All the cars Australian police use (even the undercover ones)
From utes to electric sports cars, here are the specific cars used by state and territory police forces across Australia.
Australian police cars have come a long way in both performance and design since the glory days of the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon.
Once production of the iconic homegrown models stopped in 2016 and 2017, various state and territory police scrambled to find the appropriate successors.
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Close to a decade later, state and territory police have added a range of performance, off-road, hybrid and even electric cars to their domestic fleets.
Make no mistake, while state and territory police are utilising models that are available to the everyday consumer, law enforcement cars are generally modified to handle the requirements needed for frontline operations.
This means most Australian police cars are fitted with various technical gadgets – like number-plate recognition systems and radios – and are tested to ensure peak performance and safety for the officers behind the wheel.
But what are the actual car models that police are using in 2024? To find out, Drive spoke to police in every state and territory to determine which vehicles have been sworn in for frontline duty.
What cars do Victorian police use?
“Victoria Police utilises several makes and models for vehicles for a wide variety of operational and support activities, including both marked and unmarked vehicles,” a Victoria Police spokesperson told Drive.
“These include passenger sedans and wagons, SUVs, utilities, light commercial, and specialist vehicles from manufacturers like Ford, Holden, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen and BMW,” the spokesperson added.
In Victoria, police use Ford Rangers as a divisional van, while Volkswagen Tiguans, Hyundai Palisades and Toyota Hiluxes are commonly used for frontline operations.
Victoria’s Highway Patrol division requires more performance-specific models for daily operations, with the BMW 5 Series – like the 530d sedan and wagon as well as the M5 Competition – and the BMW X5 SUV the preferred choice.
In a bid to join other state and territory police fleets in utilising low-emission vehicles for operations, a Victoria Police spokesperson told Drive, “From 2025, most models of passenger sedans and wagons added to the Victoria Police fleet will be hybrid.
“We are currently testing and evaluating several electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles to include these in our operational frontline policing fleet.”
Generally speaking, Victoria Police replaces its fleet vehicles every 90,000km or three years (whichever comes first).
What cars do NSW police use?
In June 2024, New South Wales Police deployed a Hyundai Ioniq 6 electric sedan for its Crime Prevention Unit, which authorities said would be used for community engagement rather than frontline road patrols.
However, it’s not a permanent addition to the fleet as it is currently on loan from Hyundai, with NSW Police previously becoming the first Australian law enforcement to trial an all-electric model in the Hyundai Kona for its 2021 fleet.
Similar to its Victorian counterpart, NSW Police previously used the BMW 530d sedan or wagon, BMW X5, and BMW iX5 for its highway patrol unit.
In addition, the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series became an official member of the NSW Police fleet in 2023, while the Volkswagen Passat and Volkswagen Tiguan were also spotted wearing NSW police livery in the state.
While production of the Chrysler 300 SRT sedan in right-hand drive ended in 2021, NSW Police said there is still “a large number” of them on active duty.
Drive has contacted NSW Police for further details and will update the story with its response.
What cars do Queensland police use?
Queensland Police previously announced it plans to transition its general duty fleet vehicles to hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles from 2025 onwards, with hybrid and electric cars already accounting for 74 per cent of its sedan/SUV line-up.
However, some petrol models are still required to perform specific duties. A full list of Queensland Police vehicles in use for 2024 can be found below, including both marked and unmarked frontline cars, as well as models used for the force’s corporate fleet.
| Cars used by Queensland Police in 2024 |
| Kia EV6 |
| Kia Stinger |
| Kia Sorento |
| Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series |
| Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series |
| Toyota LandCruiser Prado |
| Toyota Camry Hybrid |
| Toyota RAV4 Hybrid |
| Toyota Kluger |
| Toyota HiLux |
| Isuzu D-Max |
| Isuzu MU-X |
| Hyundai i-Load |
| Hyundai Santa Fe |
| Volkswagen Amarok |
| Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (for corporate use only) |
| MG HS Plus (for corporate use only) |
| Toyota Corolla (for corporate use only) |
While a Queensland Police spokesperson didn’t disclose which models are used for marked and unmarked duties, they told Drive: “All frontline vehicles are available in marked and unmarked profiles. With the exception of [the] Toyota Corolla, which is utilised for corporate purposes, and the MG PHEV utilised solely for the Police Liaison Officers.
“Specific operational requirements of the location the vehicle is assigned to will determine the required marking status,” they added.
On average, Queensland Police replaces its fleet vehicles every 3.8 years, but the process of identifying the specific replacement models is dependent on “supply, manufacturing, emerging vehicle technologies and operational requirements”.
“Replacement parameters vary depending on the vehicle profile with the consideration to manufacturer warranties and vehicle sale trends,” a Queensland Police spokesperson told Drive.
“Generally, passenger vehicles are replaced at four years/80,000km and commercial vehicles are replaced at four years/100,000km. There are exceptions to this, as an example the mobile Police Beats (usually vans) have an expected lifecycle of 10 years/500,000km.”
What cars do South Australian police use?
South Australia Police use a combination of both marked and unmarked sedans, SUVs, commercial vehicles and four-wheel-drives for frontline operations.
According to a South Australia Police spokesperson, officers use a mix of Kia Sorento Sport AWD, Toyota RAV4 AWD GX Hybrid, Volkswagen Tiguan Proline and Subaru Outback Sport XT Turbo models for general policing duties.
