The police force has a tough job of protecting us and keeping civilians safe at all times. Their job requires reliable cars that they can depend on to carry out their work correctly and quickly. The best police cars in India are ones that never let them down or give up under any circumstances.
There are many police cars in India that serve our nation proudly. They are mostly sports utility vehicles that are able to conquer a range of terrain. Each state has their own preference for the type of police they use.
Best Police Cars in India
The Police force works relentlessly for the safety of the citizens, serving day and night to protect us. Patrolling the streets and pursuing criminals is no easy task and requires them to have robust vehicles that are up to the job. We are always looking for what car the latest Bollywood star is riding in, but don’t have a clue about what vehicle our police force is using.
Here are the top police cars that have joined the fleet in different states of India and are doing their part in serving the nation.
Maruti Suzuki Gypsy
By far, the favourite vehicle for the police and armed forces of India, the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy is a no frills off-roader and a dependable workhorse. The engine and chassis work well with any road application, and simple mechanics mean that if something does go wrong, it can be repaired by any roadside technician. Still, it has reliable Japanese workmanship behind it, resulting in durable and dependable driving.
For off-road conditions, the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy is a beast and reigns supreme. No other vehicle comes close to the Gypsy mainly due to its high power to weight ratio, and excellent four-wheel drivetrain that can get it in and out of impossible situations. Some larger and more modern SUVs will struggle where the Gypsy will never give up.
The only downside is that the Gypsy has not been updated since the 90s and is showing its age. It is also currently out of production. The Gypsy has archaic leaf springs at the rear that although do well in off road conditions, they make road driving a bumpy affair. There is lots of body roll and highway road manners are poor to say the least.
The Gypsy does not come with modern amenities such as air conditioning and power steering, and in spite of being a light vehicle, it sips a lot of fuel leading to poor fuel economy. However, as a police vehicle there is no other vehicle that comes close, because only a Maruti Suzuki Gypsy can do the job.
Mahindra Bolero
The Bolero is a rugged vehicle that is most often seen as a police squad car in India. It is affordable and reliable, a good combination for a vehicle that can climb cliffs, drive bumper to bumper in city traffic, and travel for many miles on the highway. It comes with a steel bumper which is an advantage for police cars that need a durable front end in case of any collisions.
Being a popular SUV in India, it is widely seen as a police car in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Bad roads, potholes and broken tarmac are not a challenge for the Bolero and it has enough space at the back to pack in captured goons.
It is easy to drive, with good visibility and high ground clearance. The old school styling works well as a police car.
Powerful looks and easy maintenance make it an aspiration sports utility vehicle in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities of India. The Bolero is also a good off-road vehicle because it has a robust drive train that powers the rear wheels. It is used by multiple police forces across India and its dependability and strength have made it a favourite among Khaki wearing police officers.
The Mahindra Bolero is very popular in rural areas because it is known to be a reliable workhorse. It is also one of the most affordable rear wheel drive SUVs available in the market. The ladder and frame chassis as well as all metal bodywork make it like a tank in certain situations. The vehicle is also BS6 compliant with a 1.5-liter diesel engine that outputs a maximum power of 75 BHP and 210 Nm of maximum torque. The transmission is a 5-speed manual and the drivetrain requires very little maintenance.
Tata Safari Storme
The SUV from Tata is one of the finer vehicles to be found on our roads and has a big fan following. It went out of production after 22 years of service, primarily because it failed the pollution norms of Bharat Stage 6. It was first introduced in 1998
The Tata Safari Storme was inducted into the armed forces fleet of vehicles and is used by the police forces of Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand states. Some of the plus points of the Tata Safari Storme SUV are its comfortable ride that insulates the occupants from bumps on the road, plenty of interior space in the cabin, and good long-distance cruising.
It gets a powerful engine under the hood, and is able to pursue vehicles with ease. This would surely be an intimidating sight with the sirens blazing. The Safari Storme is used by the S.W.A.T. team and senior bureaucrats can often be seen chauffeur driven in these vehicles.
Since the vehicle is out of production, there are no new Safari Stormes being added to the police fleet, so the force is still using old vehicles currently in operation. The police are using less Safari Stormes as compared to the armed forces nowadays.
It is a capable off-roader too, with its body on frame construction, and can seat seven occupants in comfort. The Tata Safari Storme is an iconic SUV and one of the favourite cars of India.
Toyota Innova
The Innova is an MPV that is deployed by police in the states of Delhi, Manipur, Odisha, Karnataka, , Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. The vehicle has received an excellent response from car buyers all across the country due to its powerful engine, seating capacity for seven, and reliable motoring, giving trouble free driving for many miles.
