Basic Bargains: 5 Cars Built Just for Fleets

Not anyone could walk into a dealership and buy these commercial-only vehicles, but you may find them for sale in the used market.

Benjamin Hunting | 

Jun 7, 2023 | 4 min read

Chevrolet | Chrysler | Ford

Lurking behind the retail veneer at traditional dealerships is the world of fleet sales. These cars, trucks, and SUVs are purchased in bulk — often by rental companies and police departments — in orders ranging from dozens to thousands of vehicles at a time, and they are priced and equipped to reflect this vastly different type of customer.

While you might be familiar with the stripped-down pickup trucks used by some contractors, the fleet market has resulted in some rugged, and often more basic versions of the vehicles sold to retail customers. These are available on the used market, and many may still be found at auctions, but if you're considering buying an ex-fleet vehicle  here's a closer look at five examples you may encounter.

Chevrolet

Chevrolet Captiva

The Chevrolet Captiva first arrived in rental car fleets in the 2012 model year. Although its styling might have been different, underneath the skin, it boasted a familiar platform, having borrowed its bones from the departed Saturn Vue compact SUV.

The Vue link is important in understanding what the Captiva had to offer. The Saturn model left the market three years before the Chevrolet's debut, which meant that the technology and features weren't exactly cutting edge. For the four years it was on sale, the biggest difference between the fleet Chevy and the retail Saturn (other than its looks ) were its available engines: a 182-horsepower four-cylinder and a 264-hp V6, neither of which was found on the Saturn's retail order sheet.

Ford

Ford Interceptor Utility

Ford separated its law enforcement vehicles from its standard offerings several years ago. The Ford Police Interceptor Utility  is the centerpiece of its police vehicle lineup. While it might look a lot like Ford's retail Explorer midsize SUV on which the law enforcement version is based, there are some key changes made to the fleet-only model.

The Police Interceptor Utility comes standard with the Explorer's optional V6-based hybrid drivetrain. It also offers enhanced rear impact protection, heavy-duty brakes, steering, and suspension, a more hardcore cooling setup, and heftier door hinges to reflect its tougher duty cycle.

Chevrolet

Chevrolet Classic

Chevrolet has built a fleet-only vehicle called the Chevrolet Classic not once but twice over the past two decades. In 2004, Chevy re-badged the previous-generation Malibu midsize sedan as the "Classic" and sold it to fleet customers for two years.

It did the same thing in 2008 after the retail Malibu was redesigned again, keeping the sixth-generation car alive for fleet sales. Each time, a fair amount of equipment was subtracted from the four-door's order sheet (the 2008 edition didn't even have trim levels) to keep costs down.

Chrysler

Chrysler Voyager

The Chrysler Voyager didn't last all that long at dealerships. It was introduced in 2020 as a more affordable version of the Chrysler Pacifica minivan for retail customers. Two model years later, when Chrysler revamped the Pacifica with new styling and features, the Voyager transitioned entirely to fleet sales and left the retail world behind.

As part of that process, the Voyager dropped its trim levels to deliver a more straightforward package of features and options to keep rental customers happy on a weekend drive. Fleet buyers can even order the Voyager with extra key fobs, which may come in handy.

Chevrolet

Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle

Starting in the 2011 model year, the Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle was imported by General Motors from its Holden brand's Australian operations to serve as a fleet vehicle for police departments in the United States. The Caprice PPV was based on the Holden Caprice full-size sedan. It could be had with either a V6 or a large-displacement V8 under the hood (along with a host of law enforcement-specific upgrades intended to improve durability).

Capable of a 155-mph top speed, the rear-wheel-drive PPV was eventually offered in civilian form to American customers as the mechanically similar Chevrolet SS. Both the PPV and SS were discontinued after 2017.

Benjamin Hunting

Benjamin Hunting is a writer and podcast host who contributes to a number of newspapers, automotive magazines, and online publications. More than a decade into his career, he enjoys keeping the shiny side up during track days and always has one too many classic vehicle projects partially disassembled in his garage at any given time. Remember, if it's not leaking, it's probably empty.