Launch Drive: Jaguar F-Pace transforms the brand

What is it?

Jaguar’s first ever SUV, the F-Pace will compete primarily against Porsche’s Macan and to a lesser extent, BMW’s X4. Jaguar describes the F-Pace as a car first and an SUV second – a slightly hackneyed saying but it certainly fuses many of the company’s expertise into a very fresh and unique offering. Jaguar F-Pace is represents the right product at the right time and crucially, at the right price. The F-Pace is poised to transform the brand and attract new buyers.

What’s it like?

Captivatingly styled, Jaguar F-Pace is perhaps the segment’s most coherent design with elements of F-Type, XE and XF seamlessly integrated into a raised body style. Covered in lightweight aluminium,  the F-Pace has a road-biased nature while creased surfaces, bonnet bulge and slim lights create a muscular appearance. Strong sales leading up to the car’s media launch suggest that designer Ian Cullem has got struck the right chords.

As a family vehicle the Jaguar F-Pace has no problem carrying four adults and their luggage in comfort. The floor of the 650-litre boot is raised slightly to accommodate the full-size spare but its impact in overall volume is minimal and gesture control is a first for Jaguar. Rear legroom is better than the Porsche Macan and the tapered roofline doesn’t suffer the usual pitfalls of limited head room.

All engines are mated to all-wheel drive and slick 8-speed ZF automatic and the range of outputs is fairly broad to go with the consumption and emissions. The base 2.0-litre turbo diesel (132kW and 430Nm) is ample but suffice to say the silky 3.0-litre turbo diesel (220kW and 700Nm) and the musical 3.0-litre supercharged petrol highlight a dynamic side that Jaguar owners have come to expect.

On paper the larger diesel with a 0-100km/h time of 6.2 seconds and fuel consumption of 6.0l/100km is arguably all things to all people but the supercharged petrol has a goosebump-charm even if real-world driving returns a fuel figure north of 11l/100km.

At speed we did notice some intrusive wind noisewhile an irritating rattle in the dashboard seemed an isolated case and possibly the result of being subjected to rough gravel sections at the hands of earlier media rotations.

Each derivative ticks a few more boxes than the one below it but nevertheless the Pure model kicks things off with dual zone climate, a 20-cm screen and cruise control. R-Sport models and S models delve deep into Jaguar’s R&D, stocking up with items like heads-up display, bi-xenon lights, parking aids, Meridian sound system, blind spot assist, Wi-Fi and InControl which adds a suite of apps to the car’s existing systems .

Smartphone integration takes on a bigger role, making it easy to locate the car, lock it or set the climate from afar. Using an HDMI cable, one is able to replicate the phone’s display into the car although the technology is still in its infancy and will improve with time.

With 213mm of ground clearance on a wheel choice ranging from 18 to 22 inches,  F-Pace still manages to corner flat and tucks the nose into apexes ] aided by a rear-bias drive system and torque vectoring. Suspension layout mimics that of the XE and XF but a higher composition of steel adds a robustness for hacking across bumpy terrain allied to Jaguar’s Surface Control.

The familiar driving mosdes are still at play, each dialling in different levels of feedback from the throttle, gear shift and steering wheel.

Should I buy one?

In comparison, the XE and XF are overshadowed by the versatility, design and new equipment fitted to the F-Pace. While those models are guilty of some old switchgear and technology, F-Pace is a thoroughly modern offering. Act quick though, with pricing extremely vulnerable to the exchange rate, consumers will need to strike while the market is still favourable.

Jaguar F-Pace pricing:

 2.0 I4D Diesel 132kW Pure  – R776 800
2.0 I4D Diesel 132kW R-Sport –  R869 100
3.0 TDV6 Diesel 220kW Pure –  R938 200
3.0 TDV6 Diesel 220kW R-Sport – R1 030 400
3.0 TDV6 Diesel 220kW S – R1095 200
3.0 TDV6 Diesel 220kW First Edition – R1 218 100
3.0 S/C Petrol 250kW Pure – R982 700
3.0 S/C Petrol 250kW R-Sport – R1 074 900
3.0 S/C Petrol 280kW S – R1 191 100
3.0 S/C Petrol 280kW First Edition – R1 321 000