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So, it was no surprise when Jaguar recently introduced its all-new Cat, the F-Pace, although Jaguar prefers to call it a “performance crossover” vehicle rather than an ordinary SUV. According to Jaguar, the F-Pace was designed and built to be not only a functional daily driver, but also tough enough to venture off road on the weekends. And since the new car is of Land Rover parentage (Jaguar and Land Rover are owned by the same company) it helps give it some real off-road cred, making the F-Pace surprisingly awesome for hitting the dirt and mud.
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The Jungle Cat Roars
by Robert Stedman
12 Sep 2017
12 Sep 2017
Taking the all-new Jaguar F-Pace for a test drive
A few years ago, if you told car enthusiasts that Jaguar was going to build an SUV you would have gotten cries of disbelief or even mild laughter. But luxury carmakers like BMW, Audi and Porsche have gone down that path and introduced Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) of their own; it was only a matter of time before Jaguar followed suit.
- SMOOTH OPERATOR
- DRIVING MADE FUN
- GRIP IT, GRIP IT GOOD
- CREATURE COMFORTS
- OPEN AND BEHOLD
- FREE BRACELET
- THE LAST WORD
Smooth Operator
If you’re like most buyers you’ll probably end up with the efficient, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel engine (like the one I tested) that produces a respectable 180 horsepower with torque to spare. Jaguar’s diesel, part of the company’s Ingenium family of engines is economical, reliable and robust. Years back, you could always tell that you were driving a diesel from its somewhat rough sound and excess vibration. Thankfully, those days are past and you’ll find this diesel sounds and performs more like a petrol engine rather than a 4-cylinder oil burner. The eight-speed automatic is an excellent match to the 2.0-liter’s low-end muscle, making this SUV more responsive and nimble. As would be expected, the F-Pace is also available with turbo charged V6 and V8 petrol engines.
- SMOOTH OPERATOR
- DRIVING MADE FUN
- GRIP IT, GRIP IT GOOD
- CREATURE COMFORTS
- OPEN AND BEHOLD
- FREE