Chevrolet Tahoe SSV police vehicle tops out at 121 miles per hour, comfortably beating the F-150.
While many states hold head-to-head police vehicle testing,the Michigan State Police has one of the most elaborate testing programs and recently, the Chevrolet Tahoe SSV 5.3L 4WD and Ford F-150 Police Responder 3.5LEcoBoost were subject to this rigorous program. According to TFL Truck, the testing program resulted in the Tahoe proving to be considerably faster than the Ford F-150, hitting 121 miles per hour in less than a mile.
Michigan State Police Truck Testing
This year’s Michigan State Police truck testing consisted of the Chevrolet Tahoe SSV 5.3L 4WD and Ford F-150 Police Responder 3.5L EcoBoost.The V8-powered sport utility vehicle and the V6-powered pickup were tested in a handful of acceleration runs, including 0-to-60 and 0-to-100, along with a top speed run from a stop.
TFL Truck also included information on the way that the trucks were outfitted from the state police.
“All the patrol vehicles were tested with a clean roof (no overhead light or light bar) and without “A” pillar mount spotlights. We believe this is the best way to ensure all the vehicles are tested on an equal basis. Remember that once overhead lights, spotlights, radio antennas, sirens,and other emergency equipment are installed, overall performance may be somewhat lower than we report.
Each vehicle was tested with the tires that are available as original equipment on the production model. Specific tire information for each vehicle is available in the Vehicle Description portion of this report. All vehicles listed in this report were equipped with electronic speed limiters unless otherwise noted, or with the exception of certain motorcycles.”
Head-to-Head Numbers
The F-150 had a significant advantage in the acceleration categories, with the twin turbo pickup dashing from a stop to 60 miles per hour in 6.78 seconds while reaching 100 miles per hour took 0.28 miles. The Tahoe took 7.68 seconds to get to 60, while 100 miles per hour took 0.35 miles, so the Ford pickup was clearly quicker from a stop.
However, when it comes to top speed, the aerodynamic advantages of the sport utility vehicle design makes a significant difference. The Chevy Tahoe SSV hit 121 miles per hour, while the EcoBoost-powered F-150 only got to 106 miles per hour. That difference makes the Tahoe the superior option for high-speed police chases, while still accelerating quickly for a full-sized SUV chock full of police gadgets.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
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