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00:00Could this be the best alternative to the Ford Ranger Raptor yet?
00:03Yes, it is another Ford Ranger, but this one here is the Tremor, a limited edition version
00:07which costs $20,000 less than a Raptor.
00:10And it's not $20,000 less in terms of what you're getting for your money.
00:15So I'll tell you everything you need to know about it in this review,
00:17and also I'm going to tell you some really great alternatives to it.
00:20If you haven't already, please like, subscribe and ring the bell
00:22to keep up to date with all of my videos.
00:24It does help a lot, and let's get to it!
00:30The Ranger Tremor starts at about $70,000 before on-road costs,
00:35so it's about $3,500 more than the Sport grade that it's based on.
00:39But I think you're getting more than $3,500 worth of extra value
00:42if you do decide to step up to this model.
00:44Things that are added over the Sport grade include these 17x8 inch alloy wheels
00:50with General Grabber AT3 tyres.
00:52They are really, really quite good, those tyres.
00:54And you've also got the Bilstein shock absorber upgrade all around,
00:58so it's got remote reservoirs for all four shocks,
01:00and it does make a big difference to the ride quality and comfort,
01:04but we'll talk about that when we get to the drive experience later on.
01:07And you're also getting a few extra exterior features to make it look a little bit different.
01:11I'll show you those in a sec.
01:12The interior gets a vinyl seat trim with Tremor embroidery.
01:16It actually looks pretty cool.
01:17And some of the great features that you get in the similar sort of spec versions of the Ranger,
01:21including the 10-inch touchscreen media system,
01:24digital instrumentation and electric driver's seat adjustment as well.
01:28Now, it's not necessarily the most posh feeling on the inside,
01:31but I think it feels pretty plush, and I'll show you that in a sec.
01:34But let's talk about some alternatives to the Ranger Tremor, because there's some good ones.
01:40All right, when it comes to alternatives, the obvious one is the Ford Ranger.
01:44Any other spec of this car, and you could spec it up to how you want.
01:48And if you chose a Raptor, you would get the best off-road capable truck
01:53on the market, but maybe not the most practical truck in terms of using it for family use,
01:58especially if you go towing, especially if you need to use as much payload as possible,
02:01because it's not necessarily as practical as it could be in those instances.
02:05But it is also an absolute bloody weapon.
02:08Now, if you are looking at something a lot more affordable,
02:12you might want to go and check out the GWM Canon XSR.
02:15It's just over $50,000 drive away.
02:17It comes with a seven-year warranty, and it has some really great off-road tech,
02:21including a tank turn system like this.
02:24It's from the GWM tank range, and they've adapted it for the ute,
02:28and it actually does a pretty good job in some situations.
02:31It's maybe a bit more fiddly, but I guess it's a whole heap cheaper than this vehicle.
02:35Another option, if you are thinking $70,000, not too much for your budget,
02:39then you should go and take a look at the Toyota Hilux GR Sport.
02:43Hit the link in the description below, and you'll be able to check out my review of it.
02:46It is an absolute weapon off-road.
02:49Bloody uncomfortable on-road, but hey, we've come to expect that of the Hilux in this generation.
02:54And another option you might want to take a look at if you're thinking,
02:57well, I want a better balance of off-road capability and on-road comfort,
03:02is the Volkswagen Amarok.
03:03There are a bunch of different versions available,
03:05including a V6 diesel if your budget allows it,
03:08and there's also a turbo petrol model at the top of the range too.
03:11But I think that the bi-turbo version in that model range is actually pretty good value,
03:16although I would probably try and opt for one with the 40mm lift kit,
03:20which is offered through Volkswagen.
03:22It's a fantastic accessory and makes for a more comfortable drive experience,
03:25even though it is pretty much one of the most comfy utes out there.
03:29If you've checked out an Amarok or one of those other utes,
03:31let me know in the comments section below and tell me which one you would pick.
03:34Would it be the Ranger or one of those alternatives?
03:36Something completely different.
03:39It's still the same size as a regular Ranger, but it does have a wider track.
03:43It's got the hardcore black Ford badge to tell you that it's a serious off-road product.
03:48It's got a slightly different grille with those little lights in between as well.
03:52And of course, it gets a suspension makeover.
03:55So it does sit higher, it's got a wider track,
03:57thanks to those bigger 17x8 inch wheels with General Grabber tyres.
04:02They are pretty serious tyres.
04:04And also, it's got obviously that Bilstein suspension to raise it up a little bit.
04:09Now, it does look pretty good.
04:11I'm even a bit of a fan of these stickers.
04:13I'm not usually a sticker guy.
