Ford Authority is spending a week with the 2021 Ford Ranger Lariat.
Our model is a well-optioned Lariat and coated in the flashy Cyber Orange Metallic ($595) exterior color over Ebony Leather Miko seats. It comes equipped with the 501A equipment group ($2,005), along with some substantial standalone options to boot:
- Tremor Off-Road Package ($4,290)
- Black steel exposed bash plate
- Tray-style floor liner
- Magnetic painted fender vent surround
- Magnetic painted front grille surround
- Magnetic painted wheel arches
- Magnetic painted front and rear bumpers
- Off-road hoop steps
- 17-inch Magnetic painted aluminum wheels
- Off-road all-terrain tires
- Electronic locking rear differential
- Off-road screen in cluster
- Fox damper with rear reservoirs
- Terrain Management System
- Trail Control
- Tremor box decal
- Skid plates covering radiator, electronic power steering system, transfer case, and fuel tank guard
- Upfitter switches
- Black interior accents
- Rear tow hooks (removed with Trailer Tow Package)
- Spray-in bedliner ($495)
- Trailer Tow Package ($495)
- SecuriCode Keyless Keypad ($95)
The MSRP for the 2021 Ford Ranger Lariat starts at $34,070. All told, our Ranger, including the Tremor Off-Road Package, has an MSRP of $47,955.
The 2021 Ford Ranger is motivated by the Ford 2.3L I4 EcoBoost engine, rated at 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, bolted to The Blue Oval’s 10-speed automatic transmission. The EPA fuel economy estimates 19 mpg city and 19 mpg highway for a combined fuel mileage rating of 19 mpg.
Now is your chance to have your questions about the 2021 Ford Ranger Tremor answered firsthand, so be sure to drop us a line in the comments below, and we will answer them as part of our interactive review. So, what do you want to know about the Ford Ranger Tremor?
Ready… set… go!
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Comments
I’d like to know what the real world highway mileage is at 70+ mph. The EPA ratings seem really low to me.
Justin – thanks for the question.
I’ll do 10-minute-long run on the expressway here in a few hours and will let you know.
– AL
Can you explain why the 2.3liter 4 cylinder engine only rates 19/19 mileage? Seems like it should be in the mid 20s. What can a customer modify to gain mileage?
It’s due to the factory lift, more aggressive tires and 4wd system 😉
I have that same setup. On regular gas doing 72-74 on the highway I’ll get ~21. If I do 65-74 I get 23. Premium is a bit better but not much. These are also numbers from 5hr highway drives. Had the truck since September 2021. I’ve driven non Tremor and non 4×4 Rangers and they get much better mileage.
I average 19mpg. Mostly in town traffic.
I bought a 2019 Ranger Lariat FX4 with Black Appearance Package 18-inch wheels. The on-road ride was really rough, just bounced all over the place with the slightest imperfection in the road, even coming onto the street from my driveway! I finally tamed it with the Ford Performance Leveling Kit and don’t regret the purchase of the truck as I love the Ranger overall. So, my question, going forward, on the Tremor, has Ford drawn the lesson of the FX4 and provided a stock suspension that we can live with? Or do I just have to count on modding the suspension if I want to keep buying Rangers (which I do)?
Mark – I haven’t driven the Lariat with the FX4 just yet, so I can’t comment on that one. But what I can say about the Tremor is that it rides really well. This is probably the result of the unique Fox dampers (which have rear reservoirs, to boot) and the unique tuning that comes along with them.
That said, there is still some “bounce” on bigger imperfections, but I wouldn’t call it rough or unlivable in any other way. Hope that helps.
Thank you for the question, and thanks for reading!
Why does Ford have such a hard time with the design of this truck? The looks all around are awful , I own a 2001 Ranger xlt 4×4 and it’s not much better in design but it’s been the best truck I’ve ever owned. Here’s a few clues for you Ford since you seem to be brain dead on this design. Move the rear axle back a little in proportion on the vehicle, take a clue from Rivian, stop pinching the front end into the grill, even the 2023 still does this and Toyota knows this hence the fantastic sales they have with the young folks, make the truck uniquely USA not a Australia design carryover, let they guys who designed th 2018 F150 have a shot at it, a smaller version of that with a true 6’ bed would be a start. If you did this sales would be through the roof! But as of now I will never invest in another Ranger and that’s a shame.
