Introduction
Jaguar has made its name in premium and well-performing saloons and sports cars, but with market tastes moving towards SUVs and off-road-inspired vehicles, it was time that the British brand followed suit.
As the firm’s first SUV, the F-Pace has a lot to live up to when compared to its rivals from BMW, Mercedes and Audi – who all offer large SUVs with plenty of practicality and performance.
Based on the same chassis as the XF, the first signs for the F-Pace are good, and when it also comes with a stylish body, Jaguar could already be one to a winner on its first time out in the SUV business.
But can Jaguar translate great driving dynamics from its saloon and sports car models into a built-up off-roader? We take the F-Pace for a spin…
Performance
Under the bonnet of the F-Pace R Sport we tested was a 2.0-litre diesel four-cylinder unit that produced 178bhp and 430Nm of torque – the engine most likely to be chosen by customers. It was paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive, meaning smooth driving and offering plenty of traction.
With that powertrain, the F-Pace can get from 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds and can reach a top speed of 129mph – par for the course for an SUV of this size and power output. This model also with All Surface Progress Control, which can help you navigate off-road conditions by controlling the speed and steering at speeds up to 19mph.
Ride & Handling
When you get out into the countryside and on twistier roads, the F-Pace comes into its own! Jaguar has managed to set the SUV up so that it handles as well as its saloons, with the steering feeling responsive and direct without putting you on edge. It’s as easy to drive as its XF chassis sibling, and that’s rather comforting in a big SUV.
With the sportier set up, you would expect the F-Pace to feel firm, but Jaguar has combated that by making it comfortable when cruising for good long range driving. The suspension and chassis is well-engineered so that the SUV feels balanced and can also soak up many of the bumps you’ll find on British roads.
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Interior & Equipment
As with most other SUVs, space isn’t a problem with the F-Pace and Jaguar has packaged the mid-size model really well. You get plenty of passenger space in the front and rear, with leg and elbow room not at a premium. The boot is also rather large, with 650 litres on offer with the standard seating layout, and a gargantuan 1,740 litres with the rear seats folded down.
The F-Pace comes handsomely equipped from its base level Prestige trim, which comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, chrome roof rails, front and rear parking aids, cruise control with speed limiter, the InControl infotainment system with satellite navigation, autonomous emergency braking, Bluetooth with smartphone connectivity and split fold rear seats. You also get traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning, torque vectoring, dynamic stability with traction control, a powered boot and a full speaker system. All of that means that any F-Pace you choose will have more than enough kit without needing to add much more.
In R-Sport spec, you get all of that kit as well as a set of R Sport-specific touches, such as an R Sport body kit, a multifunctional steering wheel, metallic sport pedals, a leather instrument panel topper, 19-inch alloy wheels and leather sports seats.
Cost
Prices for the F-Pace start from £36,520, putting it in line with rivals, such as the BMW X5, Audi Q5 and Mercedes GLE. In the R Sport trim we tried, the base price was £43,200, and when you consider the equipment on offer it’s good value.
With the diesel engine under the bonnet, Jaguar claims a combined mpg of 47.9 for its 60-litre fuel tank and emissions in the region of 157g/km – not bad for a mid-size SUV.
Verdict
If you’re after an SUV that ticks every box you can think of in terms of performance, practicality and equipment, then this could very well be the car for you. Not only does it look great, it drives well and has more space than you might ever need in a day-to-day situation. It’s also comfortable on most roads – both tarmacked and less well-trodden. As first time efforts go, this Jaguar SUV is right up there with the very best and can certainly hold a torch to its more established German rivals.
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