Now greater than ever earlier than, automakers are catering to prospects that genuinely need to go overlanding or off-roading (or not less than appear to be they do), introducing trim ranges of every part from hatchbacks and minivans to pickups and huge SUVs which can be designed to be higher within the tough stuff. Reintroduced as a trim stage with the present fourteenth-generation Ford F-150 in 2020, the F-150 Tremor makes overlanding far more accessible to the common buyer, and the brand new 2024 mannequin has much more critical off-road gear than earlier than.
Throughout an extended morning of driving on quite a lot of fairly robust trails by Southern California, going from one a part of the desert to a different by means of the mountains round Massive Bear, the Tremor proves itself the perfect truck for the job — not less than, if a full-size truck is what you need or want. There’s not a second within the day the place the Tremor appears to get close to its functionality limits, which I used to be not anticipating, and as somebody who doesn’t have a ton of off-roading expertise it was by no means anxious.
Full disclosure: Ford invited me to Palm Springs to drive the facelifted F-150 Tremor and F-150 Raptor R, with the day together with driving on rocky trails, desert freeways, baja programs and even a dry lake mattress. I used to be put up in a resort that was good however filled with golfers, and I drove myself to and from the occasion. It was too scorching exterior.
Commonplace on the 2024 Tremor is Ford’s naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8, which makes a stout 400 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque, however the Tremor I’m driving has the optionally available twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6, which appears properly well worth the $90 upcharge (that’s not a typo). The EcoBoost additionally places out 400 hp, nevertheless it has 500 lb-ft of torque with the height coming in at 3,100 rpm, versus 4,250 rpm within the V8. Its energy supply is powerful and easy, and the 10-speed automated doesn’t hunt for gears an excessive amount of. Ford doesn’t present efficiency figures for the F-150, however in Automotive and Driver’s testing a 2021 Tremor EcoBoost hit 60 mph in 5.3 seconds, fairly fast for a pickup.
Gas economic system for the V8 and EcoBoost are similar, at 19 mpg mixed, 16 mpg metropolis and 24 mpg freeway. It’s a disgrace the PowerBoost hybrid isn’t out there on the Tremor; that 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 has 30 hp and 70 lb-ft greater than the non-hybrid EcoBoost, and its mixed and metropolis gasoline economic system figures are 4 mpg and 6 mpg higher, respectively.
The Tremor comes with 33-inch Normal Grabber all-terrain tires, and its stance is one inch wider than a traditional F-150’s. An electronically locking rear differential will be toggled in 2WD, 4WD Low and 4WD Excessive, and there are additionally Tremor-specific management arms, entrance knuckles, shocks and is derived. The Tremor’s strategy, departure and breakover angles are all a pair levels higher than a normal 4WD F-150, and it has a shorter rear overhang and extra floor clearance.
To essentially get probably the most out of the Tremor it’s essential to choose the $11,710 402A Tools Group, which nets you a 360-degree digital camera system with off-road views, a Torsen diff on the entrance axle, a hi-lock switch case, and two-speed automated AWD with mechanically locking 4WD. Additionally included within the 402A bundle are the Mattress Utility, Cell Workplace and Tow/Haul packages, the 2-kW Professional Energy Onboard setup, a 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, a head-up show, heated and ventilated leather-trimmed seats, a heated steering wheel, LED taillights, and a bunch of different niceties.
Our convoy of Tremors hops onto a path exterior of Pioneertown, which is a desert city that appears and feels simply as you’d count on from the identify. Ford says our route for the day is a typical use case for the Tremor, the sort of off-roading that prospects could be snug doing with their very own vehicles. Over the course of some hours we go all the way in which up and over a mountain to Massive Bear Lake, reaching an elevation larger than 7,000 toes earlier than driving down a twisty street to Johnson Valley.
Switching into the Off-Highway drive mode adjusts the powertrain and chassis tuning for off-road operation and routinely activates the rear locker, although our guides have us flip it off. In Off-Highway mode the configurable gauge cluster presents a wealth of knowledge like tire strain, pitch and roll angles, elevation and extra, plus it has its personal particular design with completely different graphics and many animated filth.
The massive head-up show additionally exhibits off-road-specific data, which could be very useful. Once you go into Off-Highway mode the entrance digital camera routinely activates and takes up the middle show, and in contrast to with another manufacturers like Toyota, it doesn’t flip off at a sure velocity. There are another good views like one which exhibits you simply above the entrance wheels and a number of 360 setups, however the digital camera high quality itself is fairly unhealthy.
The steering is simply too numb and overboosted for my tastes, nevertheless it doesn’t get jerked round by ruts or obstacles and the Tremor is less complicated to position than I count on. It has sufficient suspension articulation that even on a number of the harder sections of the path I not often have tires within the air, and there are solely a few moments the place I scrape the undercarriage — and normally it’s due to me, not the truck. The cabin is surprisingly quiet even at velocity on filth roads, and the shocks do an ideal job at lowering juddering and vibrations whereas doing shortly on washboard surfaces. There’s a pair tremendous tight sections the place Ford has spotters simply so we don’t by chance smack a nook on a giant rock, however in any other case the paths are a breeze to navigate in such a giant automobile.
