Hyundai has gained “preferred supplier” status for the UK’s police forces following a successful two-year tender.
The decision by the National Association of Police Fleet Managers allows all police authorities to purchase Hyundai vehicles and is set to give the carmaker a substantial share of the 9800 vehicles bought every year for police use across the UK.
Hyundai said the tender process had involved an assessment of the vehicles’ running costs, performance, quality and resale values.
The most popular models are expected to be the i20 supermini, the lower medium i30, the compact 4×4 ix35, the Sante Fe and the iLoad van.
Several models are already on trial at forces around the UK, including with London’s Metropolitan force, the UK’s largest police authority, which purchases 2000 vehicles annually.
Managing director of Hyundai UK Tony Whitehorn said: “Anyone buying a car needs to be sure they are getting value for money. That’s especially true when you are buying thousands of vehicles and spending taxpayers’ money! The quality, resale value and performance of Hyundai vehicles shone through and they’ve been given the green light to carry a blue light!”
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