2024 Ford F-150 Tremor earns its stripes in drive from desert to mountains and back

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — The 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor off-road pickup is much more than the Raptor’s little brother. I was skeptical when Ford added the Tremor to the already crowded F-150 lineup in the 2021 model year.

The roads are full of "off-road editions" automakers tout to boost sales of pickups and SUVs.

The 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor is a legit off-roader adn can power off-board devices.
The 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor is a legit off-roader adn can power off-board devices.

Many are exercises in cosmetics and marketing. Add an aluminum skid plate here, an all-terrain tire there and $1,500 to the sticker price.

Engineering features that deliver meaningful off-road capability are harder to find but the Tremor delivers them, I learned on an afternoon drive from the Mojave Desert to 7,200 feet in the mountains and down a mining trail created for mules, not an $80,000 full-size pickup with a V8, B&O audio and adaptive cruise control.

The F-150 Tremor delivers all that and legitimate off-road capability. After jostling down a mountain from the pines of Baldwin Lake to the Joshua trees of Burns Canyon, I’ve got the bruises to prove it.

The 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor offers a tailgate that opens in multiple ways.
The 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor offers a tailgate that opens in multiple ways.

2024 Ford F-150 trim levels and prices

  • XL: $36,770

  • STX: $43,895

  • XLT: $47,620

  • Lariat: $65,195

  • King Ranch: $73,735

  • Platinum: $73,735

  • Tremor: $64,150

  • Raptor: $78,330

  • Raptor R: $110,225

Source: Ford. Prices exclude $1,995 destination charge.

A 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor suspension.
A 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor suspension.

What makes it a Tremor?

I drove a Tremor with the standard 400-horsepower 5.0L V8 engine, 10-speed automatic transmission, four-wheel drive, locking rear differential and low range of gears.

Features on all Tremors include:

  • An inch extra ground clearance

  • 33-inch all-terrain tires

  • Upgraded suspension with off-road springs, front hubs and control arms

  • Monotube front shock absorbers, twin-tube rear

  • 2.0 kW Pro Power Onboard to power tools, campsites, tailgate parties, etc.

  • Trail control with one-pedal drive

  • Trail turn assist

  • Electronic locking rear differential

  • Modular front bumper

  • Orange interior and exterior accents

  • Running boards

  • “Coast to Coast” grille

Tremor prices start at $64,150. My well-quipped truck — it had just about every option except the optional 3.5L twin turbo V6 engine, which churns out 510 pound-feet of torque — stickered at $78,380. All prices exclude destination charges.

The 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor is a legit off-roader and can power off-board devices.
The 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor is a legit off-roader and can power off-board devices.

Safety and driver assist features

  • Adaptive cruise control

  • Blind spot and cross traffic alert

  • Lane keeping assist

  • Automatic emergency braking

  • Post-collision braking

  • Reverse sensing

  • Backup camera

  • Pro Trailer Backup  assist

  • Pro Trailer Hitch assist

  • On-board scales

  • Automatic high beams

  • Automatic headlights

  • Blue Cruise hands-free highway driving

  • Keyless entry keypad

The 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor interior.
The 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor interior.

Driving impressions

The F-150 Tremor is comfortable, quiet and responsive on-road, its 33-inch all-terrain tires and other off-road gear notwithstanding.

The standard crew cab has plenty of room and storage for five people. The controls are easy to use, with a combination of a 12-inch touch screen and physical buttons and dials.

The real test in my drive came on the mining roads’ ruts and rocks, scaling a steep packed-dirt hill and maneuvering around a couple of tight corners.

The Tremor conquered every challenge, the drivetrain was more than capable of mounting the slope. The electronic trail control modulated power and brakes for a smooth climb and secure descent.

Trail turn assist, a setting that locks the inside rear wheel so the 19-foot long pickup can make it around tight corners, operated flawlessly when I needed to get around a pile of downed wood at the top of a trail.

The 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor.
The 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor.

Why get one?

The 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor combines exceptional off-road capability, good on-road manners and a big, comfortable cab. With its roomy bed for cargo and ability to power multiple electric devices, it should be a welcome addition everywhere from worksites to picnics.

2024 Ford F-150 Tremor at a glance

Full-size 4x4 crew cab pickup

Price as tested: $78,380, excluding $1,995 destination charge

Engine: 35.0L V8

Output: 400 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 410 pound-feet of torque @ 4,250 rpm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Fuel economy: 15 mpg city/20 highway/17 combined; regular fuel

Wheelbase: 145.4 inches

Length: 231.7  inches

Width: 79.9 inches, excluding mirrors

Height: 79.3 inches

Approach angle: 27.6 degrees

Departure angle: 24.3 degrees

Ground clearance: 9.4 inches

Curb weight: 5,467-5,666 pounds

Towing capacity: 12,000 pounds

Assembled in Dearborn, Michigan

Contact Mark Phelan: 313-222-6731 or mmphelan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan. Read more on autos and sign up for our autos newsletterBecome a subscriber.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor pickup proves it’s more than a junior Raptor