Ford Maverick Tremor - Full Review | Affordable Little Truck Gets a Bit Spendy
It is an undisputed fact that since its initial release, the Maverick pickup has been a resounding sales success for Ford Motor Company. I know these little trucks are not held in the highest regard in some circles on SVTP, but we feel that the Maverick definitely has a place in the current Ford lineup. We recently had the opportunity to spend some time with the tippy-top Maverick model, The Tremor.
The Maverick Tremor follow the family formula Ford has laid out for the Tremor Nameplate across their various trucks; placing it as the most capable off-road package available on a given truck, without stepping up to a specialty Raptor model. In the case of the Mav, this meant adding a small suspension lift (around 1-inch of additional height), more aggressive 30-inch tall Falken Wildpeak tires, and raiding the Bronco Sport Badlands parts-bin for some drivetrain upgrades. Specifically, the Tremor gets a rear locker and the ability to lock the AWD system into 4WD (though without a low-range option). This video will give you a more complete overview of the package:
Underneath, the Tremor gains some steel skid plates and uniquely tuned shocks and springs. Power comes from the venerable 2.0L EcoBoost (250HP and 277 lb-ft of TQ), which responds very well to some custom tuning. Approach and departure angles are improved slightly over the standard AWD models as well. The Tremor package adds $2,995 to the base MSRP of a Lariat or XLT Maverick. Our tester was also equipped with the Tremor Appearance Package (an additional $1,495), which adds some vinyl graphics and a metallic gray-painted roof. This is in addition to the styling touches found in the standard Tremor package, such as; bedside graphics, smoked headlights & taillights (which look very nice) and orange body accents. Personally, I feel the smoked lamps are one of the best styling features of the Tremor package.
You get a 2-inch hitch and some Tremor decals in the package. Notice the smoked tail lights as well.
The blacked out headlights are a nice upgrade as well.
On the road, the Tremor drives and handles substantially similar to an FX4 Maverick. We’re talking a matter of degrees here, not the orders of magnitude like you’d expect moving from an FX4 to a Raptor in F-150s. If you haven’t driven one of these little trucks, you should give it a try. You’ll quickly learn what the hype is all about. It rides and handles very much like a car or small SUV. That makes if much more approachable to non-traditional truck buyers.
There is a small mileage penalty (~1 mpg) for selecting the most capable maverick off-roader model, but I consider that well worth the price of admission. The one qualm I can consistently levy against the Maverick Tremor is the fact that you’re saddled with the lower 2,000 pound tow rating. The optional 4,000 pound max tow package is not available on the Tremor, which is a major bummer. Power from the 2.0L EcoBoost is decent, but an SCT tune really wakes these little rigs up.
We did get a chance to take the Tremor Maverick out on a mild trail, and it performs well to the performance limits you should expect. This is not a hard-core rock crawler. It’s a competent AWD based mini-truck that has enough grip to confidently handle slippery winter roads and somewhat sloppy trails. The upgraded rear differential and A/T tires are major upgrades over an FX4 in the off-road department. The moderate lift helps as well. It’s well suited for exploring many parks and nature preserves in our area, but I’m not so sure the added ground clearance is enough to be comfortable cruising our heavily rutted soft-sand beaches. Momentum is key in sand, and that’s tough to maintain if the undercarriage is dragging. Best to step up to a Ranger if your off-roading goals are more ambitious.
You can see the minor suspension lift here, along with the orange highlighted wheels.
Notice the Tremor specific shocks. There's an upgraded rear diff in there as well.
The 2.0L EcoBoost moves the Maverick around pretty well.
The Maverick’s interior gets a handful of styling upgrades, including Tremor stitching on the vinyl seats. However, beyond a couple buttons (one of which toggles the locking rear differential) the Tremor’s cabin is largely the same as Mavericks of similar trim. It’s a comfortable place to ride, though very utilitarian design. I honestly prefer the comfort of the cloth trimmed XLT seats over the vinyl skins found in the Lariat, but that’s just one man’s opinion. Your mileage may vary.
Ultimately, I can see the Maverick Tremor package making a solid choice for single-vehicle households in the Northeast. It packs a nice styling and capability upgrade over an FX4, without breaking the back. However, when you add the Lariat trim level and Tremor Appearance Package to the bill things start to get a little expensive. I feel the Maverick is best when it comes in around $30,000, but this truck can be built out into the low $40,000 range. Luckily, in the near future I’ll be getting my hands on a base model Hybrid Maverick. I expect that will be very interesting.
The Tremor package stands out pretty well in a world of regular Mavericks.
The orange decals make the Tremor easy to spot.
You also get Tremor specific seats.
If you were wondering how a Maverick stacks up to the older Ford Ranger, here you go.
