Jaguar F-PACE facelift revealed
Simplified range, new engines, more tech, fresh look and reworked cabin for updated Jag SUVJaguar has revealed a significant mid-life update for its F-PACE SUV, which will roll into Australian showrooms from February 2021.
The new large luxury SUV is priced from $74,990 plus on-road costs, making it slightly more affordable than before.
The big cat also now has sharper claws with the addition of new inline six-cylinder turbo engines, and bigger brains via a brand-new always-connected infotainment system that offers over-the-air vehicle updates.
Subtle changes to the exterior update the F-PACE’s visuals, while a thoroughly redesigned interior brings a curved 11.4-inch touch-screen, active road noise cancellation and, to underscore its British origins, cricket-ball stitching on the gear-shifter.
Pitched as a high-end European luxury SUV and competitor to the BMW X5, Audi Q7 and Mercedes-Benz GLE, the 2021 Jaguar F-PACE will launch in Australia with three ‘Ingenium’ powertrains: a carryover 2.0-litre and a pair of new inline six-cylinder units.
Jaguar has simplified the F-PACE model range from 17 variants to just five, with all 2021 models gaining the sporty R-Dynamic body kit and interior accoutrements along with the fancy new 11.4-inch curved-glass touch-screen infotainment system.
At launch, the line-up comprises a pair of 2.0-litre turbo-petrol variants (S P250 and SE P250), a single mid-spec diesel (SE D300) and two petrol versions (SE P400 and HSE P400).
The HSE P400 tops the 2021 Jaguar F-PACE range at $109,150 plus ORCs.
Engines
Starting with the P250, the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine generates enough power and torque (183kW/365Nm) to accelerate the F-PACE from 0-100km/h in 7.3 seconds. Fuel economy is rated at 9.3L/100km on the official combined cycle, with CO2 emissions at 209g/km.
The new P400 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-petrol engine features a 48V mild-hybrid system, a twin-scroll turbocharger and an electric supercharger to generate 294kW/550Nm. This delivers an impressive 0-100km/h acceleration time of 5.4 seconds and a top speed of 250km/h.
The P400 returns fuel economy and emissions of 9.8L/100km and 221g/km respectively.
The D300 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-diesel produces more pulling power (650Nm) than sister brand Land Rover’s previous V8 diesel, and with 221kW of power to go with it, can propel the big cat from 0-100km/h in 6.4 seconds.
Fuel consumption is rated at 7.4L/100km, with CO2 emissions below 200g/km.
All Jaguar F-PACE models are now full-time four-wheel drive (with rear axle bias) and come with an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard. Steering-mounted paddle shifters are also included.
Overseas shoppers can buy a plug-in hybrid variant of the British-built large luxury SUV, but the P400e powerplant is not yet available for Australia.
Jaguar is still to release details on the updated Mercedes-AMG/BMW M-rivalling F-PACE SVR flagship, which is powered by a howling 5.0-litre supercharged V8 (405kW/680Nm).
The company says punters will “have to wait a bit longer for details on that model”.
Interior and technology
Along with the new engines, the headline changes to the new Jaguar F-PACE include the introduction of its latest interior concept, which sees a new cabin design augmented with a next-generation infotainment system.
Jaguar says the new layout is more elegant and deliberately minimises buttons and dials. It also adopts a conventional gear-shifter featuring cricket-ball leather stitching but retains a concealed pop-up dial for the drive mode selector.
An updated multi-function steering wheel is part of the package and some of the cabin highlights include open-pore wood veneers and soft-touch materials on all major touchpoints, such as the doors inserts.
The electric window controls have also been moved down from the top of the door roll to the inside of the door.
At the heart of the F-PACE interior is a new Pivi-Pro infotainment system claimed to be smarter, faster, always connected and future-proofed thanks to over-the-air system updates.
All Australian-spec F-PACE models will be fitted as standard with the fancy-pants curved-glass 11.4-inch touch-screen infotainment system that features twin coatings – one to reduce reflection, the other to make wiping away fingerprints easier.
The ‘floating’ screen also gets a magnesium frame for a clean, modern look.
Backed up by a dedicated infotainment processor (CPU) to speed up responses, the upgraded infotainment system even has its own power source to ensure it’s booted up as soon as the driver is ready to go, allowing for instant navigation engagement, Apple CarPlay or Android Auto readiness.
Two phones can be connected simultaneously, plus there’s a 4G signal booster and a 15W wireless phone charger.
The F-PACE also gets twin modems to allow for over-the-air vehicle updates and an always-connected system. This offers live traffic updates, fuel prices and more, while the menu system has been heavily revised to be easier to navigate.
The 2021 Jaguar F-PACE also offers a customisable 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a head-up display and active road noise cancellation, which Jag claims is a first for this segment.
A more robust cabin filtration system traps superfine particles (PM2.5) thanks to an air ionisation system, while the Remote App allows owners to check and control aspects of the vehicle when it is locked and parked up, such as pre-conditioning the cabin temperature, checking fuel levels or plugging in navigation details.
The Pivi-Pro system is also the central interface for accessing a range of new driver assistance features, including a 3D surround-view parking camera system, clear exit monitor, adaptive cruise control and driver condition monitor.
Design
The updated exterior design for the Jaguar F-PACE starts with a larger grille featuring a heritage-inspired leaper logo, flanked by a pair of larger air intakes.
The sportier new look is joined by a reworked bonnet with a wider power bulge and 10mm thinner, more advanced LED headlight clusters with ‘double J’ daytime running lights to create a fresh front-end look.
The headlights can be ordered with Pixel LED technology that provides improved “resolution and brightness”, Jaguar says. Adaptive headlight tech also reads the road ahead and adjusts the high beams by shutting off various LEDs to avoid dazzling other motorists.
Animated indicators are also on the cards now.
The rear end features redesigned brake light clusters that adopt the British brand’s double chicane motif, as seen on the I-PACE electric vehicle. The sculpted 3D lenses are joined by a new rear bumper and tailgate design along with integrated tailpipes on bigger engines.
All Australian models have a sportier rear bumper given the standard R-Dynamic trim fitted across the range, while a separate package adds gloss-black visual accents across the exterior.
Stay tuned for detailed specification closer to the F-PACE’s Australian launch in early 2021.
The Jaguar F-PACE is a small player in the large luxury SUV segment, its 229 sales to the end of August this year accounting for just 2.1 per cent of the category.
This compares to the sales-leading Mercedes-Benz GLE which has a 19.1 per cent share with 2074 sales for the year to date. The BMW X5 is also a strong seller with almost 16 per cent market share (1718 sales).
The F-PACE is Jaguar's second-best-selling vehicle behind the smaller E-PACE SUV.
How much does the 2021 Jaguar F-PACE cost?
R-Dynamic S P250 – $74,990
R-Dynamic SE P250 – $79,600
R-Dynamic SE D300 – $94,940
R-Dynamic SE P400 – $97,400
R-Dynamic HSE P400 – $109,150
*Prices exclude on-road costs
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
