At the start of December 2024, we received the Ford Ranger Tremor to accompany us for the holiday season and drive us into the new year. Before diving into the kilometres travelled over the festive period, we take a look at what the Tremor is all about.
The Tremor is an off-road-oriented member of the extensive Ranger family, based on the XLT spec and sharing DNA with the higher specced Wildtrak X. A black honeycomb grille, LED auxiliary driving lights cast aluminium sidesteps, “Tremor” decals, dark accents throughout the body and a meaty set of General Grabber A/T tyres distinguish the Tremor aesthetically, but it is the work under the body that makes the double-cab interesting.
Related: Sibling Rivalry: Ford Ranger Tremor v Wildtrak X
Aimed at the adventure enthusiast, the idea behind the Tremor was to release an off-road-ready Ranger, from the factory floor, but for less than R1 million. Where the similarly engineered Wildtrak X comes in at R1 040 600, the Tremor sits just below six figures at R978 600.
The difference in price sees the Tremor sacrifice a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen Soundsystem, Ford’s Flexible Rack system, slightly more luxurious interior finishes and a few other features, but the meat of both vehicles remain the same. The Tremor benefits from the same suspension treatment and technology that makes the Wildtrak X an out-and-out off-roader while retaining Ford’s 2,0L bi-turbo and 10-speed automatic shifter too. This drive train continues to impress among its bakkie contemporaries with a refined delivery of up t 154 kW and 500 N.m.
Understanding the off-road orientation of the Ranger Tremor
The Tremor has a selectable 4WD system offering 4A,4H,4L and 2H, as well as a rear locking differential and selectable drive modes of Normal, Eco, Tow/Haul, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, Sand ad Rock Crawl. The uprated off-road suspension employs specially developed Bilstein Position-Sensitive Dampers and is complemented by General Grabber 265/70R 17 A/T tyres, with an increased ground clearance of 261mm (24mm more than other models) and a 30mm wider track. A steel bash plate protects the engine, transfer case, and fuel tank. An off-road screen aids visibility and provides key off-road performance metrics while auxiliary switches are included for adding aftermarket accessories. Trail Turn Assist technology Reduces turning radius by braking the inside rear wheel during tight, low-speed manoeuvres, while Trail Control acts as off-road cruise control to manage speed, acceleration, and braking over rough terrain.
While the Tremor would come in handy over the nearly 2000km covered between December and January, it also proved its worth as a daily companion in the city, in an especially chaotic time of the year in Cape Town. While the double-cab is especially big, it remains manoeuvrable and smooth and benefits from a host of safety features that come in handy when navigating tight spaces.
In the next update, we take a look at the trips that we tackled in the Tremor over December.
Ranger Tremor at a glance
- Price: R978 600
- Engine: 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo Diesel, four-cylinder
- Power: 154 kW at 3,750 r/min
- Torque: 500 N·m at 1,750–2,500 r/min
- Transmission: 10-speed automatic
- Drive Wheels: Full-time four-wheel drive with selectable modes
- Service Plan: Optional, up to 8 years/165,000 km
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Images: @oliver_driven
