Let’s say you have decided that you need a properly badass F-150 in your life. The solution is simple: Get a Raptor. But let’s also say that perhaps you don’t go in for the whole Raptor thing. A widebody truck that’s named after a Jurassic Park character and sounds like a Nissan Z is maybe not the impression you want to give off. You’re more mature, you value trucks that look like trucks, sound like trucks, and do truck things - but you do still want it to be badass. Let me introduce you to the 2026 Ford F-150 Tremor V8.
It’s a got a V8 motor
The biggest thing that this truck has going for it over a Raptor is the optional V8 engine, in the form of the 5.0-Litre Coyote engine borrowed from the Mustang. Sure, the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 is a great engine, it makes more power, but you probably don’t care, because it doesn’t sound and feel like this does. I have spent most of my writing career defending 6-cylinder engines in half-ton trucks, but I gotta give it up: this engine rocks in this truck. I love it.
With 400 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque, it’s got more than enough muscle to hustle itself and ruin the 33-inch General Grabber A/T tires, and it sounds authoritative without being aggressive; a Goldilocks amount of immaturity. It’s not even that hard on gas, as I averaged 14.6L/100km in my time with it, and it doesn’t scale logarithmically if you have a heavy foot like the turbo engines do.
It has to be said: it is a touch illogical. You are paying $1,925 for the privilege of having a mechanically simpler, less powerful, less efficient engine with a lower towing capacity. There’s no shame in admitting that’s a bridge too far for you, and Ford has done a great job getting the 3.5 to sound and feel like a V8, too; I had never driven an F-150 with a Coyote and I didn’t feel like I was missing anything.
Until now. Damn I love this engine. The meaty wub-wub-wub-wub of this thing at idle is enough to make it worth it on its own. And I’ll always have that one-up over the showboating Raptor crowd… unless they have really deep pockets.
Tough stuff
The Tremor package goes a long way towards making the F-150 more capable off road, adding the aforementioned mud tires, a one-inch lift, stiffer shocks, skid plates, a locking 3.73 rear axle, bespoke exhaust, off-road drive modes with trail speed control - along with the signature "Electric Spice" orange visual goodies.
This tester has the 402A equipment pack, which not only makes things nicer inside with a 14-speaker B&O sound system and ambient lighting, but also adds hardcore hardware like a Torsen front differential, modular front bumper, and the same Hi-Lock transfer case from the Raptor.
Suffice to say there are very few places a Raptor could get to that this truck couldn’t also get to. A Raptor's real forte is sticking the landing, and let’s face it, you’re not a kid, buying a truck because it can jump is a little silly.
Also, unlike the Raptor and its fancy multilink rear suspension, the Tremor isn’t restricted in what it can haul; towing capacity is 12,800 pounds and payload capacity is 2,235 pounds. And you can option the split tailgate on this, too. All this truck ability to play hard doesn’t interfere with its ability to work hard.
Driving impressions
This Tremor is a nice truck. It handles itself well, is easy to pilot, and there’s seemingly no penalty for the more aggressive rolling stock and suspenders on the road. It’s quiet and well-insulated, save for a well-toned eight-cylinder thrum in the background. Throttle response is, as you’d expect, pretty much perfect, and Ford’s 10-speed feels exceptionally well suited to this engine.
I’ll concede that Raptor’s exotic suspension geometry puts it in a different league in terms of ride quality, but the Tremor is still very much a comfortable truck that’s a pleasure to drive and live with, and more than capable of holding itself together when you feel like embracing your inner gorilla.
Money
While you can get into an F-150 Tremor for $82,130, this decked out tester with all the Coyote V8, extra he-man hardware, and fancy frills rings in at a tick over a hundred grand; $100,225 to be exact. It is worth mentioning that along with having a wide arsenal of truck tools, it is also very nice; the Tremor trimmings, like the orange piping on the perforated heated and ventilated leather seats, granite-ish trim, along with the excellent tech and audio really help sell this thing. For whatever it’s worth, this is the best-assembled F-150 I can recall driving, too.
Wrap it up
The last Raptor I drove, with about the same degree of on-board luxury, stickered for about ten grand more. The difference with this 2026 F-150 Tremor V8 is that I just kinda prefer everything about it. I like the functional bumper and orange highlights, instead of over-the-top scoops, flares, and graphics. I like the just-as-nice, slightly less racy cabin. I like that it can work as hard as any other F-150. And I love this charismatic Coyote engine. Don’t get me wrong, I like the Raptor for what it is, and it’s a super impressive vehicle, but when I think of what I’d want my badass dream truck to look like, it would probably be a carbon copy of this.