Jaguar

F-Pace

Jaguar’s first ever SUV crossover model – the F-Pace – is available with a choice of engines and a generous selection of richly-equipped trim levels. It looks fabulous, boasts excellent performance stats and is as practical as they come. There is now a Jaguar F-Pace plug-in hybrid model.

The good

Practical, beautifully-styled, feature-rich and economical to run

The bad

Lots of well-established premium SUV models out there

Tech Specs

Price from

£34,170

Combined Fuel up to

57.6mpg (130.2mpg PHEV)

0-62 from

5.0 seconds

max speed up to

155mph

co2 from

49g/km

Test Drive

Jaguar F-Pace PHEV – first drive (2021)

Jaguar has introduced plug-in hybrid technology to its classy F-Pace SUV which also boasts a fresh new look and all the latest technology upgrades.

The five-door F-Pace PHEV line-up ranges from £56,050 to £64,490 and the new design cues include slimmer lights, a new front grille and larger air scoops.

We tested the F-Pace R-Dynamic in high-end HSE grade costing £64,490, increased to £69,015 with options. This model has a 0-60mph sprint time of just 5.0 seconds and maxes out at 149mph while delivering a combined 130.2mpg with carbon emissions of 49-57g/km.

Being an R-Dynamic model, it featured lots of sports-specific detailing to help it stand out in any crowd. These included R-Dynamic bumper finishers, bumper inserts, grille, door cladding and badging. And the 21-inch satin dark grey alloys completed the striking appearance of the car.

The interior also follows the same theme with an R-Dynamic branded leather steering wheel, ebony perforated grained leather sports seats, a satin charcoal ash veneer and metal treadplates with R-Dynamic branding.

The car also showcased the latest Pivi Pro infotainment system, a feature-rich set-up that is accessed via an 11.4-inch display screen. On-board technology on this high-end model is impressive with the likes of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, DAB radio, a Meridian sound system and a full navigation system.

Comfort levels are sublime and finding the perfect driving position is an easy process with a 14-way power-adjustable driver’s seat that can be heated and cooled and has memory settings. There is also an electrically-adjustable steering wheel.

The F-Pace P400e is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol unit developing a combined 404PS with 640Nm and matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Adding the plug-in technology means the car can be driven in pure electric mode for up to 34 miles and charging is a simple process taking approximately 30 minutes to boost the battery from zero to 80 per cent on a fast charger.

When it comes to performance, the F-Pace delivers on all counts. The acceleration through the automatic transmission is smooth and responsive with a constant stream of power on tap for overtaking. There are steering wheel-mounted paddles for added driver engagement and there is a fresh digital tft display behind the steering wheel which offers clear graphics and can be personalised to taste.

It’s easy to switch from EV to Hybrid mode or the car will do this automatically if you are heavy on the throttle or if you put the vehicle into Dynamic drive mode – this also adds a red glow to the instrumentation. And there is a Save option to keep the EV-charge for when it may be needed, such as driving through a congestion charge zone. The car can be driven in EV-only mode at speeds of up to 87mph.

Initially it seems a little strange such a powerhouse of a car starting up, pulling away and being driven in absolute silence, but it’s hard not to be impressed by the refined nature of the F-Pace. Occupants are protected from engine, road surface and wind noise and the highly effective suspension set-up smooths out bumps and dips along the way.

Passenger comfort levels are impressive, with a trio of back seat occupants treated to ample leg, head and elbow room. And with a boot capacity that is virtually the same as the standard car too, Jaguar certainly has all the practicality bases covered. The optional panoramic roof, adding £1,600 to the cost, lets light flood into the cabin.

Safety systems are comprehensive with a number of driver assist aids to help prevent accidents, including lane keep assist, automatic high beam assist, blind spot assist, rear collision monitor, dynamic stability control, hill launch assist, traffic sign recognition and adaptive speed limiters, trailer stability assist, brake pad wear indicator, a driver condition monitor and plenty more besides, with all-wheel drive to keep you motoring in more adverse weather conditions.

