Jaguar F-TYPE 2.0 2019 Review – Long-term Test #2

When the keys for the long-term Jaguar F-TYPE were slung my way, my thoughts went straight to my licence… How will it cope with a rip-snorting, speed limit defying, authority-challenging supercharged V6 or V8?

Turns out this particular Jaguar F-TYPE isn’t as intense as first thought.

So the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine won't slam you into the seat like its bigger siblings but it's a far more 'livable' version of the svelte Jag coupe – which is perfect for this leg of the long-term test, which focuses almost exclusively of commuting and everyday livability.

First things first, and this car would not be my first choice for a daily driver. A Corolla or Golf would be strong contenders there. Egress and ingress can be challenging if you're holding a laptop bag, there's a not a lot of cargo space and carpooling can be difficult with only two seats.

But in terms of two-seater sports car commuters, it's certainly not the worst choice.

The Meridian stereo this one is fitted with makes swapping between Josh Clarke's End of the World podcast and the 'morning drive' Spotify playlist an absolute joy, such is acoustic acuity on offer.

Pairing one's smartphone to the car's 10.0-inch Touch Pro infotainment system is child's play but most mornings on the way to work – a 20km drive that takes between 30-60 minutes depending on the courtesy of other road users – I plugged in my iPhone 8 Plus to access Apple CarPlay.

This enables Google Maps on central screen which is pretty handy for choosing the fastest route to work, while allowing one click swapping between audio apps.

This slinky British cat looks amazing and a few neighbours stopped me to ask what it was, commenting on its sleek, sporty looks. The question of "How much?!" often results in a bit of shock, especially from the lady across the street who owns a Mustang that cost about half the price.

Leaving home each morning and around suburban streets the Jaguar coupe's direct steering is a boon, making tight turns and driveway maneuvers effortless. But one issue that cropped up regularly with this Jaguar F-TYPE (especially in close quarters) was the front lip spoiler.

Part of the 'black exterior pack' ($2250), it scrapes very easily, even when you're being as ginger as possible. I kissed the tarmac with this car more than any other, even Porsche 911s and a bevy of McLaren sports cars – although the latter did have front-end hydraulic lifters.

This Jaguar F-TYPE is the opposite to that really tall dude who constantly bumps his head on doorways or in aeroplanes. I reckon I scraped the chin spoiler at least once a day. Perhaps it's a syndrome, operator error? Whatever the case, Jaguar, I'm sorry.

Parking the F-TYPE can be a little tricky too.

It's classically-designed rear wheel arches, pumped up in all the right ways, can be challenging to line up when reverse and parallel parking. The rearview camera helps but it's optional ($1060), as are front parking sensors ($710).

Speaking of options, this car has many, just over $10,000 worth. The base price is $112,078 and this car costs $123,848 – which will close to $130K on the road – thanks to the following extras:

• LED headlights with signature DRL: $2510
• Black Exterior Pack: $2250
• Seat Memory Pack: $2150
• Keyless Entry: $1200
• Rear Camera: $1060
• Blind Spot Assist: $900
• Front Parking Aid: $710
• Flat-bottom Leather Steering Wheel: $340
• Red seat belt: $270
• Switchable Active Exhaust: $270
• Sunvisors with vanity mirrors: $110

Vision out of the Jaguar F-TYPE is not bad for a low-slung sports car and I didn't feel quite as vulnerable in traffic, wedged between two trucks, as I have done in a Mazda MX-5. And one of the Perhaps one of the best things about this Jaguar is its directness. The steering is super direct and the punchy 2.0-litre engine, while lacking a little hutzpah down low, really gets up and boogies with its 400Nm.

Using the flappy paddles to snick through a couple of gears when tearing away from the traffic lights is good old-fashioned fun, obligatory exhaust gurgles between shifts adding a little drama to proceedings on what can otherwise be a dull morning drive.

The ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic is a lovely slushbox when left to its own devices too, smooth and subtle when trundling then responsive and rapid when haste is required.

The view from the supportive, sporty driver's seat is a peachy thing to observe every day too. The sight of the long bonnet, black vents and low-riding driving position are appealing, even if entry and exit can be troublesome. Ride comfort isn't awful either, which makes the car a more approachable daily driver than some coupes.

The grained leather and suede cloth sports seats fitted as standard on this Jaguar F-TYPE proved more than comfortable for the daily commute and look as though they're modelled on classic Porsche pews.

The standard seat setup includes six-way power adjustment which is more than enough movement in my view. Nevertheless, this car is fitted with the 'seat memory pack' ($2150) that adds 12-way adjustable seats (with intense lumbar extension, as Ken will attest), auto-dimming and power folding wing mirrors, with three memory settings.

I could live without all the extra stuff, but the folding mirrors are a nice at-a-glance indication that the car is locked tight.

Hidden twin cup holders up front are good for holding medium sized take-away coffee or a small mug of your favourite beverage from home (Lap Sang Sou Chong tea, I don't doubt), but overall incidental storage is pretty crummy.

There's a small nook under the central armrest but the door pockets are average in size, as is the glovebox. But the latter does have a cool push-button opening that makes the cabin feel special.

In fact, the cabin has a pretty special feel, via the push-button climate control toggle buttons, that have digital readouts within, and the way the central air vents are initially hidden, popping up out of the dashboard. Chuck in a pistol-grip gear shifter, a gorgeous (but optional, $340) flat-bottom steering wheel and concealed, automatically deploying door handles and you'd be forgiven for thinking there were a few MI5-inspired gadgets built for secret agent shenanigans.

Suffice it to say, my passengers were suitably impressed.

Even though this car is considered a bit old compared to newer rivals such as the Porsche 718 Cayman, it acquits itself well. When I jumped into the car for the first time I "This is neat" and wanted to touch and prod all the controls and buttons. Rather than "This feels old, yuck."

I agree with Ken's view that the touchscreen system and analogue instrument cluster is not as flashy as those in the latest generation BMWs and Benz cars, but given its age, the system works just fine and presents well.

This model only has single-zone automatic climate control, it only gets regular – not adaptive – cruise control and there's no auto-hold function which comes in handy in slow-moving and traffic-light heavy travels.

To wrap this yarn up, I will say the Jaguar F-TYPE 2.0 was a fun car to live with as a daily driver. It's far from perfect but in sports car terms it acquitted itself well. I didn't leave the house in the morning and think "Oh jeez, this is going to be painful."

The sentiment was more like this: "Hey Jaggy, ready to rock?"

Jaguar F-TYPE 2019 Long-term Test #1

How much does the 2019 Jaguar F-TYPE 2.0 cost?
Price: $123,848 (as tested, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 221kW/400Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 163g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: TBA