Ford F-150 Tremor Hits The Off-Road Truck Sweet Spot

The Raptor doesn’t have to be the only good way to take a Ford F-150 off-road.

Resting on its laurels is not something the Ford F-150 is capable of doing. Even though it has been the best selling vehicle in the country for 45 years, the F-Series continues to kick the collective ass of half-ton pickup class. With a different trim level and equipment sampling for all sorts of pickup drivers, the F-150 can satisfy any truck need. While the F-150 has been offered with an FX4 off-road package for some time, it isn’t great for more severe off-road work. For the past several years, F-150 drivers who wanted to take on the most demanding trails were left with one option, in the form of the Raptor. A hardcore pickup that was fitted with all the right kit for blasting any off-road park, the Raptor also carried a price tag to match.

Beating up your budget with its MSRP, and getting marked up wildly at dealers, the F-150 Raptor wasn’t the most approachable pickup to own. Knowing it had to provide something a little easier on the wallet, Ford has introduced the Tremor trim level across its Ranger and F-Series lineups, sporting some goodies for off-road fun, but not going wild with the most rugged gear. The F-150 being the latest to receive the Tremor treatment, it quickly caught my attention. After doing several off-road tests in hardcore vehicles, including the Ford Bronco Badlands I adore, I wanted to see how a full-size Blue Oval model got down.

The Big Stats

Ford offers a bunch of engine options for the F-150, including three different gas V6s, a turbo diesel V6, a 5.0-liter V8, and a hybrid version of the most popular F-Series 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. The F-150 Tremor I tested was fitted with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, so I’ll stick to its figures. In this F-150 Tremor, the EcoBoost V6 produces 400 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. Also equipped to my tester was a 10-speed automatic and electronic shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive, with two-wheel-drive being the standard driveline for the F-150.

Built on a high-strength steel frame, all current F-150 models feature a high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloy body. The F-150 has regular cab, super cab, and SuperCrew cabin options, and beds that can measure either 5.5, 6.5, or 8 feet. In the case of the Tremor, Ford ships it in SuperCrew configuration with a 5.5-foot box, the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, and the 10-speed automatic transmission plus standard four-wheel-drive. The F-150 Tremor’s exterior and interior show off a few details that quickly distinguish it next to its F-Series siblings, and underneath there is plenty of off-road ready equipment installed to brush off anyone calling it a mall-crawling poser. I’ll dive into the off-road parts and details later in this review.

The standard F-150 4×4 SuperCrew has a starting price of $49,505, and the Tremor package tacks on an extra $6,065. This Stone Gray Metallic tester also added Ford’s CoPilot 360 Assist 2.0, a power sliding rear window, the 2 kW Pro Power Onboard generator, interior work surface, trailer tow package, partitioned lockable cabin storage, front axle with the Torsen differential, tailgate step, 360º camera package, and Ford’s Toughbed spray-in bedliner to raise the total price to $63,120 after destination. For comparison’s sake, a base level Ford F-150 Raptor starts at just under $70,000.

A Practical Daily Driver

Off-road capabilities might be the emphasis of this Ford F-150’s setup, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a decent truck for your usual commuting and errand running. Even with rugged suspension components and all-terrain tires fitted, the Tremor’s ride quality is surprisingly compliant. Ford’s engineers do a great job of providing steering feel that is responsive yet not too heavy. I was shocked how nimble the Tremor was around the city.

Ford’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine is the perfect option for its F-150, with plenty of power and torque across a wide rev range, even if old school truck guys scoff at it being a V6. I tested the 5.0-liter V8 last summer, and liked the noises it makes more than the EcoBoost, but frankly the V6 has better response and torque on-demand. My favorite F-150 engine is the PowerBoost hybrid option, which cranks out even more torque while adding a big bump in fuel economy and range.

Cabin design in the F-150 Tremor is fantastic. The F-150 seats, both front and rear, are massive yet supportive, allowing occupants to ride in complete comfort for several hours. The Tremor seat material has a certain urban camo look to it too. I also like how Ford designed smart storage bins under the rear seats that pop up 60/40. Cupholders are big and deep too, ready to secure your Whatasize drinks.

There isn’t a wasted inch of space inside the F-150, with no shortage of places to stuff away anything you’d want inside, and every single switch and control is right where you think it should be. Proper buttons are used on the steering wheel controls, in addition to the climate system. Ford’s Sync 4 infotainment system’s 12-inch touchscreen is intuitive too, and provides exceptional visibility when backing up and towing, thanks to the 360º camera system.

The Working Class Hero

Upholding the company’s long-running reputation as a pickup that can please any owner on any job site, the F-150 Tremor is a fantastic workhorse. Rather than a bunch of gimmick features, Ford loads the F-150 with tons of useful functions inside and out. Equipped with lockable tie-down points, and the optional Toughbed spray-in bedliner and tailgate step, Ford makes this F-150 Tremor’s bed ready for your gear. In this tester’s setup, the payload capacity is a respectable 1,885 pounds, which makes it ready to handle your dirt bikes, quad, or overlanding camping setup. With the capability of towing up to 10,900 pounds, the F-150 Tremor has no trouble pulling a family’s camper or boat.

