AMSTELVEEN, Netherlands – Ford’s Kuga is going on the beat in The Netherlands after excelling in an extensive test with the country’s police force.
Police there have ordered over 500 Kugas to perform basic police vehicle (BPV) roles after the SUV delivered impressive results in user experience, ergonomics, road handling and power train assessments.
A special steering committee was set up to identify the best vehicles for the role. A total of three brands with four models were put through their paces by dozens of police employees from different units, the police academy and operational guidance and training.
Testing was carried out both on a circuit in Lelystad and on public roads, with a focus on braking behavior and driving over speedbumps.
“Tendering for new basic police vehicles is an intensive process,” says Michel de Roos, Head of Operations Central Netherlands and chairman of the steering committee. “We have to take many components into account, because there are different requirements for a police vehicle than for a normal car. The most important thing is that our colleagues can do their work well and safely.”
