Jaguar F-PACE SVR 2021 Review

Just days after it revealed it would spend the next four years transitioning to a pure-electric brand, Jaguar arguably undid much of its good zero-emissions PR by launching the 2021 Jaguar F-PACE SVR.

Yes, it’s the same heavy V8-powered SUV that drinks fuel like Oliver Reed consumed beer, scotch and wine on New Year’s Eve.

Instead of quietly dropping it as part of the Jaguar luxury SUV’s facelift, or perhaps replacing it with downsized mild-hybrid powertrain, the British car-maker has done the opposite and gone all in.

Subjected to hundreds of detailed changes, including bespoke body panels and extensive aero testing, the Porsche Macan Turbo rival returns with even more performance on tap, a better drive and ride, plus cutting-edge cabin tech.

With its broader appeal, the 2021 Jaguar F-PACE SVR genuinely leaps back to the top of its class as one of the fastest, most compelling performance SUVs money can buy.

And it might just be the last of its kind from Jaguar, as the shift towards electrification ramps up at the Coventry-based manufacturer.

The Jaguar F-PACE SVR has always lived at the value end of the premium mid-size SUV segment and we’re happy to report nothing much changes on that front as part of the facelift, with the ‘21.5MY’ version costing $142,294 plus on-road costs.

This is $1254 more than the $141,040 pricing announced for the incoming 2021 Jaguar F-PACE SVR late last year, and about $2000 up on the previous model, but the substantial upgrade does bring more muscle and better tech.

As it stands, the F-PACE SVR still remains something of a bargain beside the BMW X3 Competition that gets less power (375kW v 405kW) and torque (600Nm v 700Nm) but costs $157,900 plus ORCs. And it’s a steal beside its only other V8-powered rival, the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S (375kW/700Nm), which is priced from $168,000.

Despite thrashing its rivals on base price alone, a visit to the options list remains a costly affair. Opting for the retina-searing shade of our test car costs an extra $11,050, while upsizing the standard 21s to the 22-inch rims pictured here costs another $1690.

A sliding panoramic roof adds $4450 to the bill, while it’s difficult to see an F-PACE SVR escaping the showroom without the Hot Weather ($2750) pack that adds four-zone climate control. But at least that does throw in the car-maker’s new ionisation and cabin air filtration system.

The $2480 Tech pack is a must, too, as it includes the head-up display and wireless phone charger, which really should be standard at this level, but the cheekiest optional extra by far remains the additional $120 you need to fork out for the remote rear seat release.

Thankfully, there’s a long list of standard equipment which runs to dual-zone climate control, sat-nav, quilted leather seats that are heated, cooled and 14-way adjustable up front and heated in the rear, plus Jag’s latest Pivo Pro infotainment system that gets a larger 11.4-inch touch-screen.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also included, along with LED headlights, a premium sound system and powered tailgate.

Among the standard driver assist safety systems there’s adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert and rear collision warning.

There’s no word yet on whether the Australian-spec 2021 Jaguar F-PACE SVR will still be offered with a temporary spare wheel, while service intervals remain dependent on driving style and use.

Like other Jaguar models, the flagship F-PACE is protected by a three-year/100,000km warranty. For an additional $3750, Jaguar will offer a five-year/130,000km service plan that takes care of all maintenance and includes roadside assistance.

You would hope that an SUV with a 405kW supercharged V8 that doubles as a family-mobile would offer high levels of protection in the event of an accident. And rest assured, the 2021 Jaguar F-PACE SVR does.

When tested by ANCAP back in 2017, the independent safety body awarded the Jag an impressive 93 per cent score for adult occupant protection and 85 per cent for child occupant protection.

ANCAP and Euro NCAP have both rated the F-PACE a five-star car, although the crash tests were carried out four years ago. The SUV is not expected to be retested under the more stringent testing regimes now in place.

As well as the usual airbags (six), and driver assist tech already discussed, there’s a new Clear Exit Monitor which alerts both front and rear occupants to the presence of an approaching car or cyclist when climbing out the F-PACE.

JLR’s new 3D Surround Camera tech has also been introduced that not only assists parking but offers a junction view and other angles to boosting vision and safety.

It’s not just safety that has been enhanced for the 2021 Jaguar F-PACE.

The entire electronic architecture has been swapped out for Jaguar Land Rover’s latest EVA2 hardware. This has allowed the car-maker to not only introduce its state-of-the-art Pivo Pro infotainment system, which is both smarter and quicker, but also allow for over-the-air updates that means it will evolve as the model ages.

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 ensure it always stays connected. This offers live traffic updates, fuel prices and more, while the menu system has been heavily revised to be easier to navigate.

An updated multifunction steering wheel is part of the package, while there’s now a customisable 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and a head-up display, plus active noise cancellation – a first in its segment.

Other fresh tech includes the air filtration system that traps superfine particles and purifies the atmosphere within the cabin.

Finally, a new app enables owners to monitor their vehicle when parked up, allowing them to check the cabin temperature, fuel levels or send navigation instructions direct to the vehicle. The F-PACE can also now be pre-conditioned on hot or cold day.

The highlight of the Jaguar F-PACE SVR has been, and always will be, what drives it.

Under the bonnet the magnificent AJ133 5.0-litre V8 carries over, keeping its twin-vortex superchargers and now benefiting from better cooling thanks to the bodywork changes.

But that’s not the reason for the extra 20Nm the 2021 Jaguar F-PACE SVR produces.

No, Jaguar engineers claim that along with its mighty 405kW power output, the pre-facelift supercharged V8 was always capable of pumping out 700Nm – it’s just that the eight-speed transmission couldn’t quite cope.

For 2021, that’s changed as the SUV adopts the $350,000 Jaguar XE SV Project 8 super-sedan’s beefier torque-converter.