When the workplace goes remote, the F-150’s interior can be a mobile office. With a 4G LTE hotspot installed, a 120V/30A outlet next to the climate controls, and the optional interior work surface (which has a power folding feature for the gearshift while allowing the center armrest to fold over to a flat space over the shifter and cupholders) box ticked, the Tremor can be a comfortable place to hammer out some work on your laptop.

Like other F-150 models equipped with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, Ford’s Pro Power Onboard is available with 2.0 kilowatts of exportable power (via a 120V outlet) in the bed for tools, an air compressor, electric chainsaw, or a good assortment of entertainment components at your football tailgate party. If you’re looking for even more power in the bed of the F-150, upgrade to the PowerBoost engine package to get access to the 2.4 kW and 7.2 kW (which upgrades to one 240V and two 120V outlets) onboard generator options. Feel free to take a deeper dive into the Pro Power Onboard specs and capabilities on Ford’s site if you want to know more.

Tackling The Trails

Looking the part of an off-road attacking pickup, Ford gives the F-150 Tremor plenty of kit to make it stand out next to its F-Series brethren. Unique gray matte-finish 18-inch wheels are wrapped with 33-inch General Grabber all-terrain tires which are great for hooking into rocks and gravel. The Tremor’s hood and front-end are redesigned to give a punchier look, while a Tremor-specific grille has a blacked-out Ford oval and details painted the signature Tremor color of Active Orange. The two front recovery hooks also get the Active Orange treatment, in case someone needs a little help along the trails.

Fixed running boards that look like those fitted to the Raptor are mounted close to the body to minimize damage, and a cutout rear bumper makes room for high-flow dual exhaust tips that flank its two rear recovery hooks. There are also Active Orange-highlighted badges on the F-150 Tremor’s fenders, bed side, and tailgate. The Tremor’s cabin gets a few unique treatments too, with seat trim that sports special stitching, and there are Tremor-specific materials and finishes for the instrument panel, center console, and doors. Not just a cool looking package, the Tremor is packing plenty of hardcore parts underneath.

The Tremor’s suspension features retuned springs to raise ground clearance to 9.4 inches. Revised front hub knuckles and upper control arms are accompanied by Tremor-specific monotube front and twin tube rear shocks which are tuned for softer damping at low speeds, with additional damping and control for more severe off-road sessions. There’s also a big bash plate under the front of the F-150 Tremor to minimize damage. The F-150 Tremor boasts an approach angle of 27.6º, a breakover angle of 21.2º, and a departure angle of 24.3º. There’s also an extra inch of front and 1.5 inches of rear suspension travel versus the normal F-150 4×4 giving more confidence over rougher terrain.

The F-150 Tremor may not have the G.O.A.T. modes (mostly cooler branding) that the Ford Bronco I tested possesses, but it still has smart drive modes for taking on any trail, including normal, sport, tow/haul, eco, slippery, deep snow/sand, and mud/rut modes. The rock crawl mode automatically engages the rear locking differential, turns off stability and traction control, reduces throttle response, adjusts shift points, and displays the available 360º camera view on the massive infotainment screen. This mode allowed this amateur off-road driver to do fun things on the trails with ease. Ford also planned for its Tremor drivers to add accessories, so there’s a six-position auxiliary power switch pack mounted in the overhead console so owners can easily add off-road winches, air compressors, and lighting (with several off-road lighting systems available as dealer-installed options).

Like in the Bronco, Ford gives the F-150 Tremor the one-pedal drive mode to allow for left foot braking and greater control over more challenging surfaces. I also appreciate Ford giving the F-150 Tremor the Trail Turn Assist system that I also liked in the Bronco, which made for making shorter turns around tight spaces in this full-size pickup. This system also made it easier to do silly donuts in the dirt. There’s also a locking rear differential and the option to upgrade to a Torsen limited-slip front diff. Upper trim level Tremors get upgraded with a torque-on-demand transfer case similar to the installed in the F-150 Raptor that merges all-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive capabilities to better conquer more demanding off-road environments.

I like that the Tremor gets standard hill descent control, which made rolling down a gravel-covered dirt trail easier to navigate, but this Tremor I tested didn’t get the available Trail Control (which operates like cruise control for off-road use). At no point did I feel like I needed any extra off-road equipment installed on the F-150 Tremor to handle some reasonably challenging trails. If you really want a meaner-looking F-Series, the Raptor does boast a more pronounced grille and bigger tires, met with some more rugged suspension parts tucked under its wider fenders, but prepare to drop significantly more cash.

Ford’s Bargain Alternative To The Badass Raptor

Ford figured out that off-roading F-150 drivers needed a less expensive option in the lineup rather than having to spend over $70,000 on a Raptor. With the Tremor package, off-road enthusiasts get plenty of the hardware and software Ford provides to the more hardcore F-Series option at a much more attractive price.

There’s little the F-150 Tremor can’t accomplish for a truck owner, and I think Ford hit a home run with this new off-road ready pickup. The F-150 Tremor packs plenty of off-road kit in a more subtle body package, making it look less like the brotastic pickup the Raptor is sometimes judged for being. For the better price point, and the sleeper appearance, I think the Ford F-150 Tremor is the right off-road full-size pickup to buy.