Jaguar F-Pace Review

The Jaguar F-Pace was pretty heavily improved in 2021 with a revised engine line-up, improved interior quality and fresh technology. If your budget will stretch to a nearly-new model, we'd highly recommend opting for a post-facelift example. The diesels make sense for a lot of buyers (the plug-in hybrid probably isn't worth the expense unless you're a company car driver) – we rate the bigger six-cylinder units, although the entry-level 2.0-litre diesel is fine if you're watching the pennies.

Just like the (excellent) Volvo XC60, the Jaguar F-Pace is a slightly obscure alternative to premium SUVs like the Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLC and BMW X3. You could also compare it to the sporty Porsche Macan, or in-house rival the Range Rover Velar. Italy’s answers to the Jaguar F-Pace include the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Maserati Levante.

Earlier Jaguar F-Pace models are a bit of a mixed bag in terms of interior quality. All trim levels come with some kind of leather seats (albeit faux-leather on some) and there are some neat high-quality features (like the pop-up rotary gear selector we mentioned above). That said, some of the buttons feel a bit flimsy and you'll find some below-par materials if you look for them. It's just not as convincing as a Mercedes-Benz GLC.

Things changed dramatically with the 2021 update, though. It's like Jaguar's accountants suddenly found some extra cash for giving the F-Pace the interior it should have. Gone are the cheaper-feeling materials and in their place, you'll find lovely, soft-touch materials. We'd look for one with real leather for the full premium car ambience.

As well as improved interior quality, the 2021 Jaguar F-Pace comes with a much more impressive infotainment display. With its stylish 11.4-inch screen and sharp graphics, we reckon it's one of the best systems on the market. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, meaning you can mirror apps from your smartphone, while all the menus are easy to navigate. If we had one criticism, it's a shame it's reliant on touchscreen operation – there's no rotary controller like that used by BMW's iDrive system.

Older Jaguar F-Pace models come with an 8.0-inch touchscreen display which looked dated even when it was new. The graphics are noticeably low resolution compared to the latest system, while there's no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto either. The bigger InControl Pro system with its 10.2-inch display is better.

While entry-level grades come with old-fashioned analogue dials, higher-spec models come with an interactive display. Although not as customisable as Audi's Virtual Cockpit, these look pretty smart and provide all the information you could possibly need. There's also an optional head-up display available, projecting info like your speed onto the windscreen.

While the Jaguar F-Pace might feel slightly claustrophobic at first (particularly if you buy one without the panoramic roof), it's actually very spacious. It's slightly bigger than cars like the BMW X3, and that means there's more interior space. There's loads of room in the front (even with the aforementioned panoramic sunroof – a feature that can sometimes eat into headroom), while the high-up seating position gives you a feeling of superiority.

Space in the back is more than adequate, especially for children. Three broad-shouldered adults might find things a little tight, but there's more room than in the back of a Porsche Macan. There are Isofix mounting points on the outer rear seats, while easy access helps when fitting child seats.

The boot can lug up to 613 litres of luggage, which is more than the majority of rivals can manage. If you need even more space, the rear seats split 40/20/40 to increase capacity to 1440 litres. An electric tailgate is standard fit on most models – you'll soon appreciate how important this is once you've tried to close the F-Pace's boot while carrying shopping bags.

There's a relatively low load lip, which also helps when carrying luggage, while optional accessories like the loadspace partition net and loadspace storage rails (part of the Loadspace Practicality Pack) will stop your shopping from sliding around.

There's pretty much an engine to suit every buyer with the F-Pace. The current diesel line-up consists of two four-cylinder mild-hybrid units (badged the D165 and D200), as well as a more potent 3.0-litre straight-six badged the D300. Being 'mild-hybrid' doesn't mean that you can cruise around town in silence – rather, there's a teeny tiny battery and electric motor on hand to provide assistance during acceleration (and allow the car to coast to a stop with the engine off).

The standard petrol engines consist of a straightforward 2.0-litre motor (labelled the P200 and doing without mild-hybrid tech), as well as a punchy six-cylinder 3.0-litre P400 model (this one a mild-hybrid).

While there isn't an electric Jaguar F-Pace (the Jaguar I-Pace caters for that market), a plug-in hybrid model arrived in 2021. This sports a P400e badge and uses the same 2.0-litre petrol unit as the P200, combined with a 17.1kWh battery pack and an electric motor on the front axle. The result is a car that can theoretically travel under electric power alone at speeds of up to 87mph and up to 33 miles in distance.

