The Competition Tremors

Ford trucks have a legacy that stretches back over 100 years. Today, the Ford F-150 is the best-selling vehicle in America, the Ford Super Duty claims bragging rights as the strongest hauler, and the recently revived Ford Ranger is clawing its way to the top of the midsize segment. The latest upgrade to the Ranger is the brand new Tremor Package, which brings a new level of adventurous off-roading to this already highly-capable design. If the iconic Ford Raptor is too large or provides more capability than you need, then the 2021 Ranger Tremor might just be the truck for you.

What’s it Going to Take?

Let’s get one thing out of the way: the Tremor package is not the Ranger Raptor that hardcore off-roading fans have clamored for since it was introduced overseas in 2019. However, the Tremor is a huge step up from the FX4 package that was previously the Ranger’s best rock-crawling loadout. The Tremor makes the Ranger a serious off-roading machine alongside the likes of the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon and the Chevy Colorado ZR2 without sacrificing any of the Ranger’s excellent capabilities when it comes to towing and hauling.

Unlocking the Tremor Package for the 2021 Ranger will require buyers to ante up for XLT or Lariat trim with a SuperCrew Cab and a 4×4 drivetrain. While the 2021 Ranger pricing hasn’t been released yet, those configurations started at $34,635 for the 2020 model year, and the Tremor package will cost $4,290 extra. Now $39,000 might sound like a lot for a midsize pickup, but that’s still well below the sticker prices for competing designs and represents excellent value for what the Ranger Tremor brings to the table.

An Involuntary Shudder at the Sight

The Tremor Package is primarily a performance kit, but it comes with its fair share of visual bonuses befitting the price tag. The grille surround and 17″ wheels will be painted Magnetic off-black, and the grille will be further highlighted by black bars and red nostril accents. Special cargo box badging and optional racing stripe graphics for the hood and sides leave no doubt as to the pedigree of this truck when it rolls up to the trailhead. On the inside, package-exclusive seats feature distinctive Tremor badging and Miko suede inserts for an added touch of luxury – off-road drivers would like to play in comfort, after all.

A bank of auxiliary power switches above the Sync 3 infotainment screen rounds out the interior extras, bringing increased functionality. That power bank features three 5-amp switches and one switch each for 10, 15, and 25 amps, so passionate hobbyists can add all kinds of useful accessories. Winches for getting yourself or someone else out of trouble, light bars for low vis situations, and air compressors for tire inflation are just a few of the tools that drivers can easily retrofit to their Ranger Tremor.

Nowhere to Hide

With upgrades to every part of the suspension, the Ranger Tremor leaves its competition with nowhere to hide. Huge 32″ Continental General Grabber all-terrain tires widen the truck’s stance, and a factory-installed suspension lift boosts the Tremor up for 9.7″ of ground clearance (the standard SuperCrew 4×4 only measures 8.9″ off the ground). On top of the factory lift, 2″ monotube FOX dampers are mounted to all four corners, with reservoirs of damping fluid in the rear for additional heat dissipating capabilities.

Springs on the front struts are tuned to keep things under control off-road, and a multi-leaf spring setup in the rear increases the wheel travel. In fact, the front wheels can travel 6.5″ and the rear wheels 8.1″ thanks to the upgrade kit. The anti-roll bar is also softened and allows for more independent suspension movement, providing the articulation demanded by off-roaders. However, progressive hydraulic rebound stops prevent bottoming out on severe off-road disruptions and are specially tuned to not interfere with normal on-road performance.

A full array of skid plates on the front and underbody are mounted to the frame to protect critical systems, but the lifted suspension improves the Ranger’s angles enough that the shielding shouldn’t be necessary. While a 25.5-degree departure angle is marginally better than the SuperCrew 4×4’s, the approach angle is improved by nearly 10% to 30.9 degrees, and the Tremor’s breakover angle of 24.2 degrees is more than 12% better than the base Ranger’s.

While the Grabber tires are built to, well, grab the ground under all circumstances, it doesn’t hurt to make a few more adjustments to maximize traction. On the Tremor, that starts with an electronic traction control system that’s been recalibrated for improved acceleration and control on gravel surfaces, allowing drivers to go all-out in washouts. An electronic-locking rear differential is mounted to the rear axle to keep you moving forward even on loose and slippery surfaces.

Finally, the cockpit of the Ranger Tremor gains Ford’s Terrain Management System and Trail Control. TMS allows drivers to select Normal, Mud/Rut, Sand, and Grass/Gravel/Snow modes, which bias power direction, optimize shift points, maximize torque, and minimize wheel slippage for ideal powertrain control on all terrain. Trail Control is cruise control for off-roading, managing the throttle and the brakes to maintain a set speed in the range of 1-20 mph so drivers can focus fully on steering through the most challenging technical segments.

Performance with No Compromises

The Tremor is powered by the Ranger’s standard 2.3L EcoBoost engine, making 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. That’s the best gas engine torque in-segment, and a segment-exclusive 10-speed automatic transmission provides smooth shifts and optimal power delivery. The Ranger is built Ford tough, and the Tremor upgrade preserves the excellent 1,430 lbs payload and 7,500 lbs max towing rating of the Ranger XLT SuperCrew 4×4. The powertrain is efficient as well, giving the base Ranger best in class gasoline fuel economy. While the Tremor’s wider and taller stance might reduce that number slightly, it is likely to outperform the other off-road trucks in the segment.

While the suspension is lifted and kitted out with FOX dampers and more to absorb the worst terrain the world can throw at it, the Ranger Tremor’s advanced systems are tuned to achieve that without compromising on-road comfort. An interior with premium materials and all the technology available to XLT and Lariat Rangers ensures that a Ranger Tremor is still a suitable daily driver. To the same end, distinctive exterior styling cues distinguish the Ranger Tremor from any average pickup without adding anything so flashy as to be out of place in more civilized settings.

Best Ranger Ever?

We pose it as a question, but it’s really more of a statement. Unless the Ranger Raptor finds its way to American shores, the 2021 Ford Ranger Tremor will be the best Ranger ever sold in the USA, and we are proud to offer it at our Albany dealership. In its segment, the Ford Ranger is already highly competitive on price, performance, and efficiency. Adding the Tremor package sacrifices none of these – payload and towing are unaffected, and price and efficiency remain far better than similarly-equipped from the competition – while providing the most off-road-ready Ranger the team here at DePaula Ford has ever seen.

It’s another fitting entry to Ford’s truck lineup, a historic group that continues to define and defy the limits of the midsize, full-size, and heavy-duty segments to this day. While Ford has long offered a full-size off-road machine with the Raptor, the Ranger Tremor fills a niche for drivers who need a more compact option. If you think the new Tremor might be right for you, then it’s time to head to DePaula Ford to see it in person.