REVIEW | Ford Ranger Tremor puts on brawny show

There are almost as many Ford Ranger versions as there are political parties in South Africa.

My Ignition TV colleague Ziphorah Masethe made this amusing observation in her review of the Ranger Platinum.

She has a point. If you are not a motoring journalist or ardent Ranger aficionado who keeps close tabs on fresh introductions, you might have lost track of the nameplates and what they signify.

Perhaps we should break it down, simplifying it for you before getting into the business of evaluating the Tremor.

First, remember you can have the Ranger as a single-cab, extra-cab or double-cab. Pretty easy to remember.

Grade-wise, at the bottom-end, you have your standard model (starting at R514,800),  followed by the XL and XLT. These are geared towards commercially-orientated markets: fleet customers and business owners with workhorse requirements.

Moving towards slightly richer territory is the Wildtrak from R813,000. Once upon a time, it was the flagship trim in the Ranger portfolio.

Graduating to Wildtrak level means you have the option of a silky smooth 3.0 V6 turbocharged-diesel unit, in addition to the familiar 2.0-litre, twin-turbocharged derivative.

A reminder that the six-cylinder version of the Wildtrak was the recipient of the 2023 South African Car of the Year award, the first double-cab to earn such a plaudit.

If the Wildtrak is too mainstream for your liking, consider the Wildtrak-X, which goes for R1,040,600.

It boasts off-road tyres as standard fitment, uprated Bilstein shock absorbers and a specialised rack over the loading bay, which some seem to deploy in the hope it provided extra downforce. Only thing with the Wildtrak-X is you cannot have it with a V6.

Next step up from the Wildtrak-X on the grade walk is the Platinum R1,120,100. It offers the diesel 3.0 V6 by default and is equipped with nearly everything as standard. Interior appointments are the most luxurious you will find in any Ranger.

Performance-wise, though, it stands aside for the flagship Raptor (R1,226,700). This also has a V6. But this one is a twin-turbocharged petrol unit, also displacing 3.0-litres, good for 292kW/583Nm. With a towering stance aided by Fox shocks, a pumped-up body-kit and bombastic acoustics, the Raptor is a proper brute.

Where exactly does the R978,600 Tremor fit in? We have to go a few steps down the ladder. It occupies a spot between the Wildtrak 2.0 BiT 4x4 and Wildtrak-X 4WD.

Like the Wildtrak-X, the Tremor is equipped with special Bilstein shock absorbers, which add 24mm to the ground clearance (261mm). Rolling on 265/70/17 wheels, the Tremor also boasts a 30mm wider track than its stablemates.

Some of the aesthetic cues it borrows from the Wildtrak-X include LED auxiliary driving lights as well as the blacked-out front and rear Ford emblems (which only the Wildtrak-X and Raptor receive).

Functional elements comprise aluminium side steps, a “tough enthusiast-rated” steel bash plate, steel underbody protection for the engine, transfer case and fuel tank and two front tow hooks.

Instead of the sliding rear rack the Wildtrak-X sports, the Tremor uses a fixed tubular sports bar. Garnish all that with the obligatory Tremor decals.

Inside, the model features “Tremor” embroidery, rubberised floors and the debut of the Pro Trailer Backup Assist function.

It uses the rotary driving modes controller on the centre console and a camera system to make reversing the vehicle with a trailer attached, easier.

First, you enter the trailer's measurements into the system. The camera tracks the trailer while reversing and guides it. The driver rotate the knob left or right in the direction they want the trailer to go, while the system controls the steering wheel.

The Trailer Reverse Guidance system provides informational graphics and up to seven camera views to help reverse the trailer, while the driver uses the steering wheel to control the direction.

The systems are standard on Tremor, Wildtrak-X and Raptor, but optional on Wildtrak. From behind the wheel, the Tremor empowers its driver with a commanding sense.

We are familiar with just about every iteration of Ranger, and the interior execution remains excellent across the board.

From the refined finishes to the brilliant SYNC 4A infotainment system, the pick-up has certainly elevated expectations of models in the arena. However, a trick to be learned where overall assembly is concerned though: rattles seem to be a Ranger hallmark, as we discovered in our long-term test of an XLT.

The Tremor is only available with the 2.0 BiT motor (154kW/500Nm), which is linked to a 10-speed automatic. This is a perfectly agreeable, smooth pairing, with real-world average consumption figures in the 11l/100km region.

Contradicting my initial view that not many would care for yet another Ranger flavour, people seemed to notice there was something different about the Tremor.

If you want to save a few bucks over the Wildtrak-X — and are happy to live without some of its trappings — the Tremor makes a decent choice, most crucially as it priced underneath the psychological R1m barrier.