If you're not fussed about being woke, there's also a range-topping SVR model with the kind of supercharged 5.0-litre V8 engine that eats hybrids for breakfast. With 550PS and 700Nm of torque (up from 680Nm on earlier models), this obliterates the 0-62mph sprint in 4.0 seconds flat (or 4.3 seconds on pre-facelift cars). It's one of the quickest SUVs on sale and feels about as close to a load-lugging supercar as you're going to get.

Older F-Pace models were offered with a manual gearbox and two-wheel drive, but these sold in very small numbers. The range went four-wheel drive and automatic only from 2021.

As you'd expect for a premium SUV like the Jaguar F-Pace, all models do a decent job of drowning out the outside world. The plug-in hybrid P400e is particularly refined around town, provided the battery's charged and it can run on electric power. You can flick through various modes, choosing to force the car to run under electric power (if possible) or to run the petrol engine and charge the battery. This means you can deploy the electricity when it's best suited, so in town for example. We reckon most drivers will just leave it in auto, though.

The mild-hybrid P400e might not be able to run under electric power, but its six-cylinder burble is quite a distinctive sound - pleasant, without being intrusive. The SVR is much noisier, particularly during harsh acceleration, but that's part of the character of the car. It can certainly settle down into a quiet cruise when you want it to. High-spec models come with active noise cancellation which adds to the hushness of the F-Pace's cabin.

The Jaguar F-Pace is loaded with equipment to help you avoid a collision. Autonomous emergency braking is standard across the range – so the car will apply the brakes if it thinks you're about to crash – while lane keep assist will nudge your steering if you start to inadvertently venture from your lane. There's a driver condition monitor, which will tell you when it's time to take a break, while traffic sign recognition will remind you of the speed limit.

SE models and above come with a few desirable driver-assistance features (available elsewhere as optional extras). These include blind spot assist, clear exit motor and rear traffic monitor – all designed to alert you to other road users that may otherwise be out of your view.

When Euro NCAP crash tested the Jaguar F-Pace in 2017, it awarded it a full five stars for safety. This includes a 93% score for adult occupants and 85% for children.

A Jaguar F-Pace D165 will be the most affordable to insure thanks to its 28E insurance group. A mid-range R-Dynamic model with the D200 engine falls into insurance group 35E, while the SVR is (unsurprisingly) in the highest insurance category, group 50E.

It's worth noting that the plug-in hybrid P400 is also quite expensive to insure, as it's been placed into group 43e in R-Dynamic trim. That's comparable with rivals, though, and we'd always recommend shopping around for insurance quotes (particularly if you're a relatively new driver).

Jaguar F-Pace models registered since the beginning of April 2017 will cost £150 a year in VED (road tax), plus an extra £325 a year in premium car tax for five years for those with a list price of more than £40,000 (that’s most of them). Plug-in and mild-hybrid options qualify for a £10/year discount.

Cars registered before April 2017 will be taxed depending on their CO2 emissions. This could provide quite a significant saving, so it might be worth hunting out an early model. If you really want free car tax, you'll need to look at an electric alternative like the Jaguar I-Pace.

The standard F-Pace comes with LED headlights, 19-inch alloy wheels and power-folding door mirrors. Inside, the F-Pace features faux-leather seats, an 11.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), and a heated steering wheel and front seats (with eight-way electric adjustment). Tech highlights include a 3D surround camera, lane-keep assist and traffic sign recognition with adaptive speed limiter.

Upgrade to an F-Pace S model and you'll get an electric tailgate and real leather seats (with 12-way electric adjustment in the front). Desirable features on the F-Pace SE include 16-way electric seat adjustment, a digital driver display and the blind spot assist pack. It also comes with 20-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and animated indicators.

For ultimate luxury, look for a Jaguar F-Pace HSE. Standard kit includes 21-inch alloy wheels, a premium audio system and the driver assist pack (with adaptive cruise control, blind spot assist and rear collision monitor). 

Each model's also available in R-Dynamic flavour, with some sporty exterior and interior upgrades (including a body kit and an R-Dynamic brand leather steering wheel).

While most people buy a Jaguar F-Pace SVR for its V8 engine, further highlights include its 21-inch alloy wheels, red brake calipers and quad tailpipes. Inside, you'll find a bespoke steering wheel and 14-way heated and cooled front Performance seats finished in part leather.