INDIANAPOLIS — Last year, I drove the Ford Maverick Tremor and thought it was very cool with its gold accents, black wheels, and enhanced off-road capability.  But, let’s be honest, the Maverick is essentially a compact crossover with a bed that’s better suited to light lawn duty than heavy hauling.  For that, we step up to the 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor that’s just as stylish, but far more capable.

Like a lot of these stylish all-roaders that have come to vogue — vehicles like Subaru’s Wilderness, Chevrolet’s ACTIV, Toyota’s TRD, and Kia’s X-Line — the F-150 Tremor bridges the trail between city life and taming Baja.  Let’s call it “off-road chic”.  Check gold accents across the black grille, gold tow hooks, and gold accents on its flanks.  TREMOR badges on the bed and 18” black wheels shod in off-road tires glam its broadsides.  

Around back, look for exposed tow hooks, integrated trailer hitch, and electrical connections.  For work or play, notice spray-in bedliner, tie-down hooks, and two household outlets for running power tools or camp lighting.



Place a foot on the step plate and pop inside.  Gold accents continue to the dash, console stitching, and perforations in the heated and ventilated leather seats.  Front and center are a 12” touchscreen and flatscreen gauges.  Dual-zone automatic climate control, B&O audio, and wireless charging add their own delights.  Check the power opening rear window and dual-pane sunroof too.  Should work haunt you, the center console flips open for desk space next to an in-dash household outlet.  Connect to wi-fi to stay in touch wherever you roam.

Keeping everybody safe in the roomy crew cab is a full suite of safety tech, centered around Ford’s Co-pilot 360 2.0 system.  Automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, and blind spot warning are a good start.  Add to that rear cross path detection and trailer sway control to stay in the green zone.

I’m a big fan of Ford’s twin-turbo V6, but am warming up to the 5.0-liter V8 in our Tremor.  It puts out a romping 400 horsepower and 410 lb.-ft. of torque, all sent to the four-wheel-drive system through a smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission.  While bed for off-roading, the thick tires and enhanced shocks provide a calmer ride on pavement.  Keeping in mind this is a large and capable pickup, fuel economy rated 15/20-MPG city/highway isn’t terrible.

So, what’s not to like?  Given all of the technology stuffed inside the F-150 Tremor, it would be even better with a head-up display and heated steering wheel.  While the F-150 Lightning EV has an independent rear suspension to improve handling, the gas-version goes without.  Handling is tight and ride is smooth for a full-size pickup, but could be even better.  And then, there’s the window sticker.

The F-150 Tremor is a pretty cool truck that adds some fashion to the worksite.  Of course, all of that comes at a price.  While a base F-150 starts at $34,585, our Tremor – all in - is considerably more expensive at $74,040.  Competitors include the Chevy Silverado Trail Boss, GMC Sierra AT4, Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, and Ram 1500 Rebel.

— Casey Williams (MyCarData)