- The whole Ford F-150 lineup is refreshed for 2024
- The Tremor and Raptor models are the most off-road-ready
- The Ford F-150 earns our Best Buy Award in its class for 2024
The Ford F-150 is perennially the best-selling automobile in America. Part of the popularity of this full-size pickup comes from a wide variety in its model range, which spans from simple work trucks to luxurious highway cruisers to rugged off-roaders.
We got to sample a few models from the updated Ford F-150 model range and put them through their paces off-road. The Tremor was first introduced as an option package improving the F-150’s off-road chops, but now it’s a standalone trim. The F-150 Raptor has been around since 2010 in three generations, and the Raptor R makes it even more extreme with a supercharged V8 under the hood.
We drove the Tremor and the Raptor R, mostly in their natural off-road habitat, and here are our takeaways of these rugged pickup trucks.
Ford F-150 Tremor
The Ford F-150 Tremor is a more practical and budget-friendly alternative to the Raptor models. If you like the idea of the Raptor but don’t want to spend all that money for all that capability, the Tremor is slotted between the more mainstream XLT and Lariat trims in terms of price and feature content. It includes off-road upgrades like standard 4-wheel drive (4WD) with a 2-speed transfer case derived from the Raptor, an off-road-tuned suspension system, Trail Control (off-road cruise control), and 33-inch all-terrain tires. Pricing starts at $66,345, including destination charge.
The one we tested employed the tried-and-true 5.0-liter V8, producing 400 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque. This V8 is standard in the Tremor, but a turbo 3.5-liter V6 is optional. Anything this big can feel a bit cumbersome when trying to perform tight maneuvers on rocky trails, but we did some pretty technical off-road driving in the Tremor and came away very impressed with this truck’s capabilities. It can do more than we expected.
As for the brief driving we did on public roads, we found that Ford has further refined an already comfortable and accommodating truck with the 2024 refresh. The seats are supportive, the ride is smooth, you get a commanding view of the road, and the tech features are abundant without feeling overwhelming. Sometimes, off-road tires can create a lot of noise in the cabin at highway speed, but that wasn’t our experience with the Tremor. This pleasant drive was a nice reminder of why this truck is so popular.
Ford F-150 Raptor R
Despite just being a different version of the same truck, the Ford F-150 Raptor R is quite a different beast from the Tremor. You can tell by just looking at it. The Raptor R has a more extreme appearance package with the now-iconic “FORD” lettering on the grille and tailgate, 37-inch tires, red recovery hooks, “RAPTOR” decals on the bed, and a bulging hood housing a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 rated at 720 horsepower. The non-R version of the Raptor uses a 450-horsepower turbo V6. Pricing starts at $80,435 for the Raptor, including destination charges. The Raptor R is a $31,925 package for the Raptor, bringing the price to $112,360.
Our testing of the F-150 Raptor R included technical off-roading, high-speed fun on desert trails, and even an off-road autocross course. We also drove it on paved, public roads, if only for a moment.
The Ford F-150 Raptor R can do things that the Tremor simply can’t. We flew down a sandy desert trail at speeds up to 80 mph, tackled severe bumps and terrain shifts that would’ve stranded lesser trucks, and even performed a jump and gracefully stuck the landing without bottoming out. Also, being the Raptor R, it was considerably faster than the Tremor.
However, the lower-speed rock climbing and desert traversing we performed in the Raptor R wasn’t all that different than the off-roading we did in the Tremor. The Raptor is the more capable of the two, but we were pleasantly surprised at how close the Tremor is to its more expensive sibling where it counts for off-road enthusiasts.
Conclusion
While not as fast, capable, or cool-looking as the Raptor, our testing revealed that the Ford F-150 Tremor has more than enough off-road capability for the vast majority of pickup truck drivers. From snowy roads to rocky trails, the Tremor can handle anything the average driver will encounter.
The Raptor and Raptor R are more like performance cars in a pickup truck wrapper. They can handle almost any terrain even better than the more modest Tremor. Additionally, the Raptor models have in-your-face aesthetics with the performance to match. The Raptor and Raptor R are great for showing off, but if you’re looking for a more practical and subtle off-roader, the Ford F-150 Tremor is the more frugal choice. Plus, the Tremor still looks pretty cool.
See this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the F-150 models near you.