It has proved itself to be a competent vehicle, and the police forces often rave about its quality and strong build. It perfectly fits the criteria for the police forces who often use it as a highway patrol car. It has plenty of cabin space and can maintain high speeds on the highway either patrolling or in pursuit. High ground clearance and excellent all-round visibility are other plus points for the vehicle.
The Toyota Innova is one of the best MPVs in the country, and widely used by police forces in a number of states. Not only reliability, but the interior space to carry 7 passengers have made it the most popular cop car in India. It is seen as a daily patrol vehicle in some areas as well.
The reliability of the Toyota Innova has also made it a popular choice among Government officials in India. Both the old generation and the new generation Innovas are seen as part of the police force fleet.
Maruti Suzuki Ertiga
The Ertiga is another popular MPV in use by the police forces of many states in India. It has ample space for up to 7 police officers and features premium interiors and equipment. The Ertiga works out as an economical vehicle for the police as compared to the Toyota Innova which is bigger and more expensive. The Ertiga also has a smooth petrol engine that is frugal and reliable.
Costing from Rs.7.5 lakhs to 10 lakhs it is the vehicle of choice for the police forces in the states of Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Maharashtra and Karnataka. The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga is seen as a Swiss Army knife of vehicles because of the numerous applications it is used for, such as reinforcements and patrol vehicles.
Traffic police often use the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga due to its good manoeuvrability in city traffic and food fuel economy. They are also used to carry radars to catch speeding motorists on long stretches of roads.
The Ertiga in an all-pink avatar is used by the women police forces of Bangalore known as Pink Hoysala and by Durga Shakti in the state of Haryana. The advantage of the Ertiga is it is very car-like and can be driven easily. That is why it is used for patrolling and inner-city chases. Some of the older models have a diesel engine which has quite spritely performance.
Mahindra Scorpio
The Scorpio is seen used by police patrols more often than with civilians. It is also exported to many foreign countries to be used by the police forces. Not only is it used as a reinforcement vehicle in India, it can be seen as a transport vehicle for officials as well. Higher officials get the Mahindra Scorpio as chauffeur driven vehicles at times.
The Scorpio has a very powerful diesel engine and lots of interior space. It is also very rugged and has a refined drivetrain making it a go anywhere SUV. It is a popular choice for police forces in India and can be seen on duty with the police fleet of the states Telangana, Delhi, Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Punjab. Its price range is between Rs.12 lakh and Rs.16 lakh.
Some of the reasons why the Mahindra Scorpio has found its way into the police fleet is that it features a rugged exterior with a reliable diesel engine. The Scorpio is also available as an armoured vehicle and used to transport the nation’s lawmakers. Both the old and new generations of the Scorpio are used by the police force. The Punjab police make use of the pick-up version of the Mahindra Scorpio known as the Scorpio Getaway.
Conclusion
Ever since India’s independence, the police force vehicle fleet has been made up of Mahindra old school Jeeps as their official rides. And why not, the Willys Jeep was a reliable, go anywhere vehicle that could haul a large load and was up to any task presented to it.
Almost every Hindi film had a guest appearance from the dependable Jeep as a police car. Today, things are a little different, and the police force now has modern cars across their fleet doing official duty. From the humble Maruti Suzuki Gypsy to the Mahindra Bolero and Tata Safari, all these SUVs have their own advantages and are used for different applications such as patrolling, pursuit and defence.
We often see foreign countries having exotic police cars and even some countries like Dubai having supercars as part of their fleet. This is mainly done for publicity and PR stunts rather than down right serving and protecting citizens.
In India the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy and Mahindra Jeeps have been serving the police forces for decades, but today there is a long list of modern vehicles on duty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the most popular police car in India?
Ans. The Maruti Suzuki Gypsy is still one of the most popular vehicles used by the police in India. However, it is being replaced by newer and modern vehicles as an overhaul to the police fleet in many states.
Q2. What kind of motorcycles do the police in India use?
Ans. The police most often use the Royal Enfield as a fleet vehicle because they are powerful motorcycles that have a robust and strong build quality. The police also make use of Bajaj Pulsars, Honda CBR 250 and the TVS Apache.
Q3. What is the latest vehicle acquisition of the police force in Kerala?
Ans. The Kerala police force has inducted 44 Force Gurkhas to increase their presence in the state. The Force Gurkha is a 4-wheel drive vehicle that can handle hilly terrain with ease. The police force of Kerala has also approved 72 Mahindra Boleros for their fleet. The Bolero is a popular police vehicle in many other states in India
