Surveillance Vehicles for Private Investigators: Ratings and Considerations

There are good, bad, and ugly surveillance vehicles. In this article, you will learn about the pros and cons of the different types of surveillance vehicles that private investigators use.

After rating the different classes of vehicles based on blending in, mobility, whether it is a common vehicle, visibility, gas mileage, longevity, comfortability, and weather conditions (road conditions) we will discuss other considerations when choosing a private investigator surveillance vehicle.

Feel free to use the table of contents to skip to the desired section you wish to read more about.

Compact Vehicles (Comparable: Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Ford Focus, Mazda 3, Hyundai Elantra, Subaru Impreza, etc..)

Summary:  A compact vehicle is generally a common vehicle that will fit in nicely with most neighborhood areas.  I have known other private investigators to be very successful Toyota Corollas, Honda Civics, and Hyundai Elantras.

P.I. Advice Overall Rank: 7.9  (Good)

Mobility Score: 10 –  Very mobile. Easy to make sharp turns or U-turns.

Common Vehicle: 10 – Yes, a very common vehicle.

Blending Value: 8 – This vehicle should blend into most neighborhoods.

Visibility over vehicles: 6  – This vehicle sits low so it may be difficult to keep a view of  your subject in heavy traffic conditions

Gas Mileage (Honda Civic 2022): 9 –  City/ 26-33MPG  Highway/36-42 MPG.  This mileage would be considered very good for a surveillance vehicle.

Longevity: 7- If taken care of you would get anywhere from 150,000 miles to upwards of 225,000 miles.

Comfortable:  6 – The car was most likely not designed for the driver to sit in the vehicle for extended periods of time. Not a lot of room to stretch out.

Conditions:  7 – Not recommended for off-road or areas with lots of snow.

FULL-SIZE VANS (Nissan NV Passenger, Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana) 

Summary: This vehicle is very large and highly visible.  If this vehicle is used, it is recommended that it be for surveillance that is stationary for long durations.  The vehicle is comfortable and roomy.  

P.I. Advice Overall Rank: 7.1 (Average)

Mobility: 5 – Large vehicles have less of a turning ratio generally speaking. Vehicles of this size are difficult to maneuver quickly in narrow locations.  Getting out of parking spots quickly and safely could provide problems.

Common Vehicle: 6 – This vehicle or vehicles that could be compared to this vehicle are not seen frequently on the road.

Blending Value: 6  – Blending into an average neighborhood would be difficult due to the size of this vehicle.  Depending on the type of full-size van that was used, it would likely draw more attention as a stereotypical van used by nefarious individuals.

Visibility over vehicles: 10 – The height of this vehicle provides a significantly better view to see over vehicles.

Gas Mileage: 5  – 2022 Chevrolet Express  MPG 13-18. This gas mileage for a surveillance vehicle is not good at all.  With gas prices being unpredictable in the last decade and averaging $2.95 over the last 10 years (2011 to 2021), this would not be a vehicle I would travel long distances with for surveillance assignments.

Power: 8 – This vehicle is equipped with a V8 which should provide plenty of power.  

Comfortable: 8 –This vehicle can be comfortable if set up correctly.  I have known some female private investigators to use this type of van and have used camping toilets with ease in the vehicle.

Conditions:  7 – Not recommended for snow conditions or off-road. 

Longevity: 9 – Forums relating to longevity indicate as long as this type of vehicle is taken care of it will last in excess of 250,000 miles.  

Midsize SUVs as a Surveillance Vehicle

(Hyundai Santa Fe, Ford Explorer, Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, etc..)

Summary: Vehicles like the Hyundai Santa Fe, Ford Explorer, Toyota Highlander, and Honda Pilot would fall into the general categories of this vehicle.  Obliviously gas mileage will vary on these vehicles.  Midsize SUVs provide many of the ideal characteristics of a good surveillance vehicle.

