The Ford Ranger Tremor has a unique jacked-up suspension system, downsized 17-inch wheels, and chunky tall-profile General Grabber all-terrain tyres: all optimised for serious off-road antics.
Tremor also has a black Ford oval in the grille and on the tailgate, and it’s available in Conquer Grey exterior finish: all things normally reserved for the Raptor. It’s powered by the familiar Ranger 2.0-litre biturbo-diesel 4-cylinder engine, but boasts an automatic-AWD system that you normally only get on the Raptor and V6 Rangers.
Are we looking at a cut-price wannabe Raptor, then? In some ways, yes; but in others the Tremor is very much its own thing.
It qualifies on the cut-price aspect. At $74,990 it’s $15k more than the Sport on which it’s based, but still $12k cheaper than a Raptor with the same 4-cylinder engine. Which is a cleaner Euro 6-compliant version than regular 4-pot Rangers, by the way: 4kW down but all AdBlued-up.
That fancy suspension also places the Tremor in the middle of the Sport and Raptor. In fact we’ve seen it all before on the limited-run Wildtrak X launched last year: not anywhere near as specialised as the Fox Racing hardware on Raptor, but it still boasts specially developed Bistein Position-Sensitive Dampers, a 24mm lift and 30mm wider track (with Bolder Grey flares over the top). It does look like it means business.
Are we looking at a cut-price wannabe Raptor, then? In some ways, yes; but in others the Tremor is very much its own thing.
The inclusion of the full-time AWD system (which you can’t get on mainstream Ranger 4-cylinder biturbo models) also brings Trail Turn Assist, a kind of off-road reverse torque-vectoring system that brakes the inside-rear wheel to help you get around tight turns in the rough stuff. It works at up to 19km/h and can reduce turn-radius by 25%.
So it’s designed to be a bit more 4x4-functional than Raptor and a bit less off-road-racer. But for those who must have a jacked-up Ranger, Tremor also has a few advantages over its glamorous sibling.
Even if you’re not planning on conquering the great outdoors, Tremor is a great way to enjoy your family truck without worrying about how much the dog is slobbering over everything.
The main one is towing and payload. While Raptor’s fancy suspension limits it to 2.5-tonne towing and 750kg payload, Tremor retains the 3.5t and 1t ratings of standard Rangers. You also still have the handy box-step behind the rear wheelarch to help you climb onto the tray, which is missing on the Raptor
It’s still quite showy though, with that ride-height lift and chunky General Grabber AT3 rubber.
But being based on the mid-range Sport, the cabin is a lot less ornate than a Raptor or Wildtrak. Which may be a good thing or bad thing, depending on your point of view.
Tremor does have a few special touches of its own. The seats are upholstered in a special vinyl that’s especially durable (it’s actually quite soft) and there’s orange “Tremor” embroidery on the seatbacks. It features a row of integrated accessory switches in the roof panel that you can hook up to whatever you like, and there’s a fantastic set of full-coverage rubber mats (again, branded with the Tremor name) front and rear.
It’s all appealingly serious-looking and even if you’re not planning on conquering the great outdoors, Tremor seems like a great way to enjoy your family truck without worrying about what the kids are spilling or how much the dog is slobbering over everything.
What’s it like to drive? We’re always droning on about how brilliant any Ranger is. The Tremor is too. But unlike Raptor, we wouldn’t say the new suspension/tyre combo necessarily makes it a better machine on-road.
The urban ride feels a lot more fussy than any other Ranger, and more fussy even than we remember on the Wildtrak X - which should theoretically be identical. Or maybe we’ve just been spoilt by a couple of weeks in a Raptor; in reality, the fussiest Ranger is still better than a lot of other one-tonners.
And it does get much better at speed. Once that smooth biturbo engine is singing, the chassis rises to the challenge and does a pretty good job of tracking straight around tricky corners and soaking up mid-corner bumps. The full-time AWD setting is also a huge dynamic and safety advantage on-road.
And of course, the Tremor does an awesome job of bombing down rutted gravel roads… if you do a lot of driving in rural areas.
Given the sub-Raptor price, it’s easy to see Tremor selling on looks alone, even if you don’t intend to go off-tarmac too much.
But there is some day-to-day compromise in ride and even that extra ride-height, which makes it a bit more of a challenge climbing in and out; the vented side steps, which are great for clearing mud (and also look great) are also prone to getting your legs dirty unless you do a dainty jump clear once you're stepped off..
How the pros and cons pan out will depend entirely on how you plan to use the vehicle. Or how awesome you want to look.
How much is the Ford Ranger Tremor?
Tremor is $74,990, or $15k more than the Ranger Sport on which it is based.
What are the key statistics for the Ford Ranger Tremor?
It gets a Euro 6 version of the Ranger 150kW/500Nm biturbo-diesel 4-cylinder engine and 10-speed automatic transmission, but it also has the full-time AWD system you can usually only have on the Raptor and V6 Rangers.
The new suspension setup features a 24mm lift with Bilstein Position-Sensitive Dampers and General Grabber AT3 all-terrain tyres.
Is the Ford Ranger Tremor efficient?
Ford’s biturbo-diesel is the cleanest one-tonne ute engine out there. Rightcar only quotes a figure for the Ranger Sport biturbo of 8.0l/100km, but the Tremor is certain to be a bit thirstier than that, with its extra height and chunky tyres.
However, you can feel good that it's the cleanest iteration of the engine: Euro 6 with AdBlue.
Is the Ford Ranger Tremor good to drive?
Depends what you want to do with it. The ride is a bit fussy around town, but it’s much better at speed. The full-time AWD system can be used on-road, which is a huge bonus over other 4-cylinder Rangers. And of course, it’s a monster off-roader with that special suspension and those big tyres.
Is the Ford Ranger Tremor practical?
The key to the Tremor package is that it balances extra off-road/adventure ability with the full 3.5-tonne tow capability and near-1t payload of the standard Ranger (both of which are compromised with the Raptor).
What do we like about the Ford Ranger Tremor?
It looks awesome, there’s still a lot of suspension tech at work underneath, the full-time AWD is a welcome addition and the very functional trim (vinyl upholstery, massive floor mats) is complemented with some nice Tremor-specific details, like the special badging.
What don’t we like about the Ford Ranger Tremor?
The around-town ride is the fussiest of any Ranger, the extra ride height does make it a little harder to climb in and out day-to-day, and the extra drag/height will use more fuel than a Ranger Sport.
What kind of person would the Ford Ranger Tremor suit?
Somebody who really does intend to put it to work, towing stuff and going cool places. Or somebody who just wants an awesome-looking Ranger.