04:15Still gets the handy things you would expect, like the box step at the side.
04:19And yes, we're going to take a look in the tray to see what we are dealing with.
04:23And just like all the other Rangers, it's a pretty sizable tray for the class.
04:27Now, this one gets a drop-in plastic liner, so it can be a little bit slippery,
04:32but you can also configure it to suit your needs.
04:35The cargo management system here, so that means that you can
04:38lock things in place if you need to secure things.
04:41It also gets the long leg sports bar, which actually makes it a bit more impractical.
04:45So if you need to reach in from the side, it's actually not that easy to get in there.
04:50You have to sort of go up here or go down to the back of the vehicle and climb up.
04:54So I don't like that roll bar thing.
04:56I think it looks a bit silly and it is a bit impractical.
04:59But you also get a 12 volt port back here, which is good to see.
05:04And there's a couple of tie-down points in the tray as well.
05:07I'll put the tray dimensions on your screen now, so you can see for yourself.
05:10It is one of the most practical in this class.
05:13And there's also those handy little clamp points on the back as well.
05:17But you don't get the measuring tape on this grade.
05:20Now, it's got a very light tailgate as well, which I really like.
05:22It does shut nicely.
05:24And underneath this tray area, there is a full-size spare wheel as well.
05:29Yep, it fits in there somehow.
05:31You can see for yourself that those are your Bilstein shocks with the
05:35still the leaf spring rear suspension.
05:37And the remote reservoir for the rear shocks is up a little bit higher out of the way,
05:41so it doesn't get bumped and bashed.
05:43Which is bloody handy, I reckon, because it needs to be out of the way.
05:49Okay, so the interior of the Ranger Tremor does look a little bit different.
05:52It's not startlingly different in terms of the design.
05:56But there are some more blacked out elements on the inside.
06:00And also, you get the dark headliner.
06:02You get these Tremor embroidered seats.
06:05And look at that vinyl finish.
06:07That is something else.
06:09I mean, it's designed to be really easy to wipe down if you've been out in the mud.
06:13And I guess that is a fit-for-purpose consideration for this vehicle.
06:17There are some other elements which maybe could be better.
06:20You don't get the pop-out cup holders like you get in some higher grade versions.
06:23You don't get the top glove box either.
06:25But you do get this auxiliary switch panel up here.
06:29Which means that you can basically not have to jerry-rig things
06:33when you need a switch for driving lights or whatever it may be.
06:36So that's pretty handy.
06:37There's a sunglasses holder up there.
06:39But because it's based on the Sport grade, you actually don't get illuminated vanity mirrors.
06:44Just regular vanity mirrors on that side.
06:46And same on that side as well.
06:49So look, there maybe are some vanity features that you wish you had.
06:54But otherwise, the interior finishing, the treatments here are pretty good.
06:58Logical controls.
06:59Once you've been in a Ranger before, you'll get used to these steering wheel controls very easily.
07:03And interacting with the screen in front of the driver is also quite easy.
07:07Use the controls on the steering wheel to do that.
07:10And look, I reckon that it is a pretty simple system to use.
07:13One of my favourite things about it is that it does have a very simple
07:16lane-keeping assistance feature to turn off.
07:18You just hit that twice and it'll turn off.
07:20It'll show you on the screen.
07:22And speaking of the screen, this one gets the 10-inch touchscreen media system.
07:26Slightly smaller than some of the high-grade versions.
07:28And it still gets Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and plenty of menus beyond that.
07:34Now, you've got navigation built in as well for this version.
07:37And you've got a trailer assistance feature as well.
07:40So you can set up a profile for a caravan, a boat, a camper trailer, whatever it may be.
07:46Horse float.
07:47And it will be able to basically adjust the parameters of the vehicle to suit that trailer in
07:53tow.
07:53And it's also got a really handy thing down here.
07:56This version does have the option pack that includes the Pro Trailer Backup Assist,
08:00which is that little button right there.
08:02And then when you're reversing a trailer, as long as it's configured correctly,
08:06you can just use this rotary dial to turn between which way you want to go.
08:11So if you want it to reverse to the left, you turn it to the left.
08:14If you want to turn the trailer to the right, you'll turn it to the right.
08:16So that means none of that tricky counter-steering business that you usually do when you're trying
08:21to figure out how you're going backwards and not crashing into things.
08:24So look, I think that that is a really great piece of tech.
08:27I think that's a really brilliant piece of tech.
08:29And I hope to do a towing review shortly to give you a bit more of an indication of how
08:33it works in reality.
08:34Now, you've also got really good features down here like buttons and dials.
08:38Who would have thought that they would be a highlight?
08:40But they are.