P.I. Advice Overall Rank: 7.6 (Good)

Mobility: 8 – The mobility for mid-size SUVs is quite good.  The turning is pretty good for instances where quick maneuvering is needed. 

Common Vehicle: 8 – Yes, mid-size SUVs are very common vehicles to see on the road.

Blending Value: 8 – These types of vehicles typically fit into most surveillance situations.  There is nothing about these vehicles that stand out any more than any other vehicle. 

Visibility over vehicles: 8 – From personal experience, I can say that I will most likely never go back to a sedan for a surveillance vehicle. I believe the height of a vehicle can be an advantage during surveillance efforts.

Gas Mileage: 7 – (2022 Highlander AWD) The gas mileage for the 2022 Limited Toyota Highlander is 20 to 27 MPG. AWD is the most ideal version of the vehicle.  These numbers are listed for the 6-cylinder vehicle. The hybrid versions of this vehicle post higher gas mileage.  

Power: 8- If a 6-cylinder vehicle is used, it should be more than enough power for your needs during surveillance.   If a 4 cylinder is used you will feel the difference.  From personal experience, I prefer the 6 cylinders over the 4, but with gas prices where they are today, 4 cylinders might be the way to go.

Conditions: 8 –If you choose an all-wheel drive (AWD) vehicle then you should be fine in most conditions.  I have used the mid-size in minor off-road conditions with no problems.  In the snow, I would suggest chains.  I have conducted surveillance many times with a mid-size SUV so these recommendations come from personal experience. 

Comfortable: 8 – This rating is given as a general rating from my personal experience.  Most mid-size SUVs will not be incredibly comfortable, but I have managed to do just fine over the years.  These vehicles have similar legroom as a full-size sedan would have.

Longevity: 7 – In general you will get over 200,000 miles on these types of vehicles with proper maintenance.   This statistic is from personal experience.

Full-Size SUVs for Surveillance Vehicles

(Chevrolet Suburban, Ford Expeditions, Nissan Titan, GMC Yukon, etc…)

Summary: I have never been a big fan of large SUVs for surveillance.  These vehicles have many ideal characteristics of a good surveillance vehicle however, I believe it is the size of the vehicle that becomes the disadvantage in many instances.  This vehicle surprisingly ranked much higher than I thought it would.  The big drawback on this vehicle would be the gas mileage factor.

P.I. Advice Overall Rank: 7.9 (Good) 

Mobility: 6 – Does not park easily in all locations and driver may find it difficult to back out of locations in a hurry while being safe.

Common Vehicle: 8 – Very common vehicle in most areas.

Blending Value: 7 – This vehicle is very large and may be likely to stand out in some areas more than others when tinted due to having more windows.

Visibility Over Vehicles: 9 – Very good visibility over vehicles. 

Gas Mileage: 6 – (Chevrolet Tahoe 2022) City 21 MPG and 27MPG Highway.  This is not the best gas mileage but not the worst.   At the current rate of fuel, 15 miles per gallon will hurt your company’s bottom line.

Power: 9 – With 8 Cylinder motors power is not a problem.  

Comfortable: 9- Very comfortable and roomy.  Easy transition to and from the back seat and front seat.

Conditions: 9- Typically good for use in all conditions. 4-wheel drive is a huge plus along with the ground clearance.

Longevity: 8 – Some forums and reviews report that most of the full-size SUVs will last well over 200,000 miles.  

Toyota Sienna (Comparable: Honda Odyssey, Kia Sedona, Chevrolet Uplander, etc…)

Summary: This is probably one of the best picks in the surveillance vehicle realm because it has traits that every investigator could want without standing out.  A vehicle like this is definitely something to consider.

P.I. Advice Overall Rank: 8.5 (Very AWESOME!)

Mobility: 8 – For being a minivan the Toyota Sienna turns sharper than would be expected.  Backing in and out of locations is slightly more difficult than a smaller vehicle, however, the layout of the vehicle provides the driver with a limited amount of blind spots (it’s like a fish bowl).

