Jaguar F-PACE 2018 Review

The SUV is now the trend-setting force in the car world and there are SUVs for even the most eclectic tastes. Range Rover does a two-door convertible Evoque, Toyota builds the mighty go-anywhere 200 Series LandCruiser, the BMW X4 has a sharp, coupe-ish look while Mazda has the tiny CX-3 for under $20,000.

But if you're looking for something that straddles the line between conventional and unusual, and don't mind a sporty edge and British badge, the Jaguar F-PACE may hit the sweet spot.

On test is the F-PACE R Sport 25d, our first drive of the new four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel in the Jag SUV, and it's a tidy little unit.

True, the latest 'Ingenium' diesel engine is the same size as you might find in a Volkswagen Golf or a carton of milk – 2.0 litres – but it shifts the Jag's chubby 1768kg weight gracefully.

The 177kW/500Nm engine delivers a sensible blend of throttle response and fuel economy. It has plenty of torque right off the bottom, with peak torque arriving at 1500rpm, which makes commuting a doddle. The high riding position and clear sight lines makes you feel like a champion too, surveying your surrounds easily.

Jaguar reckons this frugal new F-PACE is capable of using very little fuel, 5.8L/100km on the ADR Combined cycle. Although my figure after 420km wasn't quite there – as high as 7.8L/100km and dropping to 6.8L/100 after two hours of cruising – it's nevertheless an economical ride.

The engine isn't too abrupt either. It's a tiny bit rattly after ignition but the new alloy block is fairly well isolated and you don't really notice it in everyday operation.

When you do decide to push it, the F-PACE responds with a fulsome wave of torque at 2000rpm but it's pointless keeping the throttle pinned as acceleration dies off after 3500rpm, despite peak power being listed as 4000rpm.

Short-shifting the eight-speed auto is fun though and it gives the British SUV a surprising turn of speed but perhaps most impressive is the cars chassis balance and steering. It handles corners with an effortlessness that belies its size and weight and is up with the BMW X5 as a big unit that handles more like a car.

It tracks keenly through corners and has a flat attitude thanks to its sports-tuned fixed rate dampers, and although I wanted a bit more punch to blast out (I actually forgot it was an SUV at several junctures) the big 19-inch alloy wheels with 255/55 R19 tyres generate plenty of grip. Ride comfort isn't class leading but neither is it rough or harsh.

The all-wheel drive system works well at apportioning torque between the axles, and the digital instrument cluster has a real-time torque split display which is a neat touch and will appeal to drivers who like chassis gadgets.

The car features brake-based left/right torque vectoring which, together with well-weighted and communicative steering, makes the F-PACE as engaging as it is capable on a challenging road. The brakes could do with a little more bite for enthusiastic driving (they are fine in everyday use) but overall the chassis package is impressive.

The R-Sport model has a racy body kit to match its dynamic chops and looks pretty classy parked up, with good overall proportions. I like the short front overhang and the Yulong White colour isn't too bad.

Spending time inside this particular F-PACE feels a bit special thanks to the ebony and pimento grained leather upholstery – or red and black seats to those who don't work in the marketing department. The soft leather of the steering wheel has a premium feel while the rotator-dial gear selector, rising up like a mysterious artefact, is still refreshingly different from the regular gearstick and a memorable point of difference to almost every other car out there.

The big 10.0-inch infotainment touchscreen looks great and although it takes a bit of getting used to it functions as expected. Compared to the new Range Rover Velar it all looks a bit last-generation and habituation means the door-mounted window buttons usually take an extra few seconds to locate.

The digital instrument cluster looks mint and offer loads of useful and customisable telemetry screens, including the torque distribution doodad mentioned earlier. This vehicle had an excellent head-up display too which is laser-based so it works with polarised sunnies and does the usual road speed and navigation info… but adds $2650 to the price.

The options list is longer (and arguably scarier) than a Stephen King novel, and you could easily add another $20,000 to the price by ticking half a dozen of the 80 or so boxes available. For example there's a sliding panoramic sunroof for $4420, 22-inch alloy wheels for $4520, adaptive cruise control for $3370 and a surround camera system for $2160.

There are a couple of stereo upgrades but the standard 380W, 11-speaker Meridian sound system absolutely rocks.

Comfort levels are impressive with big, supportive leather seats front and rear and apart from some of the buttons and dials up front the overall interior aesthetic is sporty and modern.

The boot is massive, with 650 litres expanding to 1740 litres when you fold the back seats and the powered tailgate is (thankfully) a standard feature. There's a spare tyre in there but it's a space saver.

I feel as though there could be a few more standard features for the roughly $90K price, such as adaptive cruise control and the head-up display but they're not deal breakers in the greater scheme of things, especially for a vehicle that drives so nicely.

The Jaguar F-PACE 25d R-Sport doesn’t push any boundaries in terms of design or execution but it does a few things differently enough than its European rivals such as the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class to add meaningful appeal.

It loves to dance and will appeal to drivers who love having a bit of fun on a twisting road and the updated 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine is an economical and welcome addition to the largest SUV in Jaguar's portfolio.

How much does the 2018 Jaguar F-PACE 25d R-Sport cost?
Price: $87,925 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 177kW/500Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 5.8L/100km (ADR Combined); 7.8L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 153g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP (2017)