All in all, adding PHEV technology to the Jaguar F-Pace has widened the appeal for potential customers. It can cover the average daily commute in EV-only mode so is cost-effective, but has all the longer distance journeys catered for too.

Visit Jaguar for more details.

Test Drive

Jaguar F-Pace D300 Sport (2020)

When Jaguar took the giant leap and announced it was entering the SUV arena it sent shockwaves through the company’s legion of fans – after all this was a car maker associated with sleek, streamlined and elegantly designed sports cars with performance to match.

But any fears were soon quashed when the five-door F-Pace was finally unveiled. Yes, it was higher and bigger than other Big Cat models, but it still looked beautifully styled and possessed all the fire-power and thrilling driving dynamics that were so vital.

That was back in 2016 and now there is an addition to the line-up in the shape of the D300 Sport which boasts handling ability that’s akin to a hot hatch.

The latest F-Pace is powered by a 3.0-litre 300hp V6 diesel engine matched to an eight-speed automatic gearbox and can sprint to 62mph from a standing start in a very respectable 6.4 seconds, maxing out at 150mph. According to official figures, this model can deliver a combined 35.2-37.9mpg under stricter WLTP testing with carbon emissions of 170g/km.

And it certainly looks the business too with its muscular lines, privacy glass, panoramic roof, twin exhaust pipes and 22-inch alloys.

But the 300 Sport also has a whole range of model-specific design cues to help it stand out in the F-Pace line-up. These include dark satin grey accents on the gloss black grille’s surround, the front bumper valance, side window surrounds, mirror caps and door finishers. There are gloss black roof rails, 300 Sport branded black brake calipers, plus 300 Sport grille and tailgate badging.

Move inside and the 300 Sport emblem is prominent once again and is embossed into the seat headrests, carpet mats, along with the soft grain leather heated steering wheel.

Comfort levels within the car are sublime with fully powered soft leather sports seats to help find that perfect driving position. And once settled there’s a whole host of techno treats to explore, including a 10-inch Touch Pro infotainment system, full smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, sat nav, a Meridian sound system, a DVD/CD player, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi hotspot, DAB radio and plenty more besides.

And when it comes to performance, this 300 Sport model lives up to high expectations too. Out on the open road, the acceleration through the gears is blisteringly quick with steering wheel mounted paddles for extra driver engagement. The road holding is akin to a sportier hatchback with oodles of grip into bends and, despite its high-sided styling, there is no sign of body sway into sharp corners – it feels well and truly planted.

There are different drive modes called Dynamic, Comfort, Eco and Rain/Ice/Snow that alter the manner in which the car responds and reacts, with Dynamic proving the most exciting out on the country lanes.

On fast-moving motorways, the F-Pace quickly reaches the national speed limit but, be warned, keep a watchful eye on that speedo as the car has so much more to give. There is minimal noise intrusion from the engine or road surface at higher speeds, but there is a little wind sound from the large side mirrors.

The car is also nice and agile in busier town centres where the elevated driving position results in good all-round visibility, although the rear window is fairly narrow due to the sloping rear-end design of the car.

Back seat passengers have ample space to stretch out and the F-Pace is a practical choice too with a boot capacity that ranges from 650 litres to 1,740 litres with the split-folding rear seats dropped flat. Elsewhere there are front and rear cup holders, a lockable glovebox, door pockets, nets in the seat backs, a drop-down sunglasses compartment and a deep central cubby box where the USB, micro sim and 12V socket outlets are located.

As one would expect, the vehicle is packed with safety kit to protect occupants and pedestrians alike, along with a range of driver aids to help prevent accidents happening in the first place. And it’s worth noting too, that this car has AWD so it will keep you moving no matter what Mother Nature has in store.

All in all, the F-Pace 300 Sport is an outstanding piece of kit that adds a very dynamic edge to the premium SUV sector. Buyers may be put off a little by the £54,990 price-tag (£59,685 with options), but they are getting a whole lot of car for the outlay and it has the World Car of the Year accolade in the trophy cabinet too.

