2021 Tahoe Police Package

[boatpi]

2021 Chevrolet Tahoe Police Package Vehicle Is Reportedly In The Works

While we don't know what it'll actually look like, it's more or less confirmed that a Police Package of the 2021 Chevy Tahoe is on the way.

www.motor1.com

 

[paradise]

They look so nice without the roof rails...

 

[highvoltagehands]

So other than the room advantage how does the Tahoe Police Package compare to Explorer’s PP Across the board? Performance, Function, reliability, cost??? I know there’s way more depts using Explorers, but is that because of cost or is it a better package? Which do Most LEO‘s prefer if they had their choice?

 

[Tank0088]

After driving the Crown Vic and now the explorers there are positive and negative sides to both. The Crown Vic handled a lot better with turns and breaking. The Explorers are comfortable and come with a stereo. Some of our Explorers have the big in dash flat screen like Tesla’s, those screens suck because you have to look down to read calls and have to basically be straight on with the screen to read it.

I wouldn’t mind driving a Tahoe around but I don’t know if they would last with running almost 24/7 and being driven like a race car. Plus they wouldn’t fit in some alleys or 1 way streets in the ghetto.

 

[Blackmagic94]

How many paddle boarders does it fit in the back?

 

[charlyox]

Bullhead City PD uses Tahoe’s and it gets hotter than hell here.

 

[The Prisoner]

 

[Flying_Lavey]

So other than the room advantage how does the Tahoe Police Package compare to Explorer’s PP Across the board? Performance, Function, reliability, cost??? I know there’s way more depts using Explorers, but is that because of cost or is it a better package? Which do Most LEO‘s prefer if they had their choice?

I can only go off a couple opinions I've gotten from different officers I've talked to about the various vehicles. A couple CHP and a couple other departments. The preferred vehicle of choice for them was the Tahoe due to the visibility advantage, space, and power. I was told the charger was good for power but it sucked getting in and out of. Was told the Explorers are almost never the Ecoboost so they are severely lacking when the skinny pedal is needed. When I went on my ride along the crown Vic felt pretty nice but I wasn't driving so, not much there.

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[wettrthebettr]

Those chargers are 4 WD, but most have the TAHOE, in the High Country, even in the Foot hills.

 

[rrrr]

Plano cops have been in Tahoes for more than 15 years. The officers I've spoken with have told me they're good police vehicles.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

So other than the room advantage how does the Tahoe Police Package compare to Explorer’s PP Across the board? Performance, Function, reliability, cost??? I know there’s way more depts using Explorers, but is that because of cost or is it a better package? Which do Most LEO‘s prefer if they had their choice?

The reason you see the Ford Interceptors (the actual model name of the police spec Exploer) all the time is because they are cheap. Ford figured out that a govt agency will purchase the cheapest option before all else.

It wouldn't surprise me one of the big reasons Ford moved to a RWD platform for the new Explorers was to make the PoPo happy.

 

[Deckin Around]

SBCSO deputy who was taking a report for me said the explorers they have come built with ballistic door panels from ford to take a defensive position behind. That would be a plus for me

 

[Flying_Lavey]

SBCSO deputy who was taking a report for me said the explorers they have come built with ballistic door panels from ford to take a defensive position behind. That would be a plus for me

I do believe all the manufacturers offer that.

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[AZmike]

My wife and I just picked up a 2020 ST explorer and I was actually surprised how well it handles and how quick it is. I wonder if the PD package will have the ST motor?

 

[t&y]

So other than the room advantage how does the Tahoe Police Package compare to Explorer’s PP Across the board? Performance, Function, reliability, cost??? I know there’s way more depts using Explorers, but is that because of cost or is it a better package? Which do Most LEO‘s prefer if they had their choice?

A bit of experience driving both the Crown Vics and the Explorers. Switching to the Tahoe today actually... lol...

Between the CV and Exp. the CV wins without question. My opinion is based on a urban style policing and partially department specific due to certain policy's that exist out there. From my experience, the CV's handle way better but feel heavier/stable. I can take turns and know where and what the car is going to do and still feel like I'm planted to the ground. In the Exp. it's almost too light of a feeling. Hitting a corner then accelerating gets a bit squirrely. The CV's will run well over 100k miles, the Exp feel like they are breaking apart after about 30k. It doesn't help that I can not run over a uncrushed bottle in the street without bottoming out the belly pan on the Exp. No bullshit, their ground clearance is dog shit.

Creature comforts, the explorer wins, but that is only due to modern tech and ergonomics.

Balistic doors, yeah that's an option, but not something that I would trust my life on. Any cop that has been in fleet when they have a door panel off will know what I'm talking about.

Tactics wise... I like low and fast. The CV offers that in and out of alley's, down street, creeping on corners, etc. The back seat of a CV is easier to load a body in during a rescue, but the explorer does win here on a couple points. The rear cargo area in Exp.'s we run are flat, not boxes. It is very easy to load a body in there for evac. and work on them. Yes, you can do all that in the back seat of a CV or Exp., but it is easier without question to work on someone in the rear cargo area of those explorers. They even have more room back there than the typical Cop Set up in a Tahoe.

