If you're looking for an off-road-ready full-size truck, there are plenty of options, from the boldChevrolet Silverado Trail Headfor the sophisticatedRAM 1500 rebelledfor the robustToyota Tundra TRD Pro. But starting this year,I gois supplying the new F-150 Tremor. This crude truck splits the difference between everyday trim levels and the steroid-filled Raptor. This mid-tier location seems like the worst of both worlds, but Tremor is rugged, refined, and outrageously easy to live with every day.
Visually setting the Tremor apart from regular F-150s, it features a unique grille and hood, as well asI gologos Active Orange accents brighten the exterior and add a splash of color to the grille, fender vents and front tow hooks. All that festive bauble looks especially good next to this example's bright (and free!) Velocity Blue Metallic paint job. The rear is graced with a high-flow dual exhaust system, the bazooka-sized tailpipes perfectly filling the semicircular cutouts in the steel bumper. Overall, the design updates to this truck are tasteful and attractive, making it (arguably) the best-looking model on the market overall.F-150line up. But this truck is so much more than just a cowboy costume; there is a lot of substance behind the style.
2021 Ford F-150 Tremor: Rugged looks, easy habitability
What sets the Tremor apart from its siblings is a series of off-road-focused updates. At the front and rear, the springs have been retuned, helping to provide an additional inch of suspension travel at the front and an additional 1.5 inches at the rear. The hub joints and upper control arms have been updated, and the truck features special single-tube shocks in the front and model-specific twin-tube shocks in the rear for a smoother ride at low speeds. like when going down a rocky path.
Amplifying its traction, this F-150 comes with 33-inch all-terrain tires mounted on 18-inch wheels in a dark finish. In addition to greatly increasing the style factor of the truck, this combination provides additional ground clearance and increases the track width by 1 inch.
Beneath the rugged bodywork is an F-150 Raptor-style faceplate that protects the delicate powertrain hardware. A locking rear differential is standard equipment, though a Torsen limited-slip front differential is also available. For added convenience, top-end examples can be had with a torque-on-demand transfer case, providing all the one-button-selectable drive modes you could want, from high-efficient two-wheelers for weekday commutes to four-wheel drive. high and four low. for various off-road situations with automatic four-wheel drive, so the truck does the thinking for you.
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Enhancing the Tremor's mountain goat capabilities, it is also available with a plethora of off-road aids, amenities such as a one-pedal actuation function, which makes navigating difficult routes easier because you don't have to operate the accelerator and brake while driving. same time . como en el nuevoi go bronco, You can havelane turn assistant. In certain situations, this feature locks the inside rear wheel to drastically reduce the truck's turning radius. Finally, Trail Control is available, which is like cruise control for land. It keeps the truck moving at a preset speed, either up or down.
The 2021 F-150 is offered with a host of powertrains, but you better be a fan of Ford's 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 if you want a Tremor, because that's all that's on offer. Fortunately, this EcoBoost engine is a delight, delivering torrents of torque throughout the rev range. It doesn't matter how fast you're going or what grade you're climbing: step on the gas and this big truck rolls on.
With 400 available horsepower and a prodigious 500 pound-feet of peak torque, performance is easy both on- and off-road. No, this EcoBoost engine doesn't sound as good as a Hemi engine.Hitor GM's 6.2-liter V8, but honestly, it performs better in almost every situation. Putting that firepower under the hood to good use, this F-150 off-roader can conventionally tow up to 10,900 pounds and its payload tops out at 1,885 pounds—more than enough for work or play.
Distributing all that juicy torque to the wheels is a standard 10-speed automatic transmission that was developed in partnership with GM. As with other Fords, this family gearbox is very cunning, but a little rough around the edges. It downshifts quickly, shifts ratios intelligently over rough terrain, so it never catches you off guard and you rarely search for the right gear, but it's a bit clunky. Sometimes the upshifts are buttery smooth, though other times they can be lumpier than rushed mashed potatoes. Downshifts are particularly bumpy when stopped. Ford's implementation isn't bad, but I definitely prefer GM's 10-speed trim, which is so smooth you hardly know it's there.
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Providing a little more boost than echo, this truck sticks to 16 mpg city and 20 mpg highway trips. In mixed driving, a gallon of gas is expected to get 18 miles, which is neither good nor terrible for the large truck segment. In my hands, this Ford is getting around 17.5 mpg, which is about where it should be.