08:40You've got fan control.
08:42You've got climate control buttons and dials as well.
08:45And obviously it does show up on the screen there as well when you are using those controls.
08:50So as you can see for yourself there, it does make a bit of a difference to have those
08:53things on the screen as well as down here.
08:56And I think that that's just so good that you've got those features.
08:59You don't get that in an Amarok.
09:01And that's one of the things I like more about the Ranger than the Amarok.
09:04Wireless phone charger is standard in this spec.
09:06There's a little storage tray there.
09:07Some cup holders.
09:08A covered center console bin.
09:10When you're on a launch event, they often like to put lots of sugary things in there.
09:14And we're in the bush as well.
09:16So those might come in handy for someone who eats too many sugary things.
09:20And then there's also bottle holders in the doors as well.
09:24And soft elbow pads on the armrests up front.
09:27But hey, let's check out the back seat space and see what it's like.
09:32Okay, this seat is set for my driving position.
09:34I'm 182 centimetres, 6 foot.
09:36And I've got enough knee room behind to be comfortable.
09:39Foot room is a little cramped.
09:41I've got pretty big feet.
09:42But I think that it is pretty decent in terms of the comfort back here.
09:46You can fit three adults across the back if you need to.
09:49But if you are going to be hauling little ones instead,
09:51there are ISOFIX points in the window seats.
09:54And you also get top tether points in those window seats as well.
09:58So you can actually drop your top tether strap down behind the seat.
10:01And I reckon that's a better solution than the ones that have it tethered to behind the middle seat.
10:06And also, there is a flip down armrest.
10:09You have to pull it down like so.
10:11I always get this wrong.
10:13There we go.
10:15Yes, cup holders in there as well if you need them.
10:18And look, you also get features like mat pockets on the seat backs.
10:22There are bottle holders in the doors.
10:23There's directional air vents.
10:25You don't get USB ports, but you do get a 12 volt port so you can plug in an adapter.
10:29And you've got soft elbow pads on the doors.
10:30And I just want to show you one other thing about the back seat.
10:35Yes, so you can lift this seat base up and it gives you extra storage space,
10:38which will be dry and secure.
10:40If you have things that you want to keep out of the eye of the public,
10:44you can put them in there as well.
10:45It's a nice little hidey hole.
10:47And it is a pretty practical thing that a lot of utes maybe don't do quite as well as this one.
10:55This version of the Ranger comes with a 2 litre bi-turbo 4-cylinder diesel engine.
11:00And it's different to the other bi-turbos in the lineup.
11:02It's the Euro 6 compliant engine.
11:04That means that it has an AdBlue system integrated into it for your after treatment for emissions.
11:11So it's a bit of extra complication.
11:13Might be a little bit of extra cost as well that you need to consider.
11:16But it's still a very good engine.
11:18You'll see the power and torque figures on your screen.
11:20It comes with a 10-speed automatic transmission as standard.
11:23And it's also got a full-time four-wheel drive system.
11:26So not the selectable four-wheel drive.
11:29It does have four-wheel drive auto mode.
11:31So you can drive it on sealed surfaces in four-wheel drive.
11:34And it'll choose where the torque needs to go in those situations.
11:38Now obviously it's still got low range 4x4 as I'll show you shortly.
11:41And when it comes to towing capacity, it's got 750 kilos unbraked trailer rating.
11:47And three and a half tons for a brake trailer.
11:49So it leaves the Raptor in its dust in that regard.
11:51You'll also see on your screen now the payload capacity for this version of the Ranger.
11:56And I'll also throw up there some numbers that you need to see when it comes to your gross
12:00vehicle mass and also your gross combination mass.
12:03And you need to do the maths and keep in mind your maximum tow ball down weight as well
12:07if you are planning to tow with this thing.
12:09And if you are planning to go towing quite a lot, well there's also the availability
12:13of the Pro Trailer Backup Assist function in this vehicle.
12:16And it's standard on higher grades.
12:18Basically it allows you to reverse into a parking spot using just a dial
12:22instead of having to countersteer.
12:23And that makes a lot of sense when you use it.
12:26I've used it in the F-150.
12:27You'll find a link for that review in the description so you can see it in action.
12:30All right, let's go for a drive, shall we?
12:35There are a few things that you need to keep in mind if you're considering a Ford Ranger
12:39Tremor.
12:40All right, so it does have the raised suspension.
12:42So you do get a slightly better view out around you.
12:46I mean, compared to other utes that have been lifted, it's maybe not as high as some.
12:51But it does also have those General Grabber all-terrain tyres.
12:56And that gives it a broader patch on the road.