Common Vehicle: 9 – The Toyota Sienna is a very common vehicle in nearly all areas.

Blending Value: 9- With the proper amount of tinting this surveillance vehicle will fit into any neighborhood.

Visibility over vehicles: 8- Visibility is better than most surveillance vehicles.

Gas Mileage: 9 – (2022 Toyota Sienna) There are not many car manufacturers left producing minivans. Though I found it interesting that Toyota went to a hybrid-only version of this vehicle. They were able to say they rock 36 mpg on their vehicles now which is incredible because earlier vehicles of this vehicle are in the 20’s mpg.

Power: 8 – Plenty of pickup and go power with the standard V6 engine.  You will have no problem catching anyone.

Conditions:  8- Good for most conditions.  Not really recommended for snow conditions. 

Comfortable: 9- Very Roomy.  You can easily move throughout the vehicle.  Many vehicles of this type can either remove seats with ease or the seats fold down. 

Longevity: 9 – These vehicles are expected to last well over 250,000 miles with the proper care.    With the typical price tag currently between $35,000 and $45,000, these vehicles need to last a long time.

FULL-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK

P.I. Advice Overall Rank: 6.7 (Average) – Good backup vehicle or primary vehicle in rural areas

Mobility: 6 – A full-size truck, in general, does not turn sharp and does not back up easily without a backup camera.  There is not  much traction for a 2-wheel drive truck in wet conditions.  

Common Vehicle: 8 – Very common vehicle in most areas.  Probably more common in rural areas.

Blending Value: 7 – Blending may vary depending on the area and any particular features of the vehicle that might stand out (large tires, rims, truck bed canopy, etc..).

Visibility over vehicles: 9 – Very good visibility over vehicles.

Gas Mileage: 5 – (17-22MPG) Generally speaking for most full size pickup trucks gas mileage is pretty brutal. 

Power: 9 –  Power is not a problem for these trucks.

Conditions: 9- Good for most conditions.  4 wheel drive trucks are preferred if you choose one of these as a surveillance vehicle.

Comfortable: 8-  Good for sitting for long periods of time, however, gets a bit tough if sitting in the extra cab during surveillance.

Longevity: 7 – Mechanically (engine, transmission) forums indicate that this vehicle will last well over 200,000 miles according to online resources.  Trucks generally speaking are much more likely to reach that number as they are commonly used for work.

Full-Size Sedan/Coupe as a Surveillance Vehicle

(Hyundai Genesis, Toyota Avalon, Toyota Camry, etc.)

P.I. Advice Overall Rank: 8.1 (Very Good)

Mobility: 8 – Sedans have better than average turning ratios and can back out easily from most locations.  Parking these vehicles is not much of an issue.

Common Vehicle: 9- Sedans, especially the Toyota Camry are very common vehicles.

Blending Value: 9- With the right color and right tint you will be in good shape.  Fitting into a neighborhood should not be an issue.

Visibility over vehicles: 6- These vehicles do not allow the driver much visibility over another vehicle.

Gas Mileage: 9 – 2023 Toyota Camry LE – This particular model, non-hybrid version boasts 28 mpg city and 29 mpg highway.  If you were to purchase a hybrid version of this vehicle gas mileage could range from 51 mpg city and 53 mpg highway.  Of course, the hybrid is excellent but the standard version isn’t too bad either.

Comfortable: 8- From my personal experience this vehicle is very comfortable.

Conditions: 7- No recommended for surveillance in off-road or snow conditions.  There is not a significant amount of clearance from the ground.

Power: 8 – Good amount of power to follow anyone at least with the 6 cylinders.

Longevity: 9-Toyota is known for making quality vehicles that will last well over 250,000 if taken care of.

Electric Vehicles as a Surveillance Vehicle

(Tesla, Ford Mach E, Chevrolet Bolt EUV, Kia EV6, etc..)

