286 vehicles. 283 of these live somewhere in the U.S., while three live in Canada. In terms of the 2020 Ford Explorer models, the affected SUVs left the production line between May 26th and 30th of last year. On the other hand, the affected Aviators were made between May 28th and June 2nd, 2020.
A fix is already underway
To remedy this 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator problem, the recall offers a simple yet effective plan. Since the windshield washer fluid passes through various components, several parts will need replacing. According to CarComplaints, this includes replacing the windshield washer system, the washer fluid, bottle neck, washer pump, fluid level sensor, and windshield wiper blades.
While the contaminant found in the washer fluid was not specified, there is no exact telling what kind of damage it could cause. However, since washer fluid sometimes falls on the paint after being sprayed, Ford is looking for additional damage. According to CarComplaints, this affected fluid could potentially cause paint damage. As a result, Ford is taking no chances and will be evaluating each vehicle very thoroughly.
2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor: Specs, Performance, Updates
The 2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor certainly comes with many surprises. It has come with an all-new design for both of its exterior and interior. Now, there another variant of it: the 2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor. What kind of SUV this variant will be like? If you want to know the answer, read our preview of the new Explorer Police Interceptor.
2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Exterior
Let’s start with the outer look first. How does the new Explorer Police Interceptor look like? If we have to describe it one sentence, the new SUV looks like a heavy-duty, more rugged and stronger version of the Explorer. There is more to it, of course.
The 2020 Police Interceptor Utility rides on a modified version of chassis of the Lincoln Aviator. This is why while the Police Interceptor Utility version looks different from the civilian version of the 2020 Explorer. This new platform also makes both rear-wheel and all-wheel drive systems available.
Interior
What about the interior? Just like the exterior, the interior also feels heavy duty. This is understandable, considering that the SUV is made to accommodate police officers and help them do their job. For example, rather than having a console-mounted shifter, the new SUV keeps its column-mounted location. This frees up room for tactical equipment or auxiliary gear like laptops.
The front seats of the SUV also get a makeover. Now, it comes with better upper as well as lower support and a unique design that allows police officers to sit comfortably even when they wear bulky equipment belts.
2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Performance
Law enforcement vehicles, including the 2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor, need to be strong and reliable. They must be able to withstand the abuse, wear, and tear. This is why the new SUV comes equipped with cop-spec steering, suspension, brakes and tires components. The engine options are also powerful enough to accommodate the daily routine of police officers.
- The standard engine is a 3.3-liter, V6 Duratec engine. This engine is very powerful already, capable of delivering up to 285 hp with 260 lb-ft of torque.
- The second engine is a hybrid. It is basically the same engine as the standard engine but with the addition of hybrid assist. Thanks to the hybrid assist, the engine is capable of delivering even more power, up to 318 hp with 322 lb-ft of torque.
- The last and most powerful engine is a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 engine. It is much, much more powerful than the previous two engines. It is capable of delivering a whopping 400 hp with 415 lb-ft of torque.
Among the three engine options, the premium hybrid engine has the best fuel efficiency. It is estimated that the hybrid engine is able to save no less than $1,000/year per cop car. That’s a great number.
So, what do you think? Isn’t the new 2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor very interesting? The new Police Interceptor is mainly designed to help the police do their job. Its exterior, interior and engine are planned so the SUV can help police officers do their job. It is not surprising if the SUV is capable, reliable and comfortable.
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2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility Review: Coming to a Rear View Mirror Near You
We experience the 400-horsepower cop car and its hybrid counterpart. Luckily, we did so from the front seat this time.
Entire generations of rookie and veteran drivers have kept their eyes peeled for the quintessential cop cars: the Ford Crown Victoria, Taurus, and most recently the Dodge Charger and Chevy Tahoe. However, the roster of law enforcement vehicles has expanded in recent years thanks to General Motors, Fiat Chrysler, and Ford’s involvement in the sector. And now, thanks to the spirit of competition and the abundance of juicy contracts from local and state police departments, there’s a new sheriff in town. Say hello to the new Ford Police Interceptor Utility—a 2020 Ford Explorer with a license to engage in hot pursuit.
With the arrival of the new-generation Ford Explorer, it means that law enforcement fleets nationwide operating Explorer-based police patrol vehicles (PPV) will be getting a new set of wheels in the near future. And to get a sense of what they’ll be like, Ford let us behind the wheel of its latest Police Interceptor Utility vehicle at the Meadowlands in Northern New Jersey.
First Impression
At first glance, the new Police Interceptor Utility looks like a beefed-up, heavy-duty version of the popular family SUV. There is, however, way more than what meets the eye.
The outgoing Explorer utilized a front-wheel-drive platform dubbed the «D4,» which had been in use since 2004 and was also employed in the Taurus. The new Explorer changes this setup drastically with a modified version of the Lincoln Aviator chassis, meaning that the all-new Explorer and its Interceptor variant gain rear-wheel-drive architecture with all-wheel drive capabilities.
There isn’t much to say about the interior. It’s spartan compared to civilian Explorer that will end up in your neighbor’s driveway, and instead of a center console-mounted shifter, it retains its column-mounted location to make room for auxiliary gear like laptops or other tactical equipment. The front seats get a makeover, however, boasting better lower and upper support as well as a unique design to accommodate bulky equipment belts used by police officers.
Performance
Law enforcement vehicles live abuse-filled lives, so it’s important for Ford to make sure they’ve got the right equipment throughout. The new Police Interceptor Utility rocks cop-spec tires, suspension, brakes, and steering components. Under the hood, and for the first time in a police-rated Ford vehicle, a V6 hybrid powertrain will be offered alongside the hefty naturally aspirated and EcoBoost variants.
The base engine offered is the 3.3-liter Duratec V6, which offers 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. The next engine up is the premium hybrid (essentially the same base-model V6 minus hybrid assist), which boasts 318 horsepower and 322 pound-feet of torque. Sitting at the top of the range is a 3.0-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V6, which puts out a whopping 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. Thinking of outrunning the boys in blue? Think again.
Like all other hybrids, the electric motor provides instant torque before the gas engine takes over. And while performance is certainly a highlight of the hybrid variant, the real purpose of the powertrain is to help police outfits save on gasoline through all the idling and low-speed driving they perform each and every day. Remember, police cars can spend multiple hours each day idling, so a hybrid powertrain could save fortunes in yearly fuel bills.
Ford claims the new hybrid Police Interceptor Utility vehicle can achieve an EPA-estimated 24 mpg combined fuel economy rating, resulting in only 833 gallons of gas consumed per year based on a yearly mileage of 20,000 miles. That’s a considerable improvement over the previous car’s 3.7-liter gasoline engine, which only returned 17 mpg on a combined cycle and consumed an average of 1,176 gallons over the same 20,000 miles. If our math serves us right, that’s 343 fewer gallons each year, at roughly $3 per gallon, that’s a savings of $1,029 per year per cop car.
Besides saving fuel, the hybrid system also offers two pursuit modes that affect the way the hybrid system delivers power and recharges its battery: one for high-speed pursuits and another for city pursuits. The modes change on the fly and automatically according to the officer’s driving style. For instance, the high-speed pursuit mode essentially puts the system into “high-performance mode,” where it focuses more on delivering the most power rather than saving it to recharge the battery. The city mode prioritizes charging the battery so that drivers can utilize the instant delivery of the electric motor when zipping around town.