Jaguar F-Pace Leasing

Jaguar F-Pace Beginnings

The year 2016 saw Jaguar make its brave first expedition into SUV territory with the F-Pace, and a highly successful trip it’s been too. Interestingly, Jaguar didn’t turn to sister brand Land Rover for help developing the platform for the F-Pace, instead developing its own from previous cars. This comes as no surprise as Jaguar was unlikely to want to step on the toes of its truly off-roading sibling. The F-Pace takes some of its architecture from the XE and XF, making the vehicle’s drive feel noticeably car-like. The F-Pace also uses lots of lightweight aluminium, making sure that the Ingenium diesel engine doesn’t feel overworked regardless of the overall size of the vehicle. In its first year, it has been met with rave reviews and tens of thousands of orders, and to us it’s no surprise.

Driving the F-Pace

The F-Pace feels most at home on the winding country roads that the best SUVs are intended to drive on. Following in the tracks of Jaguar’s sports cars and saloons, the car’s steering is quick and accurate, taking corners with ease and boisterous confidence. Around corners, the car’s body control is sublime and it glides along roads with regal composure. There are not many SUVs that provide either as much fun or as much ability as the F-Pace.

On the road, there is very little to distract from the graceful driving experience thanks to the impressive lack of any road or wind noise. The ride is smooth and directed, and the car is so responsive that the driver may at times forget the size of the car they are driving. The F-Pace in fact feels athletically agile. When taking on rougher tracks or badly potholed roads, those on the inside won’t feel the jolts even on models fitted with larger alloy wheels.

For most drivers, the 178bhp 2.0-litre diesel will more than meet requirements, but those hungry for a little extra growl will find all the power they need in the 296bhp 3.0-litre six-cylinder F-Pace which, with a thumping 700Nm of torque, propels itself along with incredible force.

Despite Jaguar having only just entered the SUV game, the F-Pace is brilliantly adapted to off-road use too. Although not quite on a level with sister company Land Rover, Jaguar’s offering handles ruts, mounds, and grassy fields with surprising capability, giving drivers the confidence to take it way away from solid tarmac.

Engines

At present, the F-Pace gives drivers the choice of three respectable engines. Whilst the Ingenium 2.0-litre diesel is the most popular, those who want something a little punchier should look at the V6 diesel or 3.0-litre supercharged petrol versions.

The 2.0-litre engine is more than just a base, however, and will do 0-62mph in a swift 8.7 seconds, and will reliably hit a maximum speed of 129mph. Responding well to the throttle and letting rip a throaty rumble when extended, the F-Pace is pleasingly quiet when idle or at cruising speed. Well-timed auto gear changes and few shifts down on the motorway comes thanks to the same engine as the Land Rover Discovery Sport with added nine-speed auto. Adding an extra element of control, the F-Pace offers wheel-mounted paddles akin to those fitted to its rivals.

Where it’s performance that counts, the fantastic 3.0-litre diesel does feel undeniably upgraded in terms of flexibility and its ability to move very quickly in a straight line. Taking the 0-62mph time down to just 6.2 seconds, this version feels just as good to drive. The V6 delivers stats of 0-62mph in 5.5 seconds, with a top speed of 155mph.

Fuel Economy

Running costs for the F-Pace are pretty competitive when compared with its rivals. The manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive are both attractive to company car buyers, and both come as standard.

The two-wheel drive F-Pace 2.0d with manual gearbox will do 57.6mpg, giving off just 126g/km of CO2, coming up trumps against rival cars such as the BMW X3 and Audi Q5. Upgrades to these cars in 2017, however, may alter the playing field.

The most popular F-pace model is Jaguar’s all-wheel-drive version, which comes with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and gives Land Rover a run for its money. With this model, CO2 emissions rise slightly to 139g/km, whilst fuel economy reduces just slightly to 53.3mpg. The V6 diesel, although much faster, is still almost as efficient to drive, emitting 159g/km and achieving 47.1mpg.

Not as much suited to drivers with economy in mind, the supercharged V6 achieves 31.7mpg as it pumps out 209g/km of CO2. However, its speed is something some may be happy to pay the costs for.

Equipment/Tech

When Jaguar showed its C-X17 concept at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, we hoped its good looks would be handed down to the manufacturer’s first saleable SUV. We were not disappointed. The F-Pace has taken more than a little inspiration from the previous concept, and the car’s sporty appearance combined with vast proportions combine to create a formidably powerful-looking vehicle.

From the front, the F-Pace certainly doesn’t look like something anyone should be picking a fight with. The big grille and sweeping headlights are fierce, and Jaguar’s recognisable coupe-inspired profile and narrow window only increase the sense of aggression. R-Sport versions benefit from a bespoke bumper at the back, giving the car a sharper appearance when compared with the rest of the range, and the F-Type-like taillights nicely break up the rear.

There’s plenty of glossy black trim across the front end, doors and roof rails, giving a sense of sportiness, and the Jaguar’s range of personalisation options helps drivers to customise their car to their own tastes.

Inside, the F-Pace has inherited some seriously good looks from the XF and XJ, repackaging them into a high-up SUV cabin. The facia wraps around from the two widest air vents, creating a cocoon-like feel, and the XE’s quality materials and intuitive buttons are all present and correct. These complement a beautifully crafted thick-rimmed steering wheel and a large, spacious cabin.

The optional InControl Touch Pro Pack brings with it a brilliant 12.3-inch infotainment system, nice digital dials, and a 380W Meridian sound system too. In our opinion, the little extra cost gives a lot more. With smartphone-like pinch-to-zoom functions encoded, the system is pleasingly simple to use.

