News

Ford Ranger Tremor and Thule Roofbox take on the Cederberg

We fitted the brand new Thule Force 3 Roofbox to a Ford Ranger Tremor, loaded up our valuables, […]

By Oliver Keohane 12 August 2025 6 min read

Ford Ranger Tremor and Thule Roofbox take on the Cederberg — photographed for Leisure Wheels

We fitted the brand new Thule Force 3 Roofbox to a Ford Ranger Tremor, loaded up our valuables, and made our way to the Cederberg for a weekend away, testing Thule’s new eco-conscious storage system in a seven-hour round trip.

The beetle-like silhouettes of Thule’s roof-mounted storage systems are no strangers to South African streets. The Swedish outdoor and equipment manufacturers have long provided storage and transportation solutions for a country with a penchant for adventure, and their latest Force 3 Roofbox takes an eco-conscious approach to increased storage. The Ford Ranger Tremor, to which it was mounted, is an off-road-oriented member of the extensive Ranger family, 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.

The Thule Force 3 Roof Box supports more sustainable travel by combining practical storage with environmentally conscious design. Its aerodynamic shape helps reduce drag, improving fuel efficiency and lower CO₂ emissions, while manufacturing processes prioritise recycled materials and waste reduction. Built for long-term durability, it minimises the need for replacements, which also reduces environmental impact in the long term. By maximising vehicle space and promoting efficient packing, it encourages travellers to carry more gear outside the cabin, optimising comfort and efficiency on the road.

But why did we need it if we had a bakkie?

Not many bakkies come standard with roller (retractable) shutters, with tonneau covers often being the alternative. The tonneau covers are not the safest option for storing one’s valuables and are not fully weather-proof. Any cover also limits packing space in the load bin. Adding a canopy for extra storage space and security is an expensive exercise, with premium options often costing in excess of R40 000.

Our location for the weekend was Kromrivier, Cederberg Park, and the activities would be centred on hiking, swimming and braaiing to the beautiful backdrop of sandstone and fynbos expanses that decorate the remote lodging. What the roof box allowed was for the loadbin to remain true to its utilitarian heritage: 40kg of Namibian hardwood and a cooler box full of ice dumped in the back and secured with a simple bungee strap. Mounted to the Ranger’s roof, the Large Size Force 3 Roofbox – which takes 450 litres worth of luggage and is rain and dust-proof, with a very secure locking system – allowed the perfect amount of space for four people’s clothing, toiletries and valuables like cameras and laptops.

The SlideLock system, which has separate locking and opening functions, automatically locks the lid in place and indicates when the box is closed securely. You can’t take the key out unless the system has locked properly, which ensures that you don’t run the risk of leaving the box unlocked and seeing luggage fly off onto the road mid-trip. The roofbox is also incredibly light, making it easy to open and close.

There are a few bonuses to having a bakkie with such significant rooftop storage capacity. Firstly, cabin space was comfortable for all the occupants, as there was nothing outside of snacks and people inside the car. The security of our valuables was not a concern, stowed safely on top, and the load bay remained open and available to easily chuck wood, ice and wet clothes into on short trips throughout the weekend.

The Ranger Tremor is powered by Ford’s proven 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine, which returns generally good fuel figures regardless of driving conditions. We were averaging 10.3l/100km prior to the trip, and coming back having done just over 500km, with the Roofbox packed to capacity, a fully-laden cabin and significant stretches of gravel road done in four-wheel-drive, consumption had only increased to 10.8l/100km. These figures are testament to both Ford’s well-engineered powertrain and Thule’s well-designed storage box, which worked in tandem to transport four people and their luggage with a negligible impact on fuel economy.

I drove a Ranger Tremor for six weeks over the past summer, and at the time I wrote:

The Ford Ranger Tremor, despite its tidy urban manners, is most at home in the wild or on the open road.

The feeling remains, and one of the great advantages of the Tremor is the “4A” drive mode, specific to certain Ford vehicles, which dynamically distributes power to all four wheels, detecting slip and adapting seamlessly to the terrain. This function is different to standard four-wheel-high, and can be used on tar roads as well as gravel, which was advantageous to our route to Kromrivier, Cederberg Park. After taking the Algeria turnoff from the N7, various breaks in the gravel road turn to tar before blending back into dirt. It is reassuring to engage one drive mode and know that all four wheels are working, without worrying about diff wind-up or damage to the drive train.

Thule’s Force Three Roofxbox is light, user-friendly and efficient. While rooftop storage on a bakkie may be an unconventional take on transport and luggage storage, it makes sense in a lot of ways. It’s cheaper than an aliminium canopy, and it’s easily removable. And, not everyone has a bakkie – the box can be fitted to a range of vehicles, in various sizes.

After making it back to Cape Town on Sunday evening, we realised we had somehow lost the keys to the roofbox. Come Monday morning, Jono and his team at the Thule Partner Store on Bree Street had sorted me out in less than an hour. Brilliant customer service, and a big thanks to Luke, who came with me and tried out all the various keys to find the one that matched our model. A note to future owners, take a picture of your key number!