Ford’s aggressive model expansion this year starts with two additional models to the Ranger line-up in the form of the Ranger Platinum and Ranger Tremor. It’s the latter, which is focused on off-road excursions, that Kyle Kock drove on a trail in Grabouw.
Essentially, the Tremor is based on the XLT model Ranger, which is sort of mid-spec in the range. And while the new Platinum branches off to one side as a luxurious lifestyle model offering the Tremor is more focused on off-road adventure. But just as the Wildtrak X sits above the Wildtrak the Tremor also sits above the XLT.
Related: Why the Wildtrak X is the ultimate over-land bakkie
Up front, there’s a steel bash plate finished in the same silver as the lower section of the bumper, and two recovery hooks. Along the profile, eagle-eyed readers will notice that the Tremor shares the same ride height as Wildtrak X (261 mm), there are also the same wide aluminium steps found on the Ranger Raptor, tougher Bilstein dampers on the front axle, and underbody protective panels. The off-road appeal is stronger by way of the same 17-inch alloys you’ll find on lower spec Rangers, but their advantage is that they are wrapped in 265/70 profile General Grabber AT3s – offering lots of sidewall for deflation purposes.
Inside, the first thing you notice is that there’s no traditional carpeted floor. Instead, Ford’s decided to make matters easy for those who venture off the beaten track by fitting the Tremor with a thick layer of vinyl that’s easily washed clean. To this end, the seats are not wrapped in leather but a waterproof vinyl so they should also be wiped easily. Between the driver and front passenger, there’s also the same six auxiliary switches found on Wildtrak X – in preparation for additional overlanding gear that Ford predicts buyers of the Tremor will be more interested in customising their bakkies with.
Related: Review: Ford’s next-gen Single Cab a wondrous workhorse
The load bed also features Ford’s so called long legged tubular sports bar which can take light loads, rear box step that has become synonymous with this current generation Ranger, cargo management system that users can alter to accommodate loads of varying dimensions. The Tremor also comes with Ford’s spray-on load bed liner that Ford claims is just as tough as anything else coming off a factory floor.
On the road, the bi-turbo 2.0-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder performs as expected, with a 500 N.m peak torque output spread between 1 750 r/min and 2 000 r/min, the clever ECU makes full use of the 10-speed automatic to keep momentum up, and en route to the off-road trail chosen to put the Tremor’s 4×4 prowess on display I averaged 8.9 L/100 km. Two hours later, after the trail, the average on the 8-inch digital instrument cluster had only gone up to 10.8 L/100 km.
On the Grabouw 4×4 Route, launch attendees put Ford’s new Trail Turn system to action first. Activated on the 12-inch touchscreen’s off-road menu, it locks the inside rear wheel to tighten the Tremor’s turning circle and works a treat, but it must be said that use of this feature on anything other than a loose surface will dramatically shorten tyre life. We also used the rock crawl mode from the drive selector, which automatically engages low-range four-wheel drive and activates the rear diff-lock. In this mode we could also activate Trail Control, which works with the cruise control system at speeds up to 15 km/h so you can set the pace of your adventure.
Summary
Another model (two also counting the Platinum) to the Ranger line-up further enhances the appeal of Ford’s product offering. Coming in just short of R1 million helps smoothen the gap between Wildtrak and Wildtrak X. In a market where of buyers are image conscious, I suspect the majority of those interested in buying the Tremor will be off-road enthusiasts who want to be able to customise their bakkies to their own liking and are not afraid to scratch their new vehicles on a mountain trail.
FORD RANGER 2.0 BITURBO TREMOR 4WD AT A GLANCE
Price: R978 600
Power: 154 kW at 3 750 r/min
Torque: 500 N.m at 1 750 r/min
Driven wheels: rear, with selectable four-wheel drive with low-range
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel consumption: 9 L/100 km (CAR fuel index)
Rivals: Toyota Hilux, Nissan Navara, Isuzu D-Max, Mitsubishi Triton