Ideal for camping or small job sites, the Tremor can be purchased at Ford'sPro Power Integrated Generator. This allows the truck to deliver up to 2 kilowatts of electricity, which is perfect for small appliances or tools. You can comfortably enjoy this juice from a pair of 110 volt household outlets in bed. Since the PowerBoost hybrid powertrain is not offered on this trim, the F-150's more powerful 2.4 and 7.2 kW Pro Power Onboard systems are not available.
On the move, the Tremor's ride and handling are excellent. There are no coil springs or fancy airbags to hold the rear axle up, just a couple of old-fashioned springs, but the thing glides along bumpy pavement and exhibits near-zero axle hop on washboard surfaces. . Big blemishes are quietly hidden before they even make it to the cabin, making it seem like almost nothing affects this truck.
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Despite its body-on-frame construction, this is the stiffest truck I've ever driven. The frame is so stiff that it feels like a unibody architecture rather than something with a separate chassis. This structural strength is evidenced by the lack of vibrations and roughness. Off-road tire noise is minimal, a muffled hum in the distance. The sounds of the wind and tires are also almost absent.
The Tremor handles well for what it is, with little body roll in corners. The steering is quick enough to be agile, but still has enough weight that the truck never feels twitchy. Despite being considerably bulkier, this truck is actually smaller and feels snappier than the midsize.Forest ranger.
The Tremor is offered in one configuration: a SuperCrew body and a 5.5-foot cargo bed. Contrary toGMC SierraoRAM 1500The F-150's tailgate doesn't have much of a hinge, but it can still do a few parlor tricks. As has been the case for years, the tailgate on this Ford is available with a step and handle, making getting into that loft bed that much easier. The tailgate can also be opened or closed with the push of a button, which is surprisingly convenient, plus it has some clever built-in mounting locations, so you can turn your F-150 into the world's most expensive kickstand.
In addition to the exterior, the cabin of this platform features orange accents, some on the console, dashboard, doors, and seats. As with other 2021 F-150s, high-quality soft plastics abound in this truck, and the interior design is clean and highly functional. Some may still prefer whatHitis doing with its interiors these days, but what the Tremor offers is excellent.
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Optionally, the console lid flips forward, revealing a table-like surface. This smart productivity solution is perfect for completing paperwork or sending a few emails on your laptop. Enabling this brings the gear selector motors down to the center console at the push of a button, though it doesn't feel beefy, nor does the gear stick itself feel built for the long haul.
This Tremor is packed with technology, including an easily reconfigurable digital instrument cluster and a beautiful 12-inch center display. That touchscreen is scalpel-sharp and runs a Sync 4 infotainment system that's not only easy to use, but fast. Take a look at some menus and slide through this multimedia matrix and it never stutters or lags, it just feels absolutely fluid and responsive. The available 360-degree camera system is also sharp and very helpful while reversing.
As it is, this truck is well loaded, but sadly many of the common driver aids are not standard. An emergency braking system, lane keep assist, automatic high beam, and more are included in a $655 option group. If you want adaptive cruise control with lane centering, traffic sign recognition, and junction, you have to pay $6,065 more for the 401A Mid Package, $765 for the 360-degree camera package, and another $750 for the Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist 2.0 option, which is a shame.
But hey, at least the available driving aids work phenomenally well. The blind-spot monitoring system prevents you from side-swiping other vehicles, adaptive cruise control instantly inspires confidence, and the lane-centering system makes this truck practically ride like a monorail. Even the automatic high beams are close to perfect, coming on quickly when appropriate and dipping back down long before oncoming traffic gets too close.
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A step up from the Lariat model and a notch below the King Ranch, the Tremor is solidly a midrange F-150 finisher. Avoid gorging yourself on the buffet of options, and it starts at a reasonable $51,200, including $1,695 in destination fees. Of course, the example reviewed here is much more elegant than that. The $13,445 402A high-end option group rounds out the results, as does the $1,090 towing package, $1,000 Torsen front differential, $995 2 kW Pro Power Onboard electrical system, 1995's B&O Unleashed sound system. $695, that fancy $695 hatchback, a $595 Spray Box Liner, $215 underseat storage cubby, and $165 center console work surface,¡úfá!That brings the total to $70,095, quite a change.
Yeah, we're officially living in a crazy city when losing 70K for what should be a work vehicle seems like a common thing. But in today's world you can spend much more than that on a truck without trying. And honestly, I'd be disgusted at that price if the Tremor wasn't so nice. This truck offers more than your typical F-150 without going overboard, offering additional capability while maintaining its composure and refinement. If you're looking for a full-size, off-road-ready truck, put this on your list.