I disagree about the design. To me, the Ranger, particularly with the Tremor package, looks very good… but design is a highly subjective thing, so to each their own.
I will also say that the next-gen Ranger will look similar but also quite a bit different from the current model. See here:
https://fordauthority.com/2021/11/next-gen-ford-ranger-revealed-with-edgier-styling-new-tech-features/
As for sales, Ranger sales are actually “through the roof” already. In 2021, the Ranger was the second-best-selling model in its segment:
https://fordauthority.com/2022/03/ford-ranger-sales-numbers-figures-results-fourth-quarter-q4-2021/
Now, sales will be down for the next few months as a result of Ford purposefully allocating more production capacity at the Michigan Assembly Plant to the Bronco to fulfill orders. That said, the Ranger is already a success from a business standpoint. Coming back into a segment after years of abandon and taking the #2 spot is no small feat.
Curious what the road noise is like in the Tremor with it having more aggressive tires, etc. And, how good is the B/O sound system in your tester? Also, with all the aftermarket support out there for the Ranger, and how extremely limited supply is for the Tremor model (and stupidly marked-up!), I wonder if it would make more sense to buy a standard Lariat and do your own custom build via aftermarket. Obviously that isn’t for everyone, but I’m a hands-on DIY guy and it could cost the same and be a fun project. Wondering what others that have gone that route might think.
The road noise isn’t bad. It’s definitely more noticeable than with less aggressive tires, but it’s not close to being unbearable or annoying. I was driving yesterday on thee expressway, where you would expect to hear more road noise, and kept thinking to myself… “I don’t hear these tires as much as I thought I would.”
The DYI idea is interesting. From what I understand, the most difficult piece in going that route would be the Fox shocks, which are excellent on this truck. Obviously, there are alternatives.
Thanks for the questions!
I have one on order, in fact built last week. Is there enough room for a Six foot guy to comfortably drive for a two hour trip?
Is the ride comfortable or is it choppy?
I’m 5’9 myself, but there’s definitely enough room to drive anywhere comfortably. That said (and somewhat obviously), the more you push the front seat back, the less room you’ll have in the second row… and it’s already not very spacious back there to begin with.
I would say the ride is comfortable. I have only experienced a choppy ride on a particularly challenging stretch of asphalt that has all sorts of undulations due to poorly-done patches.
Thanks for the question 🙂
Thank you for your quick response.
One other question does the rear seat fold flat or fold up or is it fixed?
Tim – the rear seat cushion folds upright. There are two bins under the rear seat, with the bin under the passenger-side much larger than the one on the driver’s side.
For what it’s worth, the rear seatback also folds downward, revealing the cab’s rear panel.
Plenty of room. You should have no trouble fitting. The tremor rides really well. It uses a custom 2.0 fox dampers and multi leaf setup vs the non tremor which uses sh*tty fox branded shocks and a single leaf. Upgrading to the blisten 5100s fixes this..
Have you driven a Bronco? If yes, 2 door or 4, which engine, and how did you like driving it compared to the Ranger?
I’ve driven the Bronco in both two- and four-door body styles and with both engines, but I have a lot more experience with the four-door than with the two-door, so I’ll limit my comparison here to that model.
The Ranger feels a bit quicker and sprightlier than the Bronco four-door with the 2.3L. The Bronco four-door with the 2.7L feels a lot more powerful, but also feels heavier. I like both the Ranger and Bronco, it’s just a matter of which body style one prefers. One other thing to note is that the Bronco is quite a bit more modern in terms of in-vehicle technology. The Ranger’s tech gets the job done and is plenty useful, but that of the Bronco feels a lot more up to date.
I agree entirely with 66fastback.
I test drove a Ranger and the Chevy Colorado was a much better truck and came with a 3.6l engine here in Canada.
Fixed intermittent wipers, a 2.3 that was noisy, the rear seat not divided and it only folded half way down making any interior cargo use impossible. That and the rake of the windshield, made it hard to get in an out of for a 6.1 male. I decided against it for those reasons
That’s interesting that you reached those conclusions. A few thoughts of my own on the matter.