P.I. Advice Overall Rank: 7.3 (Fair) I don’t think electric vehicles are ready for prime time

Mobility: 8 – Generally speaking, most electric vehicles are known to have pretty good handling due to their low center of gravity.  These vehicles have great mobility.

Common Vehicle: 7 – Only in the last few years would electric vehicles be considered more common. In 2022 there has been a big push for electric vehicles with many automakers discontinuing some models to make room for electric vehicles.

Blending Value: 9- With the right color and right tint you will be in good shape.  More and more electric vehicles are on the road.

Visibility over vehicles: 6- These vehicles do not allow the driver much visibility over another vehicle

Gas Mileage: 4- While the mileage per full battery usually is over 300 miles for most electric vehicles, miles per gallon isn’t the issue. Range becomes the issue. Recharging becomes an issue.  There are some situations where the subject you are following is getting gas and the investigator gets gas as at the same time.  This is not possible with electric vehicles currently. The range is just not at a comfortable number for most investigators for surveillance. 

Comfortable: 8- These vehicles don’t have a lot in them so they can be very roomy.

Conditions: 7- Most electric vehicles are all-wheel drive however I would be cautious in bad weather. 

Power: 10- Incredible speed comes from these electric vehicles.  More power than any investigator really needs.

Hi-End Vehicles (Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar, etc..)

More often than not these types of vehicles will not be appropriate for surveillance.  I am sure there are some areas that these vehicles will fit in, but they are far and few between.  You want your vehicle to be forgettable, not memorable.  I won’t bother to rank these vehicles because you shouldn’t be conducting everyday surveillance with them anyways.

My First Surveillance Vehicle

When I started in the industry fraud industry almost a decade ago I drove a 1998 silver Honda Civic LX.  The car was simply perfect when it came to blending into a neighborhood. Everyone had a Honda Civic in the early 2000s.    I had the back three windows tinted (back window and two rear passenger windows). 

I didn’t tint the front driver side or passenger side windows for fear of receiving a ticket.  California police officers at the time didn’t mess around when it came to window tint.  I don’t know how hard they are cracking down on it now but back then it was bad.  The vehicle worked very well for me and blend in nicely wherever I worked.

What to Consider When Choosing a Surveillance Vehicle

Is The Vehicle Comfortable for You?

If there is anything a private investigator needs, it is a comfortable vehicle.  It can’t be stressed enough how important this is as surveillance investigators 8 to 14 hours a day in their vehicle in many situations. 

TIP: Don’t purchase a vehicle on the comfort factor alone.  I have known many investigators that have chosen a huge tacky standout vehicle for comfort rather than a vehicle that was ideal for surveillance.

What Color is the Surveillance Vehicle?

Obviously, no flashy colors on your vehicle when conducting surveillance.  Landscape colors (brown, tan, green) blend nicely when on the freeway or when stationary.  The color isn’t going to make you great at surveillance, but every little advantage you can have is worth it.  In my experience, silver is a good color to consider for a vehicle as well.

TIP: Remove all stickers and license plate frames from the vehicle.  Repair any identifiable marks on the vehicle (dents, paint smudges).  The idea is to have nothing that some can focus on to identify your vehicle from another vehicle.

What Surveillance Vehicle Size is Appropriate?

I currently use a mid-size SUV for surveillance.  This vehicle blends in wherever I go and it is easy to maneuver.  I enjoy using the mid-size SUV because I am able to see over smaller vehicles.  When I used a Honda Civic I had a hard time seeing over and around vehicles when following someone.  Because of this I found myself losing more people during moving automobile surveillance then I wanted to admit.

If you go with a vehicle that is too large (in most cases), you are likely to stand out much more.  Another thing to consider is that the larger the vehicle is, the more difficult it will be to park or maneuver during the course of surveillance.

How Much Tint Do You Need on Your Surveillance Vehicle?

