CONSIDERED THE MOST SOPHISTICATED AND VALID POLICE VEHICLE EVALUATION SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES, THE LOS ANGELES TESTS RATE VEHICLES IN TERMS OF OFFICER SAFETY, ROAD PERFORMANCE, EASE OF MAINTENANCE, HEAT LEVELS OF ENGINES, ECONOMY OF OPERATION, MECHANICAL DURABILITY, AND ADAPTABILITY TO COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT. EACH OF THESE FACTORS IS BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. CHARTS THEN GIVE THE WEIGHTED SCORES OF SIX VEHICLES EVALUATED IN 1978 FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND PURSUIT PLUS ONE EVALUATED FOR UNDERCOVER AND ADMINISTRATIVE USE ONLY. OF THE SIX PURSUIT-TYPE CARS, THE CHEVROLET NOVA RECEIVED AN OVERALL SCORE OF 68.89, THE DODGE ASPEN 66.99, THE PLYMOUTH VOLARE 66.12, THE FORD LTD 64.28, THE MERCURY COUGAR 63.49, AND THE CHEVROLET IMPALA 63.23. THE DATSUN 810, EVALUATED FOR UNDERCOVER AND ADMINISTRATIVE USE ONLY, RECEIVED A SCORE OF 70.62. (GLR)