12:59So it's got a wider track, which makes it feel a little bit more, I guess, in contact
13:05with the surface and a little bit more broad-shouldered when you are making steering moves,
13:10for instance.
13:11And the steering itself is actually pretty bloody good.
13:14Just like every other Ranger, it's got that fingertip lightness at low speeds, but also
13:19a nice amount of directness at higher speeds and good responsiveness in terms of the way
13:25that it feels when you do turn the wheel.
13:27That suspension, look, it does have some really good traits, but maybe some that could be
13:33a little bit better depending on what you like, right?
13:35So if you're okay with feeling lots of the little lumps and bumps in the road surface,
13:40well, you probably are if you're considering a hardcore 4x4 like this.
13:44Then, yeah, you just need to be mindful that it does have that sort of characteristic to
13:48the way that it will ride over small lumps and bumps in the surface.
13:52But it does handle really big obstacles, sharp, big bumps, that sort of thing quite
13:58well considering it's got the leaf spring rear suspension and the live rear axle.
14:03It's pretty good in terms of dealing with that sort of thing.
14:06And hey, part of that comes down to the fact that this car has been engineered with payload
14:12in mind.
14:13So according to Ford's engineers, the suspension has basically been calibrated with a half
14:18payload limit in mind.
14:20So if you are going to accessorize the shit out of it, you're going to put a bull bar,
14:24you're going to put roof rack, you're going to put a canopy, you're going to put stuff
14:27in the tray all the time.
14:29Yes, you need to be mindful of the weights that are allowed for this vehicle, but the
14:33suspension should be up for the task.
14:35And with just one or two people on board, as I've experienced today, it's pretty good,
14:40pretty comfortable in most situations.
14:42Just that sharp edge thing that I mentioned might be a little bit of a sticking point
14:46for some people.
14:47And in terms of road noise, yeah, you get a little bit more from those tyres, but it's
14:52not too bad.
14:53And you get some wind noise around the mirrors, but honestly, it's a dual cab ute with some
14:57serious off-road extras.
14:59So I think you're going to have to cop it if that's what you're thinking about buying.
15:03And yes, it's only available with the 2.0-litre bi-turbo engine.
15:07And it's like saying only is an insult because it's a bloody good engine.
15:11It's still one of the best engines in the class.
15:14And it's a small capacity with plenty of grunt, and it does have plenty of gears to
15:18play with as well.
15:20It's certainly not underdone in any way.
15:22It just maybe isn't as compelling or lovable as the V6 diesel might be for some people.
15:29I can understand if you were like, no, not interested.
15:32I want the V6, and that's totally understandable in my mind.
15:36But it does have a really good powertrain.
15:39The 10-speed auto is mostly very clever, although it can be a bit busy.
15:43But you can lock it out to have just eight gears active or six gears active if that's
15:48what you want.
15:48You might do that when you're towing, and it does have some pretty good towing specs
15:52as well, as I mentioned.
15:54So look, there's manual mode as well.
15:56If you do want to do the gear shifting yourself, you can use the little toggles on the gear
16:00selector.
16:00But honestly, I've just left it to its own devices, and I've had zero complaints, maybe
16:06just a little bit of a whinge about the fact that it is a bit of a busy transmission.
16:10But otherwise, it's very good on the road.
16:14So let's go and see what it's like in the rough stuff.
16:20Now, just like you might, I've put the car into four-wheel drive low range.
16:26Now, this car does have a four-wheel drive auto system, and that will get you surprisingly
16:31far off-road without having to put it in the low range and, well, live with the gearing
16:37that you get with low range.
16:38If you are maybe a novice, or you're maybe not sure about the surface that you're about
16:42to go over, four-wheel drive auto could actually be a pretty good option for you.
16:46Just make sure I don't bottom out too much here.
16:51This car does have aluminium sidesteps, so you might want to be careful of those.
16:56They will be more sturdy than plastic, I'd imagine, but maybe not as good as a set of
17:01proper steel rock rails or something like that.
17:04The new mode for this version, it's not available on lower grade versions of this vehicle, it's
17:10rock crawl.
17:11So let's just see what happens when we go over some rocks and go crawling.
17:19Put this button down here to put it into off-road mode.
17:22I've got the turn assist on.
17:24Turn off the rear differential lock.
17:25Put on the all-speed trail control, so that's your off-road cruise control system that will
17:31work up to about 30 k's an hour, which is actually pretty good.
17:35And we'll cruise on down here.
17:37We're in low range, four-wheel drive, as I said.
17:40And look, those shocks certainly do deal with the really big compressions quite well.
17:49Little bumps and lumps.
