To its credit, the Ford Ranger pickup is already pretty burly and purposeful-looking; when it was given a bit of a “rebirth” for its entry into the segment after it backed out in North America after the 2011 model year, it took the formula and kicked it up a few notches.
For starters, it was larger than the vehicle it replaced – falling much closer to its bigger F-150 sibling than previously – and had its fair share of look-at-me details. Details that, while adding some toughness, also added a little flare to help drive the image home that more than just a pickup, this new Ranger was also aimed at CUV owners (or potential buyers) that might want a little more practicality. With its dark grille, the front fascia is very reminiscent of the Ford Edge crossover, for example. The wheels are more athletic than what used to be seen on the Ranger and there are all sorts of bright colours to choose from.
That still remains the case today, but it seems that Ford has decided to up the ante a little in the styling department (and more) with this: a 2021 Lariat with the Tremor package. It’s meaner looking thanks to a higher ride height and General Tire Grabber A/T rubber, which does well to fill those fenders even after the lift job. There’s also a bash plate, skidplates for the radiator, transfer case and fuel tank, and Fox suspension. If you want to take things even further, there are also a host of other off-road accessories – marker lights, spotlights and so on. There isn’t a bank of six auxiliary toggles atop the dash for nothing, know what I mean?
My truck didn’t have any of this which I guess is too bad, not because it doesn’t look as flash as it could or what have you – it looks just fine – but I do find it a bit strange that something like a set of grill-mounted marker lights or even the upgraded dampers aren’t standard on a truck like this. The Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 is a similar proposition, and it brings more to the table. It’s like Ford didn’t go quite for enough in some aspects. Not to mention the Ranger Raptor that Canadians and Americans have been pining for ever since it surfaced in Thailand, of all places.
Overall, though, the Ranger Tremor does looks good, especially in the Velocity Blue seen here. Actually, it’s so bright you’d be able to see it from a lot farther than here and it’s not even the brightest; there are all sorts of ultra-bright shades also available.
Inside, it’s nowhere near as bright – in fact it’s positively monochromatic, almost tuxedo-like on my tester which is a bit of a departure from the exterior vibe. I don’t take issue with it, mind; it’s not distracting and it does add a little old-school flare to the proceedings. I’ve tested non-Tremor Rangers as recently as last year; I found the interior styling good then and I continue to do so, although a few splashes here and there wouldn’t go amiss – maybe an exterior colour-matching strip on the seat, or something on the dash. The contrast-colour stitching I did have, though, is well-received. Since the Tremor starts life as a Lariat, you get all the niceties a top trim provides: leather seating, LED head- and taillamps, ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control, 8-inch LCS touchscreen, 8-way power driver’s seat and rear underseat storage.
The rest of the interior is something that will likely be recognized by anyone familiar with modern Fords; you have your partially-digitized gauge cluster that can be a little glare-y in the sun – though there is a lot of content hosted there – SYNC3 infotainment that remains a smooth, easy-to-use interface with crisp graphics, and steering with a few more buttons than I’d like as it is a fairly busy place. Of course, all the necessities are here – heated seats, auto climate control and satellite radio as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Comfort-wise, it’s roomy enough up front with a tall seating position and nice view out, although the slightly down-sloping hood can make it a little tough to place in tighter situations, which is less of an issue with the likes of the Jeep Gladiator or Toyota Tacoma.
In back, there’s room enough for a couple of adults – the Tremor is only available as a four-door crew cab — but I have a feeling that most owners will make better use of those underseat storage bins, although there isn’t a full-flat floor, so you have to be careful while loading gear, although transmission tunnel intrusion isn’t too bad.
Like all other North American Rangers, power comes courtesy of a turbocharged 2.3-litre four banger to the tune of 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, dispatched through a 10-speed automatic transmission by way of an electronically-locking differential. It’s a powerplant that does have to work to get things going from rest, but once you get all that weight – about 2,000 kilos – in motion, the Tremor is able to conquer most at-speed everyday manoeuvres. Yes, it doesn’t crack the 300 hp barrier, but if we’re honest, that is really an arbitrary figure here and 270 hp is more than enough for the kind of work most of these will be doing.
Indeed, while all that Tremor-izing makes for a slightly busier ride when on the road – you will feel those knobby tires on smooth tarmac and the added ride height plus larger fender gaps mean you do get more road and wind noise than in a standard Ranger – the way it transforms the Ranger into a proper off-roader is evident.
I had no trouble rumbling over rutted, muddy cottage roads where bad camber and exposed rocks were the orders of the day; that’s nothing for this truck as the tires and suspension can soak all that up, all day like it’s just another day at the office. The electronic off-road aids included, meanwhile, such as a hill-descent/ascent control system, work well, though the automatic ABS application is a little on the loud side and is somewhat jarring until you get used to it. It does add a layer of confidence to the proceedings, however, which is a skill the Ranger Tremor is not short on. If you spend a lot of time on forestry roads getting to back-country trailheads and so forth, then this truck will serve you well.
I wouldn’t recommend it as a work vehicle, though; my tester had no real bed-access aids (but has a heightened ride height, remember) and there’s very little in the way of bed features. My tester had a couple of tie-downs, but that’s about it; no additional storage or lighting in the walls and no cleats.
Which shouldn’t make too much of a difference to the Tremor buyer. They are buying this vehicle to work as the lifestyle choice. They are off-roaders and back-country campers who want a little more practicality than what’s afford by a Toyota 4Runner or Jeep Wrangler, but don’t want to be left in the cold – or the dark – when the goings get more muddy, steeper or loose-surfaced. Which is a challenge the Tremor readily accepts.
