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You may already know that the F-150 is the best-selling vehicle in the country. That means there are plenty of trim levels, and nearly all of them have 4-wheel drive. While any 4x4 F-150 will get you in and out of the worksite or take you down a well-worn trail, Ford offers two models for those seeking the particularly rough and rugged. What is the difference between them? Benna Ford explains. The difference can be summed up in their names. Experiencing a tremor is a cause for concern. Experiencing a raptor would be a far more intense experience than anyone who has seen the first Jurassic Park movie will tell you. Tremor The Tremor was originally an option package but has since become its own trim. It starts with having a standard 4x4. Then, including all of the hardware found in the FX4 Off-Road package, including: Locking rear axle Off-road-tuned front shock absorbers Monotube rear shocks Rock Crawl Mode Hill Descent Control Skid plates for the fuel tank, transfer case, and front differential To that, the Tremor adds: Selectable Drive modes Raptor Hi-Lock Transfer Case Trail Control with trail 1-pedal drive and Trail Turn Assist 33-inch all-terrain tires over 18-inch matte-finish wheels Additional Tremor aesthetic trim. Available modular front bumper with two hooks and integrated fog lamps that can easily accommodate an added brush bar or light bar. The Tremor comes standard with the legendary 5.0-liter V8, which produces 400 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque. It is also available in the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, which produces 400 horsepower but boosts peak torque up to 510 lb-ft. Power should be no problem with either choice, particularly since the Tremor is best at attacking rough terrain at slow speeds. The Trail Control system facilitates this by acting as an off-road, rough-terrain cruise control and Hill Descent Control, which controls speed down steep hills. Raptor and Raptor R The Raptor is for the less patient. Indeed, this is the primary difference between the two. The Tremor will get you almost anywhere, while the Raptor will get you almost anywhere at absurd speeds. The Raptor is designed to take a beating and, in fact, was the first full-size pickup designed to take jumps. Key features include: 35-inch all-terrain tires Five-link coil spring rear suspension with Panhard rod High-output, gas-pressurized, electronically controlled, continuously variable compression damping FOX Racing Shox™ Heavy-duty skid plates 14-inch front wheel travel and 15-inch rear wheel travel. All this is designed to create a truck that can fly over rough trails at speeds that should perturb anyone invested in self-preservation. Then, the Raptor R takes it a step further with a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 that produces 720 hp @ 6,650 rpm and 640 lb-ft of torque @ 4,300 rpm. The tire size increases to 37 inches, and they are mounted to 17-inch forged aluminum alloy beadlock-capable wheels, which results in a very tall sidewall. There is nothing subtle about the Raptor R's appearance with its own grille, hood vent, and other Raptor R exterior and interior trim. Which Is For You? To conclude, the Tremor is ready to take on just about any terrain you are likely to encounter while still being a comfortable daily driver that can get things done. Its starting MSRP is $64,350. The Raptor is for the truly committed who likes their thrill-seeking at speed, and that velocity sets you back with a starting MSRP of $78,440. The Raptor R package is another $31,925, which brings the MSRP to $113,055. As mentioned, the Raptor R is for the truly committed, but for those so inclined, there is no substitute. Tremors and Raptors are niche products that are not always found in the Benna Ford inventory. If none is found, check with one of our sales professionals to find you one. Keep in mind that Benna also deals with tuner specialists such as Roush, Tuscany, Waldoch, and Shelby, who have their own take on off-road-focused F-150 models. If you like to run off-road, Benna Ford is the place to go.

MotorTrend did what few actual off-road truck shoppers will have the opportunity to do. They compared Ford's ultimate off-road flier, the 700 hp gas-powered F-150 Raptor R, to the 1000 hp electron-powered Hummer EV 3X. While measuring these two vehicles side by side doesn’t quite seem like an apples-to-apples comparison, Benna Ford believes that the contrast brings forward the best of both powerhouse vehicles. The Moon and Terra Firma Perhaps inspired by the Hummer’s lunar-surface-themed interior details, Motor Trend starts their comparison with a reference to the Lunar Roving Vehicle, which was used on the Apollo 15, 16, and 17 missions. Colorfully describing it as “a $10 million buggy that looked like a pair of lawn chairs bolted to a VW Beetle floorplan”, they illustrate it as embodying “ that treasured American value that we still hold dear today: Why walk when you can drive?” It is a viable comment since both the Hummer and Raptor R devote a lot of horsepower and hardware to something that can cover ground more easily traversed by two legs and a decent pair of hiking boots. Big and Quick MotorTrend quickly points out that while the Hummer’s three motors produce 43% more horsepower than the Raptor’s Supercharged 5.2-liter V8, it also weighs 49% more, thus delivering similar power-to-weight ratios. Nevertheless, in a drag race, the instant electric motor torque with the Watts to Freedom (WTF) mode temporary power boost gets the 9,000-pound Hummer from rest to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds, which is 0.8 seconds faster than the Raptor. They point out that before launch, the WTF mode creates a vibration in the seats and a low rumble in the speakers to simulate what the Raptor does naturally. A first glance at either vehicle would cause one to assume that they ride rough on the road. However, suspensions specializing in compliance from dune-jumping actually give them a soft ride on the highway, though this comes at the expense of a fair amount of roll in the curves and longer braking distances. One is an Off-Road Monster While the Hummer’s four-wheel steering makes it more nimble in parking lots, it ironically becomes an issue off-road where tire placement is essential. “When you're not used to it, it's just one more thing to plan for. Oh, and if there's a practical use for the wow-factor, diagonal-driving Crab Walk mode, we haven't found it.” When it comes to the fun these trucks are built for, the Raptor R was the clear winner. “Its ability to turn small humps into big air and big air into cushy landings makes it the ultimate big-kid toy…the Raptor R traverses sand, mud, boulders, and slick rock with the casual competence of a Lexus making a Starbucks run.” By contrast, the Hummer, already with an as-tested price over $5K more than the Raptor, really needed an extra $10K Extreme Off-Road package, which allows the truck to catch up with locking front and rear differentials, rear recovery hooks, front skid plates, and mud-terrain tires on 18-inch wheels. Without it, the Hummer was described as clumsy off-road, more so than any other EV they have driven off-road. MotorTrend says, “...buyers shouldn't need to shell out $10K for basic competence.” They Can Tow, But… While they have no shortage of power or structural robustness, the soft suspension of both models reduces their towing capacity to 8,700 pounds for the Raptor R and 8,500 pounds for the Hummer. If you want to tow something big, there are other F-150 models capable of up to 14,000 pounds, and as far as the Hummer is concerned, towing with EVs still means you better not plan on going far. The Verdict The “verdict” for each vehicle sums things up perfectly: For the Hummer, it was “Everything about the GMC Hummer EV is outrageous—including how much it struggled off-road.” And for the Raptor R: “It crawls! It jumps! It sprints! It shouts! It's a Raptor R, and there is no substitute.” As you may have guessed by now, the Raptor R is a specialty vehicle at Benna Ford. However, if you are interested in this monster performance truck, contact one of our sales professionals, and we will source one for you.