The horrible 8-speed in the Colorado would be a deal-breaker for me. The issues with this transmission are well-documented, and there is at least one class-action lawsuit about it in the U.S. as I write this. By comparison, the 10-speed in the Ranger is a gem of a transmission… smooth, seamless, and with two extra forward gears to boot.
As for the engine, I find that the 2.3L EcoBoost is a better engine than the 3.6L LGZ. It pulls well and feels just as refined as (if not more refined than) the six in the Colorado, while having more usable power. GM did get the message on this one, which is why it’s switching to the 2.7L turbo L3B engine in the next-gen, 2023 Colorado and Canyon to replace the V6 and I4 gasoline engines as well as the 2.8L Duramax offered in the trucks currently.
Beyond that, the seats in the Colorado leave a lot to be desired while those in the Ranger feel a lot better. And don’t event get me started on the headlights… Colorado is incandescent only front and rear, while the Ranger Lariat has LED headlamps and tail lamps. It makes such a huge difference when driving at night.
I have a 2022 Ranger 4×4 XLT Splash FX4. I’m very pleased so far with my mileage. I’ve got 2700 miles on it, and so far my mileage has risen to 20mpg city, 25 hwy. Past experience with new Ford’s has show me peak mileage appears around 6k miles.
I test drove a Tremor, suspension was very much better than the FX4, which has too little damping initially. My plan is to install Bilstein 5100’s and call it a day. What I didn’t like in the Tremor is the factory running boards which I didn’t need I’m 6’2″ and just step up into the truck, those boards are shinbusters and something I think would get hung up on off road. I think dollar wise buy a 4×4 get skid plates from Ford, install shocks and raise your nose two inches and you would be good to go. FX4 adds $1200 to the truck, splash $600, and cyber Orange another $800, which I got. I paid just shy of $42k, MSRP.
I really LOVE the Ranger, it’s an awesome truck, and yes it’s a real capable truck. My last truck was a diesel F-250, and I’m pleased. I also have 302A, tech package, and trailer tow.
I have a 21 Lariat Tremor. I can probably answer a few of the questions that have been raised. Ride is good. Not as good as our 18 Explorer, but definitely not harsh. Sound system is decent. If you’re trying to wake your entire street at 3 am, probably not going to happen but for a factory setup, I’ve heard a lot worse. Has mileage has been a pleasant surprise. If we are very good and put the cruise on at 72-ish, we can get 23-24. Unfortunately, where we live, you can’t do that. You either run into much slower traffic or get in the other lane and have to go much faster. Road noise is just fine, almost as quiet as our Explorer, which surprised us. I’ve never had a vehicle that has gotten as many comments about how good it looks as this one, and I’ve had two different Mercedes convertibles!
Oh, and for the person who was tallish, sorry I can’t help you. My wife and I are shorter (5-6, 5-3) and obviously not comparable to your situation.
2021 Tremor owner here, I can also answer some questions people might have. I sold my 2020 fx4 ranger and ordered the 2021 tremor, so I’ve had a great chance to compare the two over the past year. My tremor is Cactus Grey with the body graphics that wrap all the way around, which turned out to be a great combination!
Is it possible to post a picture here of your truck. I have a cactus grey 21 lariat tremor with stripes just curious what yours looks like
Also I can speak to the height. I’m 6’4 and I find the tremor to be completely acceptable for longer rides. Is it a sports car designed for perfect highway drives? Of course not, but I don’t get out after a long drive more uncomfortable than I was when I drove a Mustang.
I test drove a four door badlands bronco last night with the 2.3. I found it very noisy. Is the ranger just as loud as the bronco? No it wasn’t the tires I could hear the tires as well but you could definitely here the 2.3
To me, the Ranger is less noisy because it’s better insulated than the Bronco (much of that is related to the roof and other NVH elements, I think). As a result, Ranger is less noisy. In fact, I would characterize this Ranger Lariat Tremor that I’m currently driving as having NVH levels close to those of a luxury vehicle.
A 50 thousand dollar Ranger? I’m thinking no.