Test Drive

Jaguar F-Pace Portfolio 2.0D AWD

When Jaguar took the bold step and announced it was introducing an SUV to its dynamic line-up it sent gasps of disbelief through its faithful fanbase who worshipped the marque for its beautifully-crafted streamlined sports cars.

But any fears were quickly dispelled because Jaguar launched the F-Pace. Yes, it is an SUV, but it boasts all the creative styling associated with the Jaguar name and, perhaps most importantly, it drives like a demon.

Whatever angle you approach the car from it is immediately clear to see that Jaguar has drawn on its decades of experience designing and building luxury sports cars – and that know-how has been utilised to create the F-Pace. Eye-catching features include sweeping lines with a bold, muscular and athletic stance. There is a sliding panoramic sunroof, chrome roof rails, Xenon headlights with LED Blade daytime running lights, twin tailpipes, LED tail lights, privacy glass, satin chrome radiator surrounds and side power vents, along with 20-inch alloys to complete the look.

Move inside the F-Pace and the interior is both spacious and upmarket in its layout. And, of course, there’s a whole host of techno treats and creature comforts to be explored. Our Portfolio-spec model featured the likes of Ebony Windsor leather trim, a Navigation Pro system with Meridian surround sound music system, ambient lighting, Bluetooth connectivity, DAB radio, 2-zone climate control, a head-up display, plus a rather clever 10-inch dual view touchscreen so the passenger can watch a movie on the go while the driver sees the more traditional information.

The high-quality leather seats boast 10-way power adjustment with memory settings and they can be heated to fend off the winter chill. In the back, there is ample space for a trio of adults to sit comfortably and storage options also impress with a boot capacity that ranges from 650 to 1,740 litres with the 40:20:40 split folding rear seats dropped flat. Elsewhere, there is a lockable glovebox, a centre console storage box, front and rear cup holders, deep door pockets, a front armrest with storage bin and luggage ties to stop items rolling around in the boot.

Our car had a £47,115 price-tag although a number of optional extras bumped the cost up to £63,274. It was powered by a 2-0-litre turbocharged diesel engine delivering 240PS and it could sprint to 62mph from a standing start in 7.2 seconds, maxing out at 135mph. According to official figures, the F-Pace can achieve combined fuel economy of 48.7mpg with carbon emissions of 153g/km.

But despite all the luxury and stand-out design cues, it’s the way in which the F-Pace performs on the road that really impresses and that is always a vitally important factor for Jaguar owners old and new. Unlike many high-sided SUV-styled vehicles, the F-Pace can be thrown into corners with confidence – there is minimal body movement and the road holding is ultra-grippy. At all times, it feels beautifully balanced and poised as it glides across the Tarmac and even the rougher road surfaces are dealt with by the efficient suspension system that irons out all but the most severe bumps and dips along the way – and that was on larger 20-inch wheels that were a £1,255 optional extra.

There is a constant supply of power on tap at all times and the acceleration through the eight-speed automatic gearbox is perfectly timed. There are steering wheel-mounted paddles if you want to take control of the gear changes.

The F-Pace is a car that is happy powering along motorways where it quickly reaches the national speed limit or being unleashed on twisting country lanes. It’s also nimble when manoeuvring through the congestion in busy city centres, where the Advance Parking Assist Pack with surround camera costing £1,930 extra, will make you look an expert when squeezing into a tiny parking space.

When it comes to refinement the F-Pace scores highly with a cabin that remains well-insulated from any road surface, engine or wind noise and the comfort levels are impressive too. I completed a 200-mile-plus trip in one go and still got out of the car feeling pretty refreshed.

But it’s not just on the road that the F-Pace scores well. It is a very capable off-road car too – if anyone is brave enough to take a vehicle costing more than £60k far away from the Tarmac. However, the assurance of all-wheel drive ability is very comforting during winter months when you can wake up to a couple of inches of snow.