I worked for almost 5 years using limo tint in the back three windows of my Honda Civic.  At the time I thought it was a great setup until I switched to my SUV and had all my windows (except the front) tinted with limo tint (5%).  I prefer limo tint on all my windows because it provides more flexibility for me to remain in the front seat of my vehicle while conducting surveillance.  

Having only the back three windows tinted comes in handy because it enables your vehicle to look less suspicious in a neighborhood, however, it typically forces me to remain in the back of the vehicle which can be inconvenient at times.

Window tint can bring less or no attention to you when you are sitting in the vehicle. Most importantly it protects you from others seeing you holding a video camera documenting the subject’s activities, including the subject not seeing you.

Technically you don’t need any tint on your windows to conduct surveillance.  There are two quick ways to black out your windows without spending too much money on tint.

1. Buy tape and thin foam padding from a fabric store.  Cut the then foam to the size of your window and tape it.
2. Buying black construction paper is another quick way to black out your windows.  Again just cut it out and tape it.

TIP: It can be tough for some investigators to drive without seeing out the back windows.  I usually use this trick on rental vehicles when working out of state.  

Gas Mileage

Now more than ever gas mileage is becoming a concern for private investigators around the country.  Ideally, we would like to just pass those costs onto the customer.  Consider how many investigation companies are going to beat you on price by not passing those costs to the client.  Consider an economical vehicle when possible.

Many cars are being sold as hybrid vehicles which have amazing gas mileage. However new vehicles come with a larger price tag and a potential larger car payment.

New or Used Vehicles for Surveillance

Both new and used vehicles have their benefits.  Which vehicle will be right for you?  

New Vehicles for Surveillance

A new vehicle is great to have for surveillance for many reasons. Having a new vehicle gives you peace of mind that nothing mechanically is going to happen to the vehicle in the near future, the body and paint of the vehicle will be in excellent condition and it might even get better gas mileage than your previous vehicle. 

A downside of a new vehicle is the car payment.  Additionally, after only a few months of surveillance, the vehicle depreciated quite a bit due to the miles you placed on the vehicle in such a short amount of time.

Used Vehicles for Surveillance 

If I had to guess, I believe most investigators are driving around with used vehicles.  Used vehicles in most cases are paid off quickly when purchased which gives the owner some peace of mind knowing there isn’t a car payment. 

The downside of course is potential problems with the vehicle that is unexpected.  Used cars have more of a chance of having paint smudges or small dents on the body that are identifiable. 

If you decide on a used vehicle make sure to check consumer reports on the vehicle.  Checking reviews on vehicles in new condition can give you some ideas as to what is expected in the future with an older used vehicle.

Last but not least, avoid purchasing a vehicle that resembles a police cruiser or sports car. They bring attention to you and that is the last thing you want when conducting surveillance.

A website that may interest you is CARFAX Lemon Check.  A VIN number is required to conduct the search on the vehicle.

Consumer Reports has an article on how to spot a lemon which can be located at Consumer Reports.  The article covers quite a bit of information on purchasing a used vehicle and what to look for.

A reference I found for vehicle tinting laws in each state can be found here.  It would be helpful to know what is considered legal in the state you are working in.

I know that in some areas specific types of vehicles will be mandatory for weather, road, and “fitting in” conditions.  I know from personal experience that trucks help you fit in nicely in parts of Texas and Wyoming. 

In Alaska, any vehicle will do but you will want a 4-wheel drive in the winter.  All I want during surveillance is to be forgettable and so should you.  Good luck out there and be safe.

Sources and Interesting Websites

Conduct a search on recalls for any given vehicle at: https://www.recalls.gov/nhtsa.html

Gas mileage is provided by the U.S. Department of Energy.  Fuel Economy Tips:  http://www.fueleconomy.gov

Toyota.com – For Toyota Information

Chevrolet owners talking about their vehicles: Chevrolet Forum

How long Trucks Last: https://www.motorbiscuit.com/how-many-miles-pickup-truck-last/