I'll report back on my opinions of the Tahoe's in the future. I do like the fact that I can mount our ballistic shields between the doors and seats in our Tahoe's for added protection when rolling in somewhere and the pajama crew are still 20 out.

 

[pronstar]

I’ve got to think the space issue is a big deal.

A big cop with a bulky belt/equipment is a tight squeeze in a mid-size SUV compared to a full-size.

I’d also be willing to bet maintenance over the life of the vehicle will be less with an NA V8 vs the Ecoboost


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[Tank]

Being the lead instructor for Ventura County for emergency vehicle operations, I've had my share of seat time / track time / road time / driving time in general in Crown Vics, new Chevy Caprices (old chevy caprices), Tahoes, Explorers, chevy impalas and the Chargers.

They all have their pros and cons. It's funny to read you guys that have been around for a while praise the Crown Vics. I remember when most agencies transitioned from the 90's Caprices (especially the ones with the LT motors, not so much the older "whales") everyone bitched and complained about the Crown Vic being slow and handling sucked etc. Now everyone likes the Crown Vics that have been the staple of LE patrol vehicle for 15+ years.

Pros and cons of each:

Chevy Tahoe (and know, I'm a GM / Chevy / Tahoe / Yukon guy and have owned personally countless) -
Cons- it's big, it's heavy, the brakes suck, it has horrendous under-steer and longitudinal body roll and it gets front end walk at high speeds (front end feels lose), you have to crawl up into it to get in and out.
Pros - The big Chevy V-8 pushes it along at a good clip, its roomy inside with lots of storage. It sits high for good visibility and has big windows all around for added visibility.

New Chevy Caprice -
Cons - Has a crampt feel inside (even though theres more cubic inch space than the Explorer, Charger and even Crown Vic!), has shitty trunk space, is ergonomically weird and tight, the doors don't swing open very wide making it difficult to get in and out of and you have to pull yourself out and throw yourself into it. The A-pillar comes back at such an angle that you have to duck under it.
Pros - Its FAST! Brakes awesome with ceramic huge brakes. Handles like it on rails. Very nimble and has no surprises while driving it. Basically driving wise its predictable and does what it's told. If you like to drive fast, this is the car.

The old Ford Crown Victoria -
Cons - heavy. Brakes are too small and get into brake fade and brake failure quickly. Not too fast, but not too slow either. lots of longitudinal and lateral weight transfer causing it to be pron to under-steer.
Pros - Roomy, easy in and out ( though you do have to kind've throw yourself in), proven work horse that you can beat the crap out of, lots of storage, big trunk, wide interior, large windows for visibility.

Dodge Charger -
Cons - heavy, not really built to be a police vehicle. shitty visibility with large C pillars and small rear window. Straight away is good (fast) but cornering is not so great with longitudinal and lateral weight transfer.
Pros - FAST! Big brakes and good stopping. Decent interior room and trunk space. reliability issues (again, not meant to take the abuse a patrol vehicle needs to withstand).

Newer style chevy impalas -
Cons - piece of shit. (and again, i'm a chevy guy). Small, cramps, handles like shit with front wheel drive, brakes area too small, engine is too small...worthless.
Pros - cheap.

Ford Interceptor Utility (Explorer) -
Cons - SHITTY visibilty: You really can't see anything out the back between the small rear site picture and the cage. The rear side windows area equally small and blocked and the C pillar is huge resulting in absolute reliance on the rear view camera when backing which has proven problematic for many that use this vehicle. Most agencies do not opt for the more expensive and higher maintenance Eco Boost instead opting for the V6 version so it's not a rocket ship, but actually is decently quick for the power package. Because it's an SUV and sits higher there is added longitudinal weight transfer and body roll when cornering hard. It comes with "all wheel drive" but is I believe 70/30 with 70% being at the front so cornering too hard and fast can induce under-steer pretty quickly. It also comes with a computer added traction control (good and bad about this) bad is it will retard the motor as you come out of a turn hard causing a delay in pick-up and acceleration if the vehicle feels you are "losing control".
Pros - It actually has decent speed with the V6 and the Eco boost is FAST. Handling is over all fair for an SUV. Lots of room inside and storage in the back. Easiest in and out of the vehicle of any. It's right at hip level and you just slide in. Brakes are large and ceramic and decent. Not too much issue with brake fade. The up side of the traction control is that the computer reads each wheels performance and counters that wheel introducing independent acceleration or braking.

Interesting fact about the Interceptor Utility and the Interceptor sedan (explorer and the Taurus) the body shell is interchangeable. The frame and all mechanics are exactly the same. Speaking of the Ford Interceptor Sedan, refer to the Chevy Caprice. It's basically the same car.

Anyway, over-all the interceptor utility / Explorer is a great patrol vehicle. It's not fantastic at anything and it's not horrible at anything. It's pretty even across the board, which is why it's been the primary go to for most agency across the country.

There's my .02

Sorry for the long post, I tried to streamline it as much as possible lol