2021 Ford Ranger Tremor | Review & Road Test

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I’m here with the 2021 Ford Ranger Tremor. And I’m going to tell you what I know and what I think about it. The original Tremor (2002-2004) was an appearance package only that included a boss stereo and cool graphics. Ford’s gotten a lot more serious with this one.

This Tremor is still a package, but it’s a legitimate off-road one that gives the Ranger some serious off-road gear, pushing the Ranger FX4 even further. First of all, it’s lifted by almost an inch so you get better clearance going over the rough stuff.

Second, it gets off-road-tuned Fox 2.0 monotube dampers and rear reservoir shocks. Front springs, control arms and knuckles have all been reworked for more off-road work.

It gets 6.5-inches of travel up front and with those reservoirs 8.1-inches in the back. The Tremor’s anti-roll bar stiffness has been reduced, which makes things more comfortable off-road in a less jostly kind of way.

So, what’s the Tremor like? Overall, it’s quite good off-road. It soaks up washboard very well. I really like the combination of rear leaf springs and reservoirs especially on stuff like washboard. You don’t compromise speed for comfort.

The Tremor also tackles whoops just fine, though the wheelbase will require you to slow down unless you like the stapler effect. I found the steering to be good and the brakes more than adequate. Put them all together and this is a solid package. I won’t go as far as to say this is my favorite off-road-capable midsize truck, but it’s got the chops to duke it out with both the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro and Colorado ZR2 who Ford counts as the Tremor’s main competition.

It comes equipped with 32-inch General Grabbers. This a solid tire. It’s knobby, but doesn’t feel like you’re driving around on Cat tracks on road and it's got decent sidewall protection. With this tire, the Tremor also gets a wider stance, which works for stability.

Let’s talk off-road numbers: The Tremor gets a 30.9-degree approach angle and a 25.5-degree departure angle, with a 24.2-degree breakover. Those numbers are all up from the regular Ranger. That’s better than the Chevy Colorado ZR2, but not as good as the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon. Though it does beat the longer Gladiator in the break over category. It gets a frame-mounted steel plate up front for extra protection.

It also gets two recovery hooks in the front and the backs that are frame mounted for when we have to pull Jeff out of stuff after said stupid stuff. But you can’t install a winch with this front bumper.

So, in the engine department, the Ranger’s strength to me is also its weakness. The only engine option available is the 2.3-liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder. Good news, it’s a very good engine. Bad news, there’s no V6 option if you even wanted it. But torque numbers on this engine (310 lb. ft) are at the top of its class for gas-powered mills in the segment, so it’s got plenty of grunt for the hard work.

The 10-speed automatic transmission isn’t going to do you any favors off-road. You’re better off taking matters into your own hands when it comes to crawling up things or needing to hold lower gears longer for more torque.

If you want to leave the truck to do all your off-road work for you, that’s totally an option. You’ve got the Terrain Management system that’s got four modes including mud and rut, gravel and snow and sand. I didn’t feel a massive difference between these modes to be honest, but they’re there if you want to utilize them. The most fun we had was turning the nannies off in 2WD and letting it fly. Excellent.

It also gets Trail Control, which is basically like a cruise control for off-roading. You can adjust incremental speeds to half a mile per hour, which is great for controlling speed on something more challenging.

And you get an electronic locking rear diff for super steep stuff or something that’s a bit more slippery. It’s working pretty well here and should be able to handle some pretty tricky stuff.

You can still tow up to 7500 pounds and carry 1430 pounds of payload, so you can bring some other toys with you if this isn’t your only toy.

The Tremor package price will cost you $4,290 on top of the mid-tier XLT ($34,745) or top-end Lariat ($38,785) trim, both with SuperCrew 4x4 configuration. With that XLT, it’s one of the least expensive but capable midsize pickups available.

While Ford concedes that the Tremor will probably cannibalize their FX4 they’re willing to deal with that for a product that will let truck owners do more, because the Tremor definitely ups the ante on off-road Ranger capability. Go check it out for yourself.

00:00 2021 Ford Ranger Tremor
0:44 Technical Overview
1:29 Driving Impressions
2:35 Off-Road Numbers
4:06 Engine
4:50 Off-Road Tech
5:50 Pricing