The Tremor has a 30mm wider track and 24mm more ground clearance than standard Rangers, which gives it more off-road capability. Our Mozambique trip included long sections of soft sand but nothing that really challenged the bakkie. The efficacy of the steel bash plate under the vehicle was not tested as we left it in 4H mode and it ho-hummed its way through the soft, bumpy turf without breaking a sweat.
For more serious off-road escapades, the Ford is equipped with a Trail Turn Assist system that applies brake pressure to the inside rear wheel to reduce the turning circle. The Ranger also has a selectable low range, rear diff lock and an on-demand four-wheel drive system with seven drive modes: Normal, Eco, Tow/Haul, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, Sand and Rock Crawl.
A 360º camera provides digital eyes on the surroundings to help with parking, off roading or hitching a trailer — a handy feature in a bakkie as large as this. The exterior view is shown on the 12” centre multifunction touchscreen, which houses most of the Ranger’s features.
The roomy double cab accommodated four adult passengers in comfort over the long road trip, with no complaints about lack of leg space.
Priced at R978,600, the Tremor isn’t as well equipped as the more expensive Ranger Wildtrak X and comes with manually adjusted instead of electric front seats. The upholstery is artificial leather instead of the more dapper suede/leather of the Wildtrak X and it has vinyl in place of a leather-covered steering wheel.
Vinyl flooring takes the place of carpets in the Tremor, making the interior easier to clean after muddy adventures.
The Tremor isn’t spartan with luxuries however, boasting features such as wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, wireless smartphone charger, six-speaker audio system, automatic on/off headlights and rain-sensing wipers. There are USB charging ports in front, while the rear has a 12V socket.
The 1,233l loadbox accommodated an impressive stack of camping gear, including all our tents, fold-up chairs and stretchers. One thing we missed on the road trip was a cover for the luggage — the Tremor doesn’t come standard with one — and instead we used a ground sheet we tied to the load bay’s internal hooks. The latter task was simplified by the rear box steps, which provided a convenient leg-up into the load bay.