Jaguar F Pace Review

The Jaguar F Pace SUV was the first of its kind from the brand when it launched in 2016. Full of attitude and impressive technology it's been at the forefront of the upmarket SUV class. They cleverly took many of the successful features from other models in the brand and paired it with a solid SUV body design.

It's a strong entry into the class and competes against obvious options like the BMW X3 and the Audi Q5 but even goes up against the Mercedes GLC or the Porsche Macan thanks to it's high quality and sold engine options.

Our Jaguar F Pace review talks you through the model and it's various options to help you choose which one is best for you.

Design and Interior

The F Pace was given a refresh in 2020 to have a much slimmer front, rear LED lights, a restyle of the bodywork, and the iconic larger grille which gives it a demanding presence on the roads.

Inside, Whether it's the 12 way electric seats in the S model, the Windsor leather of the HSE, or the panoramic roof in the 300 and 400 Sport you are guaranteed to be surrounded by the highest standard of features and style that the Jaguar brand can offer.

The cabin is designed with such a clear vision for user experience thanks to the 11.4 inch touchscreen which sits pretty in the middle of the centre console. It's built up and ready to go with the Pivi Pro system and an online pack, surrounded by an aluminium finisher and seamlessly flowing down into the climate and driving controls further down.

The front sports seats are leather, with the option to upgrade to Windsor leather, and all of the finishing materials inside are of a much higher quality than previous versions of the F Pace, making it feel more expensive than it is. There's the option to add in additional features like a driver's heads up display, just in case the F Pace's standard equipment isn't enough.

Comfort and Practicality

Jaguar's first SUV has nailed the amount of space needed for an SUV and the F Pace will fit five adult passengers thanks to its SUV body shape.

The front seats have 1007mm of headroom and 977mm of legroom, with the headroom losing 47mm if you opt for a panoramic roof. This is paired with 12 way electric heated seats as a standard, but these can be upgraded to 16 way electric heated and cooled across the range. The BMW X3 has a little less height at 1045mm but has more legroom at 1024mm. Overall the two work out quite comparably for front passengers.

Passengers sitting in the spacious back seats benefit from 977mm of headroom and 944mm of legroom, a little boxier than in the front but not by much. The middle seat is flat too so a much more comfortable place for a fifth passenger to sit, even when the headroom is reduced a little to 952mm with a panoramic roof option.

The boot has a 613 litre capacity which is ideal for golf clubs or suitcases for the whole family when you go on holiday. In comparison, the BMW X3, Audi Q5, and Mercedes GLC all have 550 litres of room available before starting to fold any of the back seats so the F Pace is the standout choice here.

Something like the Land Rover Discovery Sport would offer even more still if you find the F Pace doesn't have quite enough room but for most people it's going to be more than ample.

Performance and Engine Options

The Jaguar F Pace has an engine lineup of 7 options, all eight speed automatic transmission and all wheel drive, with most being supported by an electric motor as an MHEV. There's also a plug in hybrid option for those not quite ready to jump into the all electric Jaguar I Pace.

The D165 AWD automatic MHEV is a 2.0 litre diesel engine capable of 163PS and a combined mpg of 43.6 - 44.8 depending on the trim level you choose to accompany it. Its 0-60mph time is 9.2 seconds, surprisingly sluggish when just compared to the other engines available in the range. Only the S, SE, and Black Editions can opt for this.

Next is the D200 AWD automatic MHEV, another 2.0 litre diesel engine with more power than it's predecessor. It gives 204 PS and has a faster 0-60mps time of 7.6 seconds. The combined mpg is similar to the D165, ranging from 43.5 - 44.9 depending on the spec that you choose, and is available in the S, SE, HSE, and Black Edition F Pace.

The final diesel engine is the D300 AWD automatic MHEV. It's a much thirstier 3.0 litre engine, with the combined mpg dropping to 37.3 - 37.6 depending on the spec, but delivers 300PS and a 0-60mph time of 6.1 seconds. It's an option for the SE and HSE and the only option for the 300 Sport.

The first petrol engine, the P250 AWD automatic, is an option for the S, SE, HSE, and Black Edition. It's a 2.0 litre petrol with 250PS and a combined mpg of 29 - 30, so not quite as efficient as it's diesel counterparts. It's 0-60 time is just under the 7 second mark at 6.9 which is quicker than the entry level petrol engine for the BMW X3.

The P400 AWD automatic MHEV, exclusively available on the 400 Sport trim, is quicker again. A 5.1 second time for 0 - 6o is accompanied by a huge 400PS, more power than the Mercedes GLC offers on it's fastest petrol engine.

The P400e AWD automatic PHEV pips the mild hybrid engine ever so slightly. You can enjoy 0 - 60 in 5 seconds sharp with 404PS. It's biggest asset is the fuel economy, with a combined mpg of up to 129.5. As a plug in hybrid it gives the best fuel economy across the range and allows you to enjoy the F Pace without having to compromise on style or power.

