What Are Cop Cars Called?

They’re most commonly called police cars, with widely used alternatives including patrol car, cruiser, and squad car; the preferred term varies by country and even by agency. In the U.K. you’ll still hear “panda car” for older neighborhood patrol vehicles, in Ireland “Garda car,” in parts of Australia “divvy van” for a prisoner transport, and in Japan “patocar” (from “patrol car”). This article explains the names, regional variations, and how professionals describe these vehicles in practice.

Common Names in the U.S. and Canada

Across North America, several terms are standard in everyday speech and within law-enforcement agencies. Some describe the function or configuration, while others reflect radio-era history or visual styling.

• Police car: The generic, most widely understood term.
• Patrol car: Emphasizes the routine patrol function.
• (Police) cruiser: Very common in U.S./Canada; often shortened to “cruiser.”
• Squad car: Historic Chicago/Midwest usage, still widely recognized.
• Black-and-white: Refers to a common high-contrast livery on marked units.
• Radio car: A legacy term from the era when in-car radios were new.
• Marked unit: A vehicle with police livery, badging, and external lightbar or visible lights.
• Unmarked unit: A vehicle without overt markings, often used for investigations or traffic enforcement.
• Interceptor: Colloquial shorthand for pursuit-focused models or trims.
• PPV (Police Pursuit Vehicle): Purpose-built and tested for pursuits.
• SSV (Special Service Vehicle): Police-equipped but not pursuit-rated (e.g., many trucks/SUVs).
• Pursuit-rated: Indicates the vehicle meets specific high-speed durability and performance standards.

Taken together, these terms help distinguish how a vehicle looks, what it’s built to do, and the context in which it’s deployed.

Regional Variations Worldwide

While “police car” translates across borders, many countries have their own widely used names shaped by language and policing history.

• United Kingdom: Panda car (historic neighborhood patrol), area car/response car (general response), traffic car (roads policing).
• Ireland: Garda car (after An Garda Síochána, the national police).
• Australia: Divvy van (divisional van for prisoner transport, especially in Victoria); general “police car” or “patrol car” elsewhere.
• New Zealand: Police car/cruiser; colloquial usage mirrors Australia.
• India: PCR van (Police Control Room van) for rapid response; “police jeep” is also common.
• South Africa: SAPS patrol van (often a bakkie/pickup with canopy).
• Japan: Patocar (パトカー), a contraction of “patrol car.”
• Germany: Streifenwagen or Funkstreifenwagen (marked patrol car).
• France: Voiture de police (marked), voiture banalisée (unmarked).
• Italy: Volante (urban patrol car); for Carabinieri, autoradio or gazzella in colloquial use.
• Spain: Coche patrulla or patrulla (patrol car).
• Brazil/Portugal: Viatura (police vehicle), carro de polícia (police car).

These labels often map to specific roles—such as traffic enforcement or rapid response—and sometimes to the agencies themselves.

Types and Roles

Not all police vehicles serve the same purpose. Names often reflect a vehicle’s role, equipment, and visibility to the public.

• Marked patrol car: High-visibility unit for general calls, deterrence, and traffic stops.
• Unmarked/slick-top unit: Low-profile car, sometimes with concealed or internal lights; used for investigations or traffic enforcement.
• Traffic enforcement/interceptor: Tuned or equipped for highways and high-speed work.
• Supervisor car: Carries additional gear; used by sergeants or watch commanders.
• K-9 unit: Outfitted with canine transport systems and climate controls.
• Prisoner transport/divisional van: Configured with secure compartments for detainees.
• Community policing/beat car: Focused on neighborhood presence and engagement.
• Specialized support: CSI/forensics cars, accident investigation, and scene support vehicles.

Agencies mix these types to balance visibility, response capability, investigation needs, and community priorities.

Marked vs. Unmarked: How Professionals Refer to Them

Inside departments, the shorthand is typically “marked unit” for fully liveried cars and “unmarked” or “slick-top” for vehicles without lightbars or with subdued markings, sometimes called “ghost graphics.” The choice affects visibility, deterrence, and enforcement style.

Equipment and Features

Though models differ, modern police cars share core safety, communications, and durability features designed for demanding duty cycles.

• Livery and identification: Agency markings, unit numbers, reflective striping, and sometimes subdued “ghost” graphics.
• Emergency lighting and sirens: Lightbars or internal LEDs; multi-tone sirens; alley/takedown lights.
• Radios and data: Multi-band radios, CAD/AVL terminals, mobile data computers, GPS.
• In-car video: Dash and body camera integration; rear-seat recording in some units.
• ALPR: Automated license plate recognition systems for stolen vehicles/warrants (subject to local policy).
• Safety partitions: Prisoner cage, rear-door child locks, window screens.
• Push bumper/ram bar: For traffic stops, vehicle nudging, and mounting additional lights/sirens.
• Heavy-duty components: Brakes, cooling, alternators, idle management, run-lock systems.
• Tires and suspension: Pursuit-rated tires, reinforced suspension, stability control tuning.
• Gear storage: Weapon racks (secured), medical kits, extinguishers, traffic cones/flares.
• Powertrains: Mix of gasoline, hybrid, and growing trials of battery-electric vehicles for urban duty cycles.

The exact package depends on the mission profile, legal requirements, and budgets; urban, highway, and rural units often diverge in setup.

