There was once when the Volvo 240 or 740 was known as the ‘default Malaysian police car’. But they have been the most reliable cars ever since. The Volvos however have since been retired in the late 80s and mid-90s.
Not just one model
The confusion really is that Malaysian patrol cars driven by the Royal Malaysian Police are not consistent. Depending on their jurisdiction and coverage, there are many different car brands and models involved. One would have thought that the Malaysian police should just use Proton (since they are the national car brand) like how the Italian police drive the Porsches. So, when you see patrol cars, be aware of who they are and what they do. Do not be fooled into thinking that just because it states ‘POLIS’ and has a siren light on its roof, it is legitimate!
Know your Patrol Cars
There is a long list of car brands used for patrolling. From the local front, Perodua Kancil, Proton Iswara, Wira, Putra, Waja and Preve are all still in operation until present day.
- Volvo 850 – Still being used for highway patrolling
- Mitsubishi ASX and Outlander – For highway patrols and still in use.
- Large SUVs – You might still spot some Mitsubishi Pajeros around. However, the more recent models include the Nissan X-Trail, Ford Explorer, Ssangyong Rexton.
- Mitsubishi Lancer/ Proton Inspira – Both these cars look alike and they are very much in operation today.
- Honda Civic – There has been a new batch of 1.8, tenth-generation Honda Civics being used as patrol cars since 2020.
- Toyota Corolla Altis – Started to be in operation in 2020, they are supposed to replace the old Proton models.
- Kia Forte – Used by special operations under the Bukit Aman (HQ) branch.
- Proton X70 – The latest model to add to the police force, it is used for patrolling and highways.
- VIP Duties – As for escorting of VIPs and special occasion, the police uses the likes of the Proton Perdana V6, Hyundai Sonata, Honda Accord, Volvo XC90 and Honda CRV.
- The Forensics department uses Ford Transit, Hyundai Solati and the Isuzu D-Max and Toyota Hilux pickups respectively.
So, what does this mean?
This simply means that you will need to be aware if you are ever being stopped by a patrol car that if you spot any other brands besides those listed above to be cautious. They might be bogus or ambiguous parties that might be dangerous. You can always check and double-check before abiding by any instructions