All F-Pace models include Jaguar’s InControl Touch infotainment system, which includes a sat-nav function, as standard. A selection of buttons surround the eight-inch screen on this version but, for a little extra cost, drivers can choose the InControl Touch Pro Pack which adds a wider, touch-sensitive screen and gets rid of the slightly chunky buttons along the side. This can be added for £1,710, and is well worth the cost considering the much classier look and more upmarket feel of the Touch Pro Pack.

Digging further into the interior specs, there is a WiFi hotspot included to allow passengers to tap into the car’s integrated SIM card on longer trips, and there is also Bluetooth and USB connectivity to allow for added practicality. The R-Sport comes with sat-nav, Bluetooth, DAB, cruise control, autonomous braking, and heated leather seats as standard. Parking sensors are also included as standard, but a reversing camera comes in at an extra cost, whilst the Land Rover Discovery Sport offers this within the main price.

Reliability

Jaguar has a fantastic reputation when it comes to reliability, and that doesn’t seem likely to change with the F-Pace. When Auto Express judged a range of manufacturers in its Driver Power survey last year, Jaguar placed sixth for satisfaction ahead of BMW in 15th and Land Rover in 22nd place. Jaguar also scored in the top three for ride quality, performance, and driving ease. The F-Pace shares a lot of its DNA with the rest of the Jaguar range, so it’s a fair assumption to say that it will achieve similar results. Being such a new vehicle, those results aren’t available yet.

Practicality

The Jaguar F-Pace is a versatile beast, aimed at a variety of drivers from those who might choose the BMW X3, Audi Q3 or larger cars including the X5 and Q7.

Whilst at present there is just one body style to choose, there have been rumours of a smaller F-Pace in the pipeline designed to rival the BMW X1 and Audi Q3. For now, however, the five-seat F-Pace is the only one around.

This is nothing to worry about, though, as there’s a load of space in the front and plenty of adjustment for the seats and steering wheel. With its near coupe-like proportions, the space at the back is also good. Avoid the full-length panoramic roof, which can restrict headroom, and drivers will easily get a few six-foot adults on the back seats.

Size

The F-Pace has seemingly created a whole class of its own, being both wider and longer than Audi’s Q5 but also narrower and shorter than the Q7. So, whilst there is considerably more room inside than in a model such as the Porsche Macan, the F-Pace’s proportions are a very near match to models such as the more upmarket Cayenne.

Space

A wonderfully comfortable car to drive, the Jaguar F-Pace seems to be perfectly adapted to use on all sorts of roads. It can tackle motorways, A-roads, and the urban jungle with no worries. The level of adjustability inside means even the most particular of drivers can find a good position in the supportive seats.

For the passengers, there’s plenty of leg and knee room in the back, and headroom for over-average height adults. The narrow window openings still let in a lot of light, and due to the low siting position the coupe roofline doesn’t have too much on an effect on headroom. Whilst cars such as the Porsche Macan can in the rear feel a little tight, the F-Pace feels spacious in a way that its stylishly sloping roofline belies.

Access to the car is good, with doors that open up wide to allow even an ISOFIX child seat to be fitted with total ease, and the 40:20:40 folding seats make for brilliantly flexible seating combinations depending on the load being carried.

In the very rear, the boot offers a good 650 litres of space with the rear seats still upright – comparable to the BMW X5 – which expands to 1,740 litres with the seats folded flat. Whilst lovely details such as the brushed metal boot lip and leather seats are not likely to weather too well if pushed to their limits, there are plenty of tie-down points included so larger loads can be secured. The folding seats also allow longer items to be stowed along the centre of the car.

Safety

As well as reliability, Jaguar is well known for the safety of its cars too, so although Euro NCAP hasn’t yet tested the F-Pace, it should stack up pretty well in the toughness stakes. If the XE is anything to go by, drivers shouldn’t have any concerns about the car’s safety. In its tests, the XE scored impressively, with a 92% rating for adult occupancy, 82% for child occupancy, and also 81% for pedestrian protection. The F-Pace uses a lot of the same technology and production methods as the XE, so drivers can expect it to be one of the safest vehicles in its class.

The SUV’s tough exterior neatly hides an array of safety features including Emergency Brake Assist and Autonomous Braking System, which can detect pedestrians and provide a warning before automatically applying the brakes to prevent a collision. Drivers can also benefit from cruise control with a speed limiter, lane departure warning, and Trailer Stability Assist for those who intend to put the car’s toughness to the test.

Summary

Jaguar has really got it right with its first SUV. Combining great styling, a fantastic drive, and beautiful refinement, the F-Pace demonstrates the ability not to compromise on coolness when choosing a family-friendly car.

The base model, a 2.0-litre diesel, gives a stellar performance by itself, and the R-Sport models deliver on all of the necessary kit for a slightly higher ticket price. Being a Jaguar, the F-Pace is of course as comfortable and luxurious as most cars come, and its low running costs are a draw for both private drivers and company car buyers.

The five-seater comes in one of four trims, including Prestige, R-Sport, Portfolio and S. As standard, there are 18-inch alloy wheels, leather seats with electrical adjustability, and Jag’s brilliantly intuitive InControl infotainment system. The interior echoes that of both the XE and XF, and is just as plush as you might expect. There’s a rising gear selector on automatic models and a sturdy, thick-rimmed steering wheel. Options include a pumping Meridian sound system and a full-length panoramic sunroof.

Engine options include the 178bhp 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel with rear or four-wheel drive and manual or slick-shifting eight-speed automatic gearbox. For running costs, refinement, and performance, this model proves very popular. For a little extra oomph, there’s the V6 diesel or supercharged petrol, both with four-wheel drive and automatic gearbox as standard.