However, this line-up changes for regional locations where South Australian law enforcement uses a fleet of four-wheel-drives such as the LandCruiser 300 Series, Ford Ranger, and Toyota HiLux 70 Series (Troop Carrier and Cab Chassis variants).
For South Australia Police cage vehicles and crime scene models, officers generally use a combination of commercial vehicles like the Isuzu D-Max Hi-ride 2WD, Toyota HiAce and the Hyundai Staria.
“SAPOL sets the lease at [the] time of issue based on historical monthly mileage. Upon review, the opportunity exists to consider adjustments,” a South Australia Police spokesperson told Drive.
“At times we might seek an extended retention if the vehicle has not covered the expected mileage or it is a high fit-out cost,” they added.
How often are SA Police cars replaced?
| General patrol cars | Every 12 months/90,000km |
| 4WD fleet | Every five years/100,000km |
| Cage and crime scene vehicles | Every two years/80,000km |
What cars do Western Australian police use?
Similar to other state and territory law enforcement, Western Australia Police uses a mix of sedans, wagons, SUVs and four-wheel-drives for various road operations.
Models like the Skoda Superb, Kia Stinger, Kia EV6 (currently on trial), Volkswagen Tiguan and Kia Sorento are predominantly featured in the WA Police fleet, with these cars meeting the criteria for “both marked and unmarked policing duties”.
However, the Toyota Kluger and Toyota HiLux have been previously spotted in WA Police livery.
“Vehicle models are assessed and updated in line with manufacturer changes and upgrades,” a WA Police spokesperson told Drive.
“Vehicles need to be fit for purpose and are classified based on safety and performance for specific roles and operational capability,” they added.
Generally speaking, WA Police replaces its vehicles every four years/120,000km, except heavy vehicles (like trucks and buses) that are subjected to their own unspecified intervals.
What cars do Northern Territory police use?
Due to the rugged terrain of the Northern Territory, Police “rely heavily on 4WD Toyota HiLux and LandCruiser 70 Series”.
“This is mainly due to the availability of Toyota parts and services being available in most regions of the NT,” an NT Police spokesperson told Drive.
For general traffic duties, NT law enforcement is “currently transitioning” from Kia Stingers to the Subaru WRX, with 13 modified WRX patrol cars entering service in July 2024.
The new Subaru WRX sedans have been fitted with a dual battery system, automatic number plate recognition cameras, speed radars, a rear-facing message board and a rifle mount with electronic release.
Despite its claimed 0–100km/h sprint in over six seconds, an NT Police spokesperson told Drive fast cars aren’t generally a priority for its fleet.
“We don’t necessarily select the fastest vehicle but the safest in regards to braking and handling, ease of operations and the vehicle’s ability to carry the required equipment for use on shifts.
“We ideally look to purchase five-star ANCAP-rated vehicles to maximise membership safety,” they explained.
The replacement parameters for NT Police fleet vehicles are listed below.
How often does the Northern Territory Police replace its cars?
| Police Divisional Vans | Both 2×4 and 4×4 are programmed for replacement at 80,000km or three years. |
| All other 2WD and AWD vehicles | Programmed for replacement at 80,000km or four years. |
| Traffic Pursuit Vehicles | Programmed for replacement at 80,000km or three years. |
| All other 4WD vehicles | Programmed for replacement at 100,000km or four years. |
| Motorcycles | Traffic bikes are programmed to be replaced after four years or 50,000km and off-road bikes after four years or 10,000km. |
What cars do ACT police use?
According to a 2020 Canberra Daily report, ACT Police acquired two BMW X3 M40i vehicles equipped with automatic number plate recognition systems.
In addition, ACT law enforcement previously announced a roll-out of a fleet of Subaru Liberty’s in 2019 for its road policing duties, while a Nissan Pathfinder was spotted in Australian Federal Police livery in 2021.
When asked which vehicles ACT Police is using for current road operations, an ACT Policing spokesperson shared the brands used in its fleet, but stopped short of naming the specific models.
“Currently, the ACT Policing fleet (marked and unmarked) includes vehicles from Volkswagen, Subaru, Kia, Toyota, BMW and Ford,” they said.
While the spokesperson didn’t disclose what models are used in the fleet, ACT authorities “regularly share information about vehicles among other police forces”, meaning ACT officers could utilise similar models as other jurisdictions mentioned in this article.
“ACT Policing regularly assesses new models for their suitability to perform police duties and their availability on the market.
“[Fleet] vehicles are predominantly leased and replaced when this lease expires, either by years or kilometres. The lease length varies depending on which area of the organisation the vehicle is being used by,” an ACT Police spokesperson told Drive.
What cars do Tasmanian police use?
In June 2024, Tasmania Police began trialling a BMW M340i sedan for its highway patrol division.
If authorities were to purchase the vehicle, it would be the quickest-accelerating model used by any Australian state police force, with the German luxury car maker stating the 340i is capable of a 0–100km/h sprint in 4.3 seconds.
It is understood officers were also previously testing the BMW 530d sedan and wagon variant for its highway policing fleet, with a Tasmania Police spokesperson telling Drive the M340i is the “preferred choice” out of the three vehicles tested.
Drive has contacted Tasmania Police for comment and will update the story with its response.
The post All the cars Australian police use (even the undercover ones) appeared first on Drive.
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