Within the row above the big central display screen is the button for Path Management, which acts as an off-road cruise management that’s set utilizing the identical steering wheel buttons as regular cruise management. Like different comparable programs, it’s particularly helpful when navigating tough rocky sections of a path the place the motive force actually must give attention to steering inputs. Turning on Path Management additionally allows a one-pedal drive function that works equally to what you get in an electrical automotive. It’s going to routinely apply and maintain the brakes when the motive force lets off the accelerator, and it really works fairly properly although its operation is way much less easy than one-pedal in an EV.
The Tremor additionally has Path Flip Help, which you have to faucet by a number of display screen menus to toggle on or off. Beneath 10 mph with the steering wheel at full lock this function will lock the within rear wheel to present the truck a tighter turning radius. Whereas it’s genuinely helpful off-road, it doesn’t work very properly in free surfaces because it wants one thing for the tires to hook as much as, and the system makes some unsettling creaking noises and sends shudders by the entire truck when it’s working.
After we lastly return to pavement, the Tremor seems like principally every other F-150. Its softer suspension setup and thick sidewalls give it a reasonably good journey, and except for a bit extra tire noise the cabin is hushed at freeway speeds. The Tremor is obtainable with Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free Stage 2 driver-assist system, which makes the post-trail drive much more enjoyable. BlueCruise can now accomplish lane adjustments when prompted, and it has higher lane centering that can transfer over within the lane to present a wider berth for semi vehicles and different massive autos.
One of many 2024 F-150’s coolest new options is the Professional Entry Tailgate, which comes as a part of a Mattress Utility bundle on the Tremor. Along with opening like a traditional pickup tailgate, it has a 37-inch-wide heart part that swings out like a door and a widened step within the bumper (plus an out there pop-out under-bumper step). The middle door has stops at 37, 70 and 100 levels, with the 37-degree opening being simply shy of a trailer jack. It’s a genuinely intelligent and helpful function, making it approach simpler to load issues within the mattress or entry the multitude of energy shops — after our path drive, Ford’s engineers use air compressors tied down within the mattress to reinflate the entire vehicles’ tires. The tailgate will be electronically opened, too, and the 2024 F-150’s mattress has new storage containers on the wheel wells and ribs within the sides which can be excellent for utilizing wooden beams as dividers.
Ford’s styling updates for the 2024 F-150 look good irrespective of the trim stage, however the Tremor might be the coolest-looking variant, Raptor apart. Its “coast-to-coast” entrance finish therapy is sort of a raccoon’s face masks, with black trim seamlessly surrounding the grille and headlights and an orange heart bar that apes the redesigned headlights’ flip alerts. A brand new modular entrance bumper shared with the Raptor is optionally available and has mounting factors for a winch, mild bars, a brush guard or different equipment. The Tremor additionally will get a handful of different orange accents, distinctive wheels and operating boards, however sadly its coloration palette is completely greyscale save for a darkish blue.
On the within of the Tremor you get denim-look materials on elements of the door playing cards and sprint, a lot of orange accents and Tremor badges, and another distinctive accents, however general it’s the identical F-150 cabin we all know and love. You may get a dual-panel panoramic sunroof, which is a reasonably cool possibility for such a rugged truck. Each 2024 F-150 comes customary with a 12-inch gauge cluster and a 12-inch central touchscreen operating Ford’s Sync 4 system. The screens look nice, particularly the extremely customizable driver show, however the system has some irritating parts to it — Apple CarPlay and Android Auto require a wired connection, as an example, and a few actions require a button press once you assume {that a} swipe may accomplish it.
The 2024 F-150 Tremor begins at $66,145 together with $1,995 for vacation spot, $19,065 greater than a base F-150 XL with the SuperCrew physique and 5.5-foot mattress (the one configuration for the Tremor) and the V8. The principally loaded Tremor I’m driving is $82,135, however with different Ford-installed choices like a tonneau field, trailer TPMS and fancier mattress setups it may attain near $90k. You may’t get a V6-powered Raptor for beneath $80k, and to get its tools stage to match a Tremor, a Raptor could be even nearer to 6 figures.
I believe the Tremor begins making probably the most sense when you think about what number of F-150 prospects are modifying their vehicles to carry out higher off-road — or not less than appear to be they do. Simply have a look at the entire folks that take a decently outfitted F-150, let’s say an XLT with an MSRP of round $60,000 together with the FX4 Off-Highway bundle, and match it with 1000’s of {dollars} price of latest wheels and tires, lifted suspension, beefy bumpers and different aftermarket elements. As a substitute, these patrons can go for a Tremor that has even higher functionality and the safety of a manufacturing facility guarantee and engineering. It’s an ideal bundle that can make sense for lots of people.