Now able to deploy all its might in the first three gears, the F-PACE SVR can hit 100km/h in 4.0 seconds flat – 0.3 seconds quicker than before, while top speed is now 6km/h faster at a faintly absurd (for an SUV) 286km/h.

The revisions don’t stop there. Software tweaks ensure the eight-speed automatic is both quicker and smoother, while in manual mode the revised tranny is so quick it’s worth changing gears yourself using the tactile nickel-plated paddles for that extra level of engagement.

Elsewhere, it’s never necessary to ever drive with the transmission in anything other than its ‘Comfort’ setting, such are its reactions.

As part of the updates, the V8 has adopted the necessary petrol particulate filters needed to pass mandated emissions tests, and that has dampened its voice.

The fractionally quieter supercharged 5.0-litre’s character has been tailored for more of a mature driving experience. Stab the throttle and it now defaults to its quiet start, and there’s no longer quite the bark from its rear dual pipes.

It’s hard to overemphasise the love and affection felt for the Jaguar F-PACE SVR within JLR’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO).

Despite the vehicle being launched back in 2019, the small band of black-op SVO engineers have been developing the model since 2016 and, for some reason or another, they’ve never stopped.

The Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S rival has endured six seasons of hot and cold testing, six rounds of lengthy spells at the Nurburgring and many millions of kilometres covered testing on roads around the world.

That explains why there’s been hundreds, if not thousands, of small and subtle changes applied here, despite the mere facelift, and all have been designed to broaden the SUV’s appeal for the last three or four years it will remain on sale.

Nothing has been done in vain or, indeed, for vanity’s sake. That explains the new front bumper that brings better cooling, the enlarged brake vents that feed cooling air to a braking system that features both new pads and a new brake servo.

The revised fender extractors, meanwhile, suck turbulent air out of the front wheel-arches, reducing lift by 35 per cent, while side sills and wheel-arch spats with small lumps and bumps carefully manage the air around for incremental gains in downforce and reductions in drag.

Even the rear bumper, which looks near identical to the pre-facelift model, has been redesigned while the stuck-on rear bootlid spoiler is crucial for high-speed stability and reducing the overall drag coefficient from 0.37 to 0.36Cd.

Climb into the cabin and, as we’ve already mentioned, the new infotainment system dominates, making the F-PACE look and feel more modern than it is.

The sports seats appear identical to the previous model, except they’re almost all-new. Engineers thought the previous seats weren’t quite good enough, so had them gutted and redesigned with more padding that adds extra support, while enhancing comfort.

Like before, the 2021 Jaguar F-PACE SVR runs a staggered tyre format, with 265-section up front and wider 295 at the rears. Despite 21-inch wheels being standard for the Australian market, work during development was done on the larger 22s on summer Pirelli P-Zero tyres.

In a bid to increase comfort, the SVR-branded SUV has had a complete chassis retune with the introduction of revised Bilstein adaptive dampers and coil springs. There’s no air suspension option.

It takes all of 15 metres to notice the more settled ride. The Jag remains a stiffly-sprung SUV, but engineers have now widened the gap between the ‘Comfort’ damper setting and the ‘Dynamic’ setting that’s more adept for track days (yes, F-PACE SVR drivers have been known to track their SUVs).

The next thing you notice is the brake pedal feel that’s now Porsche-like in both its firmness and its action. In the previous model, the pedal could grow longer after several big stops from high speed. Bu not anymore, with repeated signs of heavy braking showing no signs of wilting.

Engineers are especially proud of the retuned electric power steering for the flagship F-PACE and, even in Comfort setting, offers more precision, accuracy and feel of what’s happening beneath.

Grip still dominates the driving experience on public roads, at least. In Normal mode, the active all-wheel drive shuffles 70 per cent rearwards, but the front axle can deploy as much as 50 per cent if slip is detected.

In sportier Dynamic mode, up to 90 per cent of torque is sent to the rear wheels, but whatever setting is engaged, there’s a clear rear bias.

Flatten the throttle in slow corners and the SVR can do a decent impression of a rear-wheel drive sports sedan. But at most times you’ll simply be astonished at the traction – and how much of that 700Nm torque peak can be transferred to the road.

Acceleration remains ludicrous, especially in-gear for rapid overtakes.

What’s different is the F-PACE SVR’s cabin is a quieter place when you’re not in the mood. There’s new sound deadening, plus an advanced noise cancellation system that uses the speakers to reduce wind and tyre noise, although the latter is still present but never intrusive.

Some will miss the bark of the V8 from within the cabin. For that you need to stand outside, but we imagine most drivers will prefer the new model’s better manners.

Six years in the making, with hundreds of changes and many millions of dollars spent on evolving and improving this fast SUV, it’s perhaps unsurprising to report there’s less reason than ever before not to buy the 2021 Jaguar F-PACE SVR over its pricier rivals.

It still has plenty of space for four large adults, there’s a huge 793-litre boot, you no longer have to make excuses for its lack of on-board tech and it offers perhaps the best ride and handling balance in its performance SUV class.

Its thirst remains shocking when driven hard – we averaged 17L/100km – and some of its rivals, such as the GLC 63 S, are still quicker to arbitrary benchmarks.

But the Jag is a significantly cheaper and better-value proposition compared the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S, which is its only other V8 rival.

Even with the quieter engine, and the cabin’s noise cancellation system, the 2021 Jaguar F-PACE SVR still provides a life-affirming soundtrack.

In Jaguar’s bid to go all-electric, models like this will be sorely missed.

How much does the 2021 Jaguar F-PACE SVR cost?
Price: $142,294 (plus on-roads)
Available: April 2021
Engine: 5.0-litre V8 supercharged petrol
Output: 405kW/700Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 12.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 272g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2017)