UPDATE 1/4/2019: Ford has released official photos and information about the new Explorer-based Police Interceptor Utility. We have updated our story accordingly.



The all-new 2020 Ford Explorer is getting an unconventional reveal. The production model hasn’t been shown yet, but we now basically know what it’ll look like thanks to these photos of the 2020 Ford Police Interceptor Utility hybrid—a renamed Explorer SUV for the 5-0. While the overall silhouette might fool you into thinking it’s the same old Explorer at first, the new front end and subtly different proportions confirm that this is indeed the new model, which rides on a new platform.

This Police Interceptor Utility is fitted as standard with a hybrid drivetrain that supplies power to all four wheels. With a 3.3-liter V-6 paired with an electric motor, it achieves an estimated EPA combined rating of 24 mpg, a big improvement over the current all-wheel-drive Explorer V-6’s 19 mpg combined. We assume that a version of this gasoline-electric powertrain will make its way into the production Explorer, too, as part of the company’s plan to hybridize most of its trucks and SUVs.

A twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 will also be offered on the Police Interceptor Utility, also paired with all-wheel drive, and this combination was already tested by the Michigan State Police. The only other detail Ford is giving at this point is that the 2020 model, despite having batteries onboard, actually has slightly more cargo space than the outgoing Police Interceptor Utility, which probably will translate to other versions.

Ford

The new Explorer’s proportions align with its switch to a rear-drive layout with a longitudinally mounted engine, as has been confirmed for its Lincoln sibling, the Aviator, which will launch next year. The dash-to-axle ratio is different and the front and rear overhangs appear significantly reduced, while the rising beltline, combined with the tapering roofline, makes for a Range Rover–esque look. A high-performance Explorer ST is also said to be in the cards, likely with either the same twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 as the Police Interceptor or a version of Ford’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 underhood.

More official information on the civilian-spec 2020 Explorer is coming January 9, but for now this police version gives us a good idea of what to expect from the Blue Oval’s next three-row SUV.

Ford

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