The V8 cruiser visible in your rearview mirror has become a rare occurrence. Police departments nationwide have shifted away from large, fuel-thirsty eight-cylinders. The shift results from three main factors: the original vehicles are no longer made, fuel costs do not justify the power, and the smaller engines now in use perform very well.

Production ended for the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor after 2011 and for its Taurus-based follow-up in 2019. Dodge dropped the Charger Pursuit V8 sedan when the gas Charger line closed in 2023. Agencies seeking a V8 sedan simply had no new options left. Patrol vehicles also spend long periods idling to run lights, radios, computers, and cameras. A V8 burning fuel while stationary creates high costs when prices rise, while a hybrid can run accessories on battery power and reduce waste.

Most U.S. police fleets now use Ford models. The Police Interceptor Utility SUV comes standard with a 318-hp 3.3-liter hybrid V6. Departments wanting more speed can select the 3.0-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 rated near 400 hp. Chevrolet still offers a 5.3-liter V8 in the Tahoe PPV, yet it is no longer the standard choice.

The police V6 is built different

Testing by the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department in 2015 showed Ford's EcoBoost V6 sedan reaching 60 mph in 5.8 seconds, faster than the V8 Charger at 6.6 seconds. Michigan State Police evaluations in 2018 found the EcoBoost model hitting 100 mph in 13.6 seconds versus 14.7 seconds for the 5.7-liter V8 Charger. The hybrid V6 also outperformed the 5.7-liter Durango and 5.3-liter Tahoe in the same test. Recent 2024 Michigan trials confirmed the EcoBoost reached 148 mph and completed a track lap quicker than V8 competitors, though the hybrid trailed slightly in initial acceleration.

Fuel economy highlights the largest gap. The Crown Victoria's 4.6-liter V8 was rated at 14 mpg city and 21 mpg highway. Ford projected 20 to 25 percent better economy with its V6 models, and one department estimated yearly fuel savings of $150,000 after switching. Studies show patrol cars idle up to 60 percent of the time, using over 20 percent of fuel while stationary. Real-world data from Ann Arbor hybrids averaged 15.6 mpg compared with 8.7 mpg for non-hybrid units.

Not all police V8s are gone

Some V8 models remain in limited service even after production ends. The California Highway Patrol added a Camaro SS 1LE with a 455-hp 6.2-liter V8 as its final Camaro cruiser. New York State Police acquired Mustang GTs, and other states followed. Dodge continues to offer the 2026 Durango Pursuit with an optional 360-hp 5.7-liter HEMI V8, and Ram provides a 6.4-liter HEMI in its Emergency Response Vehicle. Despite these examples, V8 power is now specialized and uncommon. Ford held 60.6 percent of the police vehicle market in Q3 2025, driven mainly by the V6-only Police Interceptor Utility.