17:50You can actually feel more than you might expect, and that's partly to do with the fact
17:54that you've got a pretty big contact patch with the road below, or whatever the surface
17:59is below at least.
18:01And yes, it does mean that it's maybe not as comfortable in some situations as a version
18:07that maybe doesn't have these aggressive sort of tyres on it.
18:12But look, you've also got the extra ground clearance that comes with that suspension
18:16upgrade.
18:17You'll see the ground clearance figure on your screen now, and that does make a difference.
18:20It makes it far more amenable to dealing with big lumps and bumps in the surface below,
18:26and obviously that's what this vehicle's all about.
18:29Now, I'm going to do this turn assist system through here.
18:33So just locking on full lock here, and it'll lock up the inside rear wheel to get me around
18:39there.
18:40And easy, easy done in what would otherwise potentially have been a three-point turn manoeuvre.
18:47Go out this way.
18:52Let the throttle do the work for me.
18:54Yep, straight through there, no stress.
18:56Cruising, absolutely bloody cruising.
19:00Up around this very tight little bend again, using the turn assist system, and using the
19:06forward view camera as well, which is a revelation.
19:10If you haven't driven a car with a really good quality off-road camera system, you will
19:16be surprised at how important it can be in different situations.
19:19The beauty of this ute though, really is the fact that it just combines all of this so
19:25well together to be such an impressive all-around off-road package.
19:29Straight off the showroom floor, standard tyre pressures, like, you might be surprised
19:35at how far this vehicle can actually go off-road without any further modifications, or even
19:41lowering the tyre pressures.
19:43It's bloody impressive.
19:44And if you're after something that is, well, really, really good at the on-road thing,
19:50and also brilliant when it comes to the off-road thing, at this kind of money, then this is
19:55Well, I reckon this could be the right car for you.
19:59It's just a shame that the V6 isn't available in this Tremor grade, but there is an Everest
20:06Tremor coming very soon, and it will be V6 only, so if you are looking for something
20:10that's maybe even more practical for a family especially, it'll have big towing capacity,
20:16big off-road capability, and a bigger engine.
20:19So, I can't wait to review that one.
20:22Let me know if you're looking forward to it as well.
20:24The official combined number is on your screen now.
20:29That's what you should be able to achieve across a mix of driving.
20:32We've done a mix of on-road and off-road, including some low-range driving, and you'll
20:37see what I saw on your screen now.
20:39That was the displayed figure.
20:42That's not too bad, I don't reckon.
20:44You are going to typically see around 10 litres, about 100 ks, if you aren't doing off-road
20:50stuff.
20:51The Ford Ranger achieved the maximum 5-star ANCAP safety rating a couple of years ago,
20:57and it does still come loaded with heaps of standard safety technology and equipment.
21:01Things like autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, there's
21:05adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance, which is very easy to turn off, I like that,
21:10and there's also blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, parking sensors, and
21:14a reversing camera is standard as well.
21:16If you option the package that's available on this car, you also get the off-road camera
21:20system and a surround-view camera system, and I reckon it'll be the best money you
21:24could spend, it's not that much extra, and it will add to the ease of use of this vehicle
21:29on a daily basis.
21:30It's got plenty of airbags too, nine in fact.
21:32That's a lot.
21:36Ford Australia offers a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty for its model range, and
21:41there's also five years of roadside assistance included.
21:44Hey, did you know that Ford also offers a new insurance program?
21:48So you can insure your vehicle, including accessories, and in tradie cases, including
21:53the tools as well, and it doesn't have to be a Ford either.
21:56Make sure you go and check out the Ford website if you want to know more about the Ford Insure
21:59product, it seems really pretty bloody good if I'm honest.
22:02Hey, also I just mentioned the servicing for this vehicle.
22:06There's a four-year cap price servicing plan available.
22:10The pricing for it is $379 per year or every 15,000km, and look, that does seem pretty
22:17good.
22:18I do wonder what it will cost after that four-year period though.
22:20Maybe a bit more.
22:24For me, this could be the best option for someone who is looking for an off-road ready
22:30and super capable 4x4 ute with plenty of practicality, lots of great features, but also a more palatable
22:36price tag than some of the more expensive versions of this ute, which do push it just
22:41a little bit.
22:42Tell me what you think about it in the comments section below.
22:44Would you go for a Tremor or would you choose one of those options I mentioned earlier on
22:48or something completely different?
22:49And please, if you haven't already, hit like, subscribe and ring the bell to keep up to
22:52date with my videos.
22:53I like making them, I hope you like watching them, and it means a lot.
22:56Alright, thanks, I'll see you in the next one.
23:14Bye!