The F-Pace is Jaguar’s first crossover, billed as “a performance SUV with the DNA of a sports car.” It’s one beautiful machine. It is a Jag, after all, designed by Ian Callum.
The five-passenger F-Pace is available in five trims: base, Premium, Prestige, R-Sport and S. Starting prices range from $41,990 to $70,700. Competitors include the Acura RDX, Audi Q5, BMW X3, Porsche Macan, and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class. Frankly, the F-Pace is at or near the top of this group when it comes to sporty performance, spacious interior and its good looks.
Two powertrains are available: a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine that makes 180 horsepower and 318 pound-feet of torque. Or for $1,400 extra, you can choose a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 that makes 340 hp and 332 lb.-ft. The S comes with a 380-horsepower supercharged V6. All engines are paired with an automatic transmission.
I always enjoy the theatrics in driving a Jaguar. Push the start button and the round gearshift knob in the center console rises. It goes back down again when you shut down the engine.
The driving mode selector lets you choose between normal, eco, dynamic and off road/snow settings. Paddle shifters on the steering wheel let you shift manually if desired.
If you like driving a Jagaur, you’ll like driving the F-Pace. It’s sporty and nimble and offers good grip on slick and wet pavement. During good conditions, The F-Pace is rear-wheel-drive which helps give it that sports car feel. Encounter challenging driving conditions and the all-wheel-drive system sends power as needed to the front and rear. I drove it during some winter storms through heavy rains and some snow. Its relatively small size makes it easy to maneuver in busy city traffic and it can squeeze into fairly small parking spaces.
EPA mileage estimates for my tester are 18 mpg city and 23 mpg highway with a combined rating of 20 mpg. I got 20 mpg during my week with a mix of city and highway driving.
The interior is nice but a bit lackluster compared to some competitors. It does offer lots of cargo room with 33.5 cubic feet of storage behind the rear seats and 63.5 cubes with the rear seats folded. The rear seats fold with a 40/20/40 split giving you lots of options in hauling passengers and cargo.
A unique feature: the “Activity Key” lets you leave your keys in the F-Pace if you’d rather not take the keys with you. For example, you’re going hiking or to the beach. Instead you wear a waterproof bracelet similar to a FitBit that lets you unlock the vehicle by putting it near a sensor at the rear liftgate.
The good:
It’s a Jag so it looks great!
It succeeds at being stylish and sporty
Panoramic moonroof gives an airy feel to the cabin
Spacious interior with lots of room for cargo and passengers
Powerful V6
Lots of standard features
Beautiful craftsmanship inside and out, as you’d expect in a Jag
The not so good:
Interior could be more upscale for a luxury brand
Rough ride
InControl Touch multimedia system not as good as some competitors. It can be slow and with few buttons, you have to go through menus and sub-menus for simple tasks such as changing radio stations.
Pricing info:
My tester starts at $55,300.
Dark Sapphire metallic paint is $550. Gloss black roof rails are $350. Activity Key is $400.
Black Design package is $350 and adds gloss black grille and grille surround, gloss black side power vent, and gloss black door cladding finisher.
Comfort and Convenience Package is $1,800 and adds climate front seats, heated rear seats, gesture tailgate, rear seats electric recline, and rear seats remote release.
Technology Package is $3,200 and adds InConrol Touch Pro infotainment system with 10.2-inch touch screen, SSD based navigation, 12.3-inch virtual instrument cluster, Meridian 825-watt surround sound system and InControlWiFi.
Delivery fee is $995 bringing the grand total to $63,095.