Notable Makes and Models

Fleet choices change with budgets, testing standards, and manufacturer lineups. Here are models commonly seen in recent North American and European fleets.

• Ford Police Interceptor Utility (based on Explorer): The most prevalent U.S. patrol SUV in recent years, including hybrid variants.
• Chevrolet Tahoe PPV and Suburban SSV: Popular for room and durability; PPV is pursuit-rated, SSV is typically not.
• Dodge Charger Pursuit (legacy): Widely used through the early 2020s; many agencies are transitioning as the platform sunsets.
• Ford F-150 Police Responder and other pickups (SSV): Favored in rural or mixed-terrain jurisdictions.
• Emerging EV options: Limited deployments of Tesla Model Y/3 and Ford Mustang Mach‑E pilots; Chevrolet announced a Blazer EV PPV for law enforcement fleets, though adoption remains gradual as agencies evaluate range, charging, and TCO.
• Europe: Škoda Octavia/Superb and Kodiaq (Central/Eastern Europe, U.K. forces), BMW 3/5 Series and X models (Germany/U.K.), Volvo V90/V60 (Nordics and U.K.), Peugeot 5008 and Renault models (France), SEAT León (Spain), among others.

Fleet managers balance lifecycle costs, performance, safety ratings, and parts availability; SUVs now dominate many patrol roles due to space and versatility.

Terminology in Media and Slang

Outside official use, pop culture and street slang provide additional color—some terms describe the look, others the function.

• Cop car: Informal catch‑all, widely understood.
• Five‑O: Slang for police (from TV), not specific to the vehicle.
• Black‑and‑white: Refers to marked, high‑contrast paint schemes.
• Cherry top: Older term for a single rotating red beacon.
• Slick‑top: No external lightbar; lights are internal or low‑profile.
• Ghost car: Subdued markings that are visible only at certain angles/light.

While these terms are familiar to the public, agencies prefer precise descriptors like “marked unit,” “unmarked,” or the specific vehicle role.

How Usage Varies by Context

Journalists typically use “police car” or “patrol car” for clarity. Officers and dispatchers adopt operational shorthand—“unit,” “marked,” “unmarked,” “traffic car.” The general public’s “cop car” is understood everywhere, but exact labels often reflect regional policing culture and vehicle configuration.

Summary

“Cop car” is the informal umbrella term; formally they’re police cars, also called patrol cars, cruisers, or squad cars, with many regional names such as panda car (U.K.), Garda car (Ireland), divvy van (Australia), and patocar (Japan). Inside agencies, specificity matters—marked versus unmarked, pursuit-rated PPV versus SSV—because the name often signals the vehicle’s role, capabilities, and how it’s meant to be used on the street.

Why are police cars called squad cars?

A police car is called a “squad car” because it’s the vehicle used by a “squad” of police officers, referring to a group of officers working together. The term “squad” signifies a team or group of people, and in this context, it describes the police unit or team of officers who use the vehicle for patrolling and responding to calls. 
Other terms for police cars include: 

• Cruiser: A car used for cruising the streets to find and respond to trouble or calls for assistance.
• Patrol car: A vehicle used for patrolling an area.
• Panda car: A term for police cars, often used in the UK, possibly referring to their distinctive black and white markings.

Are cop cars only Fords?

No, not all police cars are Fords; however, Ford does dominate the U.S. police vehicle market, with its Police Interceptor Utility (Explorer) being the best-selling model. Other manufacturers, such as Chevrolet (with the Tahoe) and Dodge (with the Charger), also produce popular police vehicles.
 
Why Ford is so popular:

• Long history: Ford has been supplying police vehicles with dedicated packages since 1950, building a legacy and brand loyalty with law enforcement. 
• Commitment to the market: Ford understands the unique needs of law enforcement and has consistently adapted its vehicles with features and options for police work. 
• Market dominance: Ford currently holds more than half the police vehicle market, with some estimates putting their share around two-thirds. 
• Reliability: Ford vehicles are often considered durable and easier to maintain and repair, which is important for the demanding use of a police cruiser. 

Other police vehicle options: 

• Dodge Charger: The Dodge Charger Pursuit is a recognizable and popular police sedan choice.
• Chevrolet Tahoe: The Tahoe PPV (Police Pursuit Vehicle) is another extremely common police SUV on the road.
• Other models: Police departments also utilize other vehicles, such as the Dodge Durango Pursuit, Chevrolet Silverado, and Ford F-150 Police Responder, depending on their specific needs.

What is the police car called in cars?

The main police car in the Disney-Pixar film Cars is named Sheriff. Sheriff is a black-and-white 1949 Mercury Club Coupe police cruiser, serving as the voice of reason and authority in the town of Radiator Springs. Other police-like vehicles in the Cars universe include Deputy Hazard, a police version of Lightning McQueen, and the demolition derby competitor APB. 
Sheriff 

• Real Name: Sheriff.
• Vehicle Type: 1949 Mercury Club Coupe police car.
• Role: He serves as the Carburetor County Sheriff, protecting Radiator Springs.

Other Police-Related Characters

• Deputy Hazard: A police variant of the main character, Lightning McQueen. 
• APB: A female police car character who raced in the demolition derby at Thunder Hollow Speedway. 

What is a slang word for police car?

cattle car (US, slang) cherry top (US, slang) cop car. copper chopper (slang) ghetto bird (US, slang)