When Ford introduced the F-150 Tremor variant, it presented an option to buyers who wanted more off-road capabilities than the FX4 package but not the exuberance of the Baja-ready Raptor. While the Tremor has only carried a single EcoBoost engine option for the 2023 model year, Ford Authority reports that the company is giving consumers what they’ve been calling for: the 5.0-liter Coyote V8.

What Is the Coyote V8?

A little over a decade ago, to compete with the General Motors (GM) 6.2-liter LS3 and Chrysler’s 6.4-liter Hemi, Ford replaced its modular 4.6-liter and 5.4-liter V8s with a much more efficient and powerful 5.0-liter engine. Ford said goodbye to the two-value-per-cylinder pushrod design in favor of a 32-valve, dual overhead camshaft (DOHC) configuration now seen in the Mustang GT and the F-150.

According to Ford Authority, redesigned cylinder heads and larger valves improved airflow in the third-generation Coyote V8 engine that debuted in 2018. Ford engineers punched out the block to 307 cu-in, using the cylinder walls from the Shelby GT350’s Voodoo V8 to reduce weight, according to Vehicle History. Although the F-150 gets a Coyote with milder cams and a lower compression ratio, it still has “all the muscle you need,” Ford purports.

F-150 Coyote V8 performance figures

The 2023 Ford F-150 Tremor will be fitted with the previous year’s Coyote V8 from the F-150, which produces 400 naturally-aspirated hp and 410 lb-ft of torque. This results in a drop in torque from the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter Ecoboost V6, which puts out 500 lb-ft but has the same horsepower rating.

Yet, power for the Coyote V8 is intelligently-enhanced using Ford’s twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) and a port-fuel direct-injection (PFDI) system. Fuel mileage is conserved with the company’s new Variable Displacement Engine (VDE) technology. Per Ford’s patent, the VDE reduces displacement in low torque situations like highway driving or idling, increasing manifold pressure to reduce fuel intake-driven engine friction, thus resulting in reduced energy consumption. The F-150’s Coyote V8 can achieve an EPA-rated 18 mpg in the city and 14 mpg on the highway, according to the site Fuel Economy, compared to the EcoBoost’s 18 mpg city and highway, respectively.

Ford states the twin-turbo V6 engine has a 14,000-pound towing capacity, and the current Coyote-powered F-150 can manage 13,000 pounds. Even with 90 lb-ft of torque less, buyers will lose little weight-pulling prowess to gain a tremendous V8 burble.

2023 Ford F-150 Tremor specs

Ford’s Tremor package isn’t just an upcharge for appearance features. Beyond Ford’s thumping V8 engine, the Tremor trim level comes with a load of tech and off-road enhancements. 

The 2023 Ford F-150 Tremor has upgraded suspension with greater travel, twin tubes in the rear tuned with softer dampening for a more comfortable ride, a locking rear differential, and the Raptor’s front Torsen limited-slip differential, transfer case, and front skid plate. The Ford F-150 Tremor has improved approach, breakover, and departure angles and more total travel than the FX4 with an increased suspension height of 1 inch in the front and 1.5 inches in the back. Available Ford F-150 Tremor off-road technology includes enhanced Trail Control, Trail One-Pedal Drive, and Trail Turn Assist. 

Prices have not been announced, but Ford Authority states the base 400A trim package has been dropped, which means the new Tremor trim could be at least $6,000 more expensive above its current $55,915 MSRP, given the price differences between the standard trim level and the 401A mid-level equipment.

Although the Coyote V8 engine will come standard in a 2023 Ford F-150 Tremor, the Ecoboost engine is still an option for those willing to trade the V8 soundtrack for more torque.

Should you buy a 2023 Ford F-150 Tremor?

The 2023 Ford F-150 Tremor represents a pleasing middle ground between the FX4 trim package and the all-new, hand-built 5.2-liter Predator V8-powered Raptor R. However, the newest variation of the F-150’s desert-bashing offroader starts at an MSRP of $109,145, Car and Driver reports.

Ford’s Tremor will save consumers from going into the aftermarket for suspension upgrades and other popular off-road accouterments. Moreover, since there’s no need for an additional intercooler in the V8 model, issues with fitting a front-mounted winch to EcoBoost models are mitigated.