By Calvin Fisher
I recently took delivery of a Blue Lightning, 2.0L Bi-Turbo Diesel Ford Ranger wearing the new ‘Tremor’ nomenclature. Like the rest of its siblings, it is a Silverton-built double cab at the higher end of the portfolio so, around the price of the Wildtrak X (depending on which engine you choose in your Wildtrak X), with the Tremor excluively endowed with the 2.0L Bi-Turbo as mentioned earlier with 154kW and 500Nm. This is all sent to all four wheels via Ford’s buttery 10-speed automatic ‘box.
Also from the Wildtrak X, Ford’s full-time 4-wheel-drive system with “Trail Turn Assist” and Pro Trailer Backup Assist with Trailer Reverse Guidance. I used very little of these aids, but this has been the hardest working bakkie I’ve tested in a long while. I refer to how my family of five used it to go hiking, biking and trail driving. Also, how it pulled double duty when my wife decided to reinvigorate her greenhouse – so stones, bark, wood chips and concrete slabs were lugged around with great abandon. The double-cab effortlessly swallowed up this and more, and to quote a sage worker at our favourite hardware warehouse, “That’s a kwaai bakkie, meneer!” About that.
The visuals
The Tremor has presence, but I’d argue so does the entire Ranger range. This one gets the bolder ‘off-road’ grille adding to that rugged front end. At each corner you’ll encounter 17” Alloy Wheels, hiding under wider wheel arch mouldings, and joined by new aluminium side steps. Hop aboard and the Tremor doesn’t disappoint. Taking centre stage, is a 12-inch multi-function touchscreen, ahead of its driver an 8” digital instrumental cluster, making for detailed and intuitive interfacing between the pilot, passengers and the Ranger’s digital brain. The cabin feels chunky yet sophisticated – a description I aspire to myself. There’s no shortage of technology and comfort here, and I’ll expand that description to the Tremor overall.
Yes, it’s another Million Rand Bakkie, and if I was going to be cynical I’d add that Ford has quite a few of those straddling the line. But the Tremor represents a solid choice as it has the right engine in my humble opinion, and comes with a fair amount of hop-ups that justify the price.