Ford Ranger Tremor is much more than just a pretty face

The first thing that caught my eye about the Ford Ranger Tremor was its size. And that off-red colour. And the design. Let’s be honest, it’s a very good-looking vehicle.

I might have mentioned this before, I don’t know much about what goes on in cars and bakkies under the bonnet. I’ve never had a particular interest in specifications and details. But I do know the basics, thanks to my late dad running me through the ins-and-outs of a car engine way before all the latest technology became such a big deal.

Nowadays, engines are almost like rocket ships. And then there are all the gadgets and levers and everything else you find inside the cabin.

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Ford Ranger Tremor in its natural habitat

Anyway, I was fortunate enough to have The Citizen Motoring’s long-term Ford Ranger Tremor in my care for a weekend recently. And as it turned out the missus and I had a bushveld break booked at a lovely spot in Limpopo, just outside Thabazimbi.

How fortunate I was to be able to hit the road in this bakkie, because we had plenty of dirt road driving to do to get to our destination. And what I can tell you is the Tremor handled it all superbly.

Thanks to its Terrain Management system, which has six modes, we didn’t just drive the dirt roads, we powered through them. It really was a pleasure. I can’t imagine driving on bumpy off-road tracks roads with anything other than a 4×4 bakkie. It was great fun actually.

The 10-speed automatic gearbox was also a pleasure, whether on the dirt road or the tarred highway.

For the record, the Tremor is powered by a 2.0-litre bi-turbodiesel engine that produces 154kW of power and 500Nm of torque.

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Loads of goodies

I’m a bakkie fan and if I were in the market I’m sure I’d consider the Tremor as a driving option. It’s got a cool-looking sports bar at the back, it has a rubberised bed which includes a 12-volt socket, its own specific wheels and tyres, the vehicle sits higher off the ground than its XLT and Wildtrak siblings and it’s got its own off-road suspension – ideal for those who do plenty of off-roading and exploring in the bush.

The interior is similar to what you’ll find in the Ford Ranger XLT – all very modern and full of buttons and levers.

As an off-roader one of the “musts” is the Terrain Management system, and excluding the rock traversing setting, the system’s six modes include Eco, Normal, Slippery, Tow/Haul, Mud/Ruts and Sand, plus off-road readouts within the instrument cluster and infotainment system. It’s all very cool.

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This bakkie a head-turner

Also, the 360-degree surround camera system means you can now also opt for a forward-facing view displayed on the infotainment system which provides for better visuals of any possible dangers ahead while off-road.

The Ford Ranger Tremor is a solid, well put-together bakkie, and it looks good. The Lucid Red paintwork and the name stickers on the sides are certainly head-turners. As is the whole size of the vehicle, which gives the driver a really good view of things from above.

What would this beauty set you back? A whopping R980 000 … a lot of money by anyone’s standards. But then nothing comes cheap nowadays and car prices in general seem to be completely over the top.

*Jacques van der Westhuyzen is The Citizen’s Head of Sport.