The ultimate performance comes from the P550 AWD automatic which competes with many sports cars. It's an enormous 5 litre petrol V8 engine that harnesses 550PS to deliver a 0 - 60 time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 178km per hour. It's not a car for the faint hearted or those concerned about their fuel consumption, the combined mpg is only 23.1, and it's exclusively available on the Jaguar F Pace SVR.

Trim Levels

The Jaguar F Pace has a number of trim levels available and they give

Similar to other models in the Jaguar range, the R Dynamic trim is available at 3 different levels on the F Pace: S, SE, and HSE, but also offers the R Dynamic Black, the 300 Sport, the 400 Sport, and the SVR.

The entry level R Dynamic S brings a strong group of features to the F Pace. 19 inch diamond cut alloys with a gloss black contrast work with the R Dynamic exterior pack for a sleek design. Parking sensors with a rear camera, a powered tailgate, and premium LED headlights are standard as well as wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto.

The SE then swaps the alloys to 20 inch diamond cut, twin 5 spokes with a grey gloss contrast, memory door mirrors, keyless entry and upgrades the sound system to Meridian branded and adds 30 colour premium cabin lighting.

The HSE upgrades the seats to luxury Windsor leather and 16 way heated and ventilate, massage electric front seats, an electrically adjustable steering column, and configurable dynamics.

The Black Edition adds a black exterior pack and gloss black mirror caps, privacy glass, and 20 inch gloss black alloys. One of the most exciting attributes that it adds is the fixed panoramic roof, which costs £1275 as an add on, giving a much brighter cabin and roomier feel. Inside it adds a satin charcoal ash veneer, grid perforation and an embossed Jaguar logo on the leather seats, and ebony morzine headlining.

The 300 and 400 Sport have the same spec aside from their engines. They have either the 300 or 400 Sport badge to indicate which edition it is, a black exterior pack, and a fixed panoramic roof with gloss black roof rails. You also get the largest alloys available across the range, 21 inch five twin spoke, finished in gloss black and the 16 way heated and ventilated electric memory front seats.

The SVR is the highest trim level available and comes with a plethora of exclusive features. Notably on the exterior is has the SVR body kit including front bumper, body-coloured door claddings with Satin Grey finishers, and rear bumper with Satin Grey finish. This is teamed with 21 inch diamond cut alloys with a satin technical grey contrast, red brake calipers, and quad tailpipes with 95mm finishers. It is the only model with the option to upgrade to 22 inch wheels.

Inside, the SVR has 14 way heated and cooled electric memory front sears which are finished with suedecloth and Windsor leather and have SVR embossed headrests. There's also the SVR steering wheel with unique stitching details in two different colours and a 3D surround camera as an additional parking aid.

Reliability and Safety

The Jaguar F Pace has a five star Euro NCAP rating and has done since it was first tested in 2017. It's percentage performance across all categories is higher than the BMW X3, and in three quarters of the categories against the Porsche Macan.

It's high rating comes from having a solid range of driver assistance and safety features as standard including: traffic sign recognition and adaptive speed limiter, emergency braking, lane keep assist, driver condition monitor, and adaptive cruise control. Further up the spec levels adds things such as blind spot assist and a rear traffic monitor for additional assistance in areas where human vision is lacking.

Jaguar have a 3 year unlimited mileage warranty so that you can relax if your car does have any issues. There's also options to extend this outside of the initial 3 years if you keep hold of your cars a little bit longer.

Prices

The Jaguar F Pace pricing varies considerably between the lowest and highest priced models, there's a £35,260 difference between them, but as already discussed there are huge differences in terms of specification and engines across the range.

The S begins at £46,250 with the SE and Black Edition following at £49,305 and £49,520 respectively. From there, a small jump in price takes you to the HSE at £55,360

The final three cars are more expensive thanks to their enhanced performance engines. The 300 Sport starts at £62,250 with the 400 Sport following at £68,520. The largest price jump is then to the top of the range SVR which starts at £81,510.

All of these are before looking at any additional options or changing which engine you'd like. Making changes like this will increase the total cost further, especially as the Jaguar F Pace is so customisable and there are many options that can be added to enhance your driving experience.

Summary

The Jaguar F Pace was a turning point for the brand, showing the world that they don't only produce saloon and executive cars. They've got a foot firmly in the upmarket SUV class with the F Pace which has then paved the way for other additions to the range such as the all electric I Pace.

It's current choice of engines and features make it the ideal SUV to choose if you like customisation. The different combinations are vast and makes driving fun every time you step into the car, even being able to benefit from hybrid power if you so wish.

The Jaguar F Pace is a really strong SUV, with an excellent offering of equipment, and definitely a contender if you're considering your next premium SUV.

Jaguar F Pace