Everything Ford Makes Is an Off-Roader Now

When the Ford Model T debuted in 1908, there were more than two million miles of roads in America. They were mainly dirt, gravel, or poorly paved and meant for horse-drawn carriages. The car’s breadth and tall skinny wheels and were designed so it could fit right in and follow the ruts that had been forged over the years. As its popularity grew, so did the efforts to build better roads, which in turn allowed cars to become lower and sleeker with wider tires to grip the new smooth surfaces.Now, the most popular vehicles are trucks and SUVs and one of the world’s top car designers recently told me that he thinks people like them because the roads have gotten so poor in many places that they’re practically dirt once again, something I’ve long contended.Whether or not that is the case, automakers have been leaning into the off-road scene by offering “rugged” versions of many of their most mundane models. The kind that have built entire brands around them, like Jeep and Subaru. They are ostensibly meant to support robust outdoor lifestyles, but are just as often used as accessories for the school drop-off line.The basic formula is a set of all-terrain tires, extra ground clearance and bumpers designed to look like they can take a hit from a rock, even if they are made of plastic.Ford has pushed so far into this territory that its entire showroom now consists of SUVs and trucks, aside from the Mustang, and every one of them is offered in at least one trim.The Expedition Tremor is a dedicated off-road version of the full-size SUV. FordThe latest additions are the Explorer Tremor and Expedition Tremor, which share the trim name with Ford’s pickups. The Explorer is a three-row midsize crossover with seating for up to seven and the Expedition is a full-size truck that can hold seven or eight passengers, depending on the configuration.They are both cut from the same cloth. Their tough-looking front ends are equipped with metal recovery hooks and off-road auxiliary lights embedded in the grill. Steel skid plates protect the underbody and unique 18-inch wheels sport knobby rubber.The Explorer Tremor starts at $50,760, which includes a 300-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Upgrading to a 385-horsepower turbocharged V6 bumps the price to $62,610, but also adds a panoramic glass roof, ventilated massaging front seats, and a 14-speaker audio system. The Expedition Tremor is a much larger vehicle with a much bigger base price of $83,595. Power comes from a 440 hp turbocharged V6 befitting its nearly three-ton weight.The Expedition Tremor features all-terrain tires and more than 10 inches of ground clearance. FordBoth come with a standard 360-degree camera system, which is particularly helpful when navigating the giant Expedition Tremor through tight trails or double-parked cars, two things I did with it.The dirt roads were more fun and I wouldn’t mind driving on them all the time, just like in the old days. The traction provided by the tires and full-time four-wheel-drive systems was unflappable, even when I ventured off-piste up steep climbs and slightly rougher terrain. Neither is meant for extreme rock climbing, especially the Explorer Tremor, which only has 8.7 inches of ground clearance, compared to the Expedition Tremor’s 10.6 inches.As expected, both were also excellent on the street. The ride and handling is as good as, if not better, than the street-focused trims and potholes pose no challenge. You can use the money saved on flat tires and bent rims on gas money. The V6 models are rated at less than 20 mpg combined.As for that lone car in Ford’s lineup, CEO Jim Farley has reportedly shown dealers an off-road version of the Mustang that it is considering putting into production. Perhaps we should just go back to the future and stop paving roads at this point.

Everything Ford Makes Is an Off-Roader Now

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