The F-Pace, is loaded with safety kit and driver aids and received the maximum five starts when it was tested for its Euro NCAP safety rating. Features include autonomous emergency braking, dynamic stability control and traction control, emergency brake assist, lane departure warning, trailer stability assist, hill launch assist, blind spot monitoring and reverse traffic detection, numerous airbags, plus plenty more besides.

All in all, the F-Pace is an outstanding all-rounder. It offers all the practicality of a premium-styled SUV, but still remains true to its Jaguar DNA and heritage with driving dynamics that will impress the most devoted ‘big cat’ enthusiast.

Test Drive

Jaguar F-Pace R-Sport 2.0d 180PS AWD

Simply mention the Jaguar name and it conjures up all sorts of images of beautifully sleek and elegant cars that have fashioned a glowing heritage in racing glory over the decades, but now the all-new F-Pace has taken the premium marque in a totally different direction into the ranks of the fiercely competitive SUV market.

Thankfully the Jaguar design team has remained faithful to the C-X17 concept car that caused gasps of amazement when it was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show back in 2013 – the F-Pace somehow manages to look aggressive and graceful at the same time and it’s guaranteed to turn heads wherever it passes. Eye-catching design cues include a muscular bonnet, powerful rear haunches, 20-inch black alloys, narrow windows, gloss black roof rails, twin tailpipes, a distinctive black mesh grille, Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, front and rear fog lights, privacy glass, plenty of R-Sport body kit and a fixed panoramic sunroof that lets light flood into the cabin.

Step inside and it’s impossible not to be wowed by the build quality within the cabin – you are surrounded by premium materials and there is a wealth of technology to be explored. Features include an 8-inch touchscreen, a pitch perfect sound system with DAB radio, sat nav, iPod integration and all the connectivity capabilities to satisfy the most demanding of techno fans.

There are elegant, red leather seats that can be powered in every direction and heated to beat off the winter chill, plus the abundance of soft-touch materials along with smart instrumentation is another gentle reminder that this is no ordinary SUV.

The test car was powered by Jaguar’s 2.0-litre 180PS turbocharged Ingenium diesel engine mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. It can sprint from to 62mph from a standing start in 8.7 seconds, maxes out at 129mph and according to official figures it can deliver combined fuel efficiency of 53.3mpg with carbon emissions of 139g/km.

When it comes to performance, the F-Pace certainly lives up to its name – it’s rapid, responsive and deceptively quick yet it also remains beautifully agile and balanced at the same time. Whilst many rivals are great performers on faster motorway roads but suffer from too much body roll on twisting country lanes, this is an area where the F-Pace excels. The road-holding is completely assured and the steering precise which means that it’s easy to forget you are driving a large SUV model when whizzing along narrow, winding roads.

On the motorways, it simply glides along effortlessly with very little engine or road surface noise to speak of. The acceleration is instant and the option of steering wheel-mounted paddles adds to the fun factor. In addition, Jaguar Drive Control allows you to adjust the modes to suit your particular driving style.

On-board comfort levels are exceptionally high with ample space for five adults to stretch out in style. And the enormous boot can swallow up 650 litres of luggage – a capacity that can quickly be increased to 1,740 litres with the 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat. Elsewhere there are numerous storage compartments, including a generously-sized glovebox, a central bin, cup holders, deep door pockets and a section to keep your sunglasses safe.

In true Jaguar tradition, the F-Pace is packed to bursting with safety kit, including the likes of dynamic stability control and traction control, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition with intelligent speed limiter, autonomous emergency braking, trailer stability control, six airbags, emergency brake assist and plenty more besides. In addition, the F-Pace is an all-wheel-drive vehicle so you won’t be caught out by one of Mother Nature’s unexpected mood swings.

All in all, the F-Pace is a most welcome addition to the SUV scene and one that gained lots of amazed looks when I played ‘guess the price’ with some friends. They all over-estimated by at least £20k when in fact the car is priced at a competitive £40,360 (£44,770 with a few options added) and that makes it a rather exceptional all-rounder.