2020 GMC Sierra 1500 vs 2021 Ford Ranger

It’s no surprise that trucks have improved and evolved over the years. After all, think about an average sedan from the early 1980s compared with a modern 2020 vehicle. Yet because pickup trucks are largely confined to a common shape, many shoppers are still surprised to see how nice they have become. This is especially true if your memory of trucks includes a vinyl bench seat.

Modern trucks heavily incorporate utility-minded innovations. Cargo-management tools, side steps, and bed steps make for a more useful vehicle. Under the hood, turbocharging has made V6 and even 4-cylinder engines usable, delivering the power of the larger engines they aim to supplant. And finally, cabins have become nicer and more comfortable than previously imagined for a pickup.

This evolution speaks to how trucks get used as family vehicles that can also do work. There are the work trucks, but there are also trucks like the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500, which has many of the creature comforts of SUVs and crossovers. It says “I want a truck, but I could probably be used as a minivan.”

But somewhere in the middle sits Sierra's AT4 trim. It’s comfortable, sure, but it’s also capable. Does that make it a good fit for both the worksite and the daily commute?

Ford is no stranger to off-roading and has offered FX4 option packages for its pickup trucks for years. The Tremor, however, is relatively new.

Briefly used on a sport-truck version of the 2014 F-150, where the name signaled a regular cab model fortified with Ford’s twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine, the Tremor name reappeared on the updated 2020 F-Series Super Duty. Since then, Ford has expanded it to both the 2021 F-150 and 2021 Ranger lineups.

Tremor now signifies a Ford truck with the credentials to tackle difficult terrain. We’re not talking the high-speed, Baja-blasting type of driving for which the F-150 Raptor is purpose-built. We’re talking about low-speed rock crawling.

For the 2021 Ford Ranger, Tremor equipment is one of a handful of changes to the midsize pickup for the model year. Other news includes a new STX Special Edition Package, a Black Package, and minor equipment changes.