Rock ‘n’ Roll: 2024 Ford Ranger Tremor review

Here’s introducing the all-new 2024 Ford Ranger Tremor. Crazy to think that the latest South African-built Ford Ranger has been out for one year and we’re already seeing so many special, niche editions. Thankfully, the 2024 Ford Ranger Tremor is an example of some really good stuff surfacing early on in the Blue Oval’s product run, rather than at the end. So, let’s explore …

2024 FORD RANGER TREMOR

Let’s quickly give you a rundown of what the 2024 Ford Ranger Tremor has underneath its wheel arches, before we get into the launch drive at Grabouw 4×4 Park in the Western Cape. Priced at R977 500, you can think of the 2024 Ford Ranger Tremor as the fun, off-road-focussed Ranger XLT. You may recall we reviewed a Ranger Wildtrak X late last year, which did the same, but with the premium Wildtrak as its starting point.

Here, for the 2024 Ford Ranger Tremor, your donor vehicle is the more barebones XLT, with a clear customer in mind. Someone who is definitely not frightened to take it off-roading and enjoys a spot of customisation, too. We absolutely love the look of it. However, the 2024 Ford Ranger Tremor isn’t just a macho makeover with some extra stickers. It’s all about form following function. As we shall now explain …

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL MAKEOVER

Your 2024 Ford Ranger Tremor is not complete without the following: Cool-looking Wildtrak X grille, steel bash plate, recovery hooks, load-baring tubular sports bar on the load bay and cast aluminium side steps. Crucially, for this off-road makeover, General Grabber 265/17 ATs (with cool white lettering) ensure you won’t be churning up mud and sand unnecessarily. But the off-road technology doesn’t stop there.

Structurally, Ford’s engineers have been over the Tremor in all the right ways. Try a 30 mm wider track, 24 mm higher ground clearance (than a standard Ranger), Bilstein dampers from the Wildtrak X and seven driver modes (including Rock Crawl for the first time). And, before you say something silly like computer chips are taking all the fun out of 4x4ing … hold that though.

OFF-ROAD PRO

As we experienced on the South African launch of the 2024 Ford Ranger Tremor, it really gets going when the road gets tough. Tech wise, the Tremor has Ford Trail Control, which is like cruise control for off-roading (below speeds of 32 km/h). If you’re crawling up a steep off-road hill (in high or low range), it will modulate the throttle for you, and leave you to focus on your steering. All viewed through a handy 360-degree off-road camera view, of course.

Similarly, you get Trail-turn control. This feature came in particularly handy at Grabouw 4×4’s switchback route up to the top of the mountain. Once engaged, it nips the inside wheel to reduce your turn radius by as much as 25%. Say goodbye to horrible three-point turns in precarious situations.

WHAT’S IT GOT INSIDE?

Inside, we can report it is near identical to a Wildtrak, and nicer than an up-specced XLT. Like the grille, there are medium-dark accents, contrasting stitching and neat Tremor seats. A clever addition is removable hard vinyl floor mates. These will catch all sand and dirt without letting wetness through to the carpet. Ford’s world-class Sync infotainment system is in place and performs all duties as expected. There is the full 12-inch digital driver display, along with Ford’s popular tablet-like centre touchscreen.  

Comfort-wise, the Tremor rides as well as any of the Rangers we’ve tested. Even with its off-road intent, the steering feel is light, the controls responsive and there is precious little to fault in the overall experience. Move your attention to the rear quarters, and passengers have ample space in the footwell, shoulder and head area. As a daily bakkie for handling loads, it ticks all the boxes in Tremor trim. And it has enough additional features to set it apart and feel that little bit more special than a gewone Ranger.

BI-TURBO MOTOR

While the Ford V6 turbodiesel services the upper part of the range, the ubiquitous bi-turbo 2.0-litre oil-burner is in service in the Tremor. As a reminder, it develops a hearty 154 kW and 500 Nm. That may be some 30 kW and 100 Nm less than its six-cylinder brother, but it is usable, responsive under load and wasn’t found wanting in any on- or off-road scenario.

Hand on heart, switching between the V6 Platinum we drove on day one and the 2024 Ford Ranger Tremor on day 2, there is little to set them apart. Your fuel economy will be a little higher in the Tremor, versus a regular XLT, due to more rubbing running on the road. However, we saw a figure in the 11 l/100 km range, which is comparable with claimed economy figures. We were unable to confirm the zero to 100 km/h sprint time, but we expect it to be in the 10-second range, which is par for the course for this package, too.

TEST SUMMARY

The 2024 Ford Ranger Tremor essentially takes over the mantle of the Ranger FX4 from the previous generation bakkie. Tremor is a series name used all over the world by Ford, and that’s why the Ranger – a truly global product for the Blue Oval – gets the distinction. Interestingly, Ford South Africa prefers this to selling limited editions like Stormtrak, Thunder, etc, because it says a series name will guarantee residual value on the used market. Time will tell on that point.

We boldly said the Wildtrak X was the pick of the Ranger pack last year. Now, we can contextualise this further by saying the Tremor is the pick of the bunch if you use an XLT as your donor vehicle. The 2024 Ford Ranger Tremor receives a lot of attention from fellow road users wherever it goes. And rightly so. It doesn’t just look the business, it backs it up with off-road toughness and prowess.

THE FIGURES

• Best for: Hits the sweet spot in terms of price, performance, specification and off-road usability.
• Not so sure: Would love to see the 2.0 SiT in a similar, XLT-based application.
• Model: 2024 Ford Ranger 2.0 BiT 4WD Tremor 10AT
• Engine: 1 999 cc 4-cyl twin-turbo diesel
• Power: 154 kW, 500 Nm
• Performance: n/a – 0-100 km/h
• Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
• Economy: 11.5 l/100 km (claimed/combined)
• Price: R977 500

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What do you think of the 2024 Ford Ranger Tremor? Be sure to share your thoughts with our audience in the comments section below. And don’t forget to follow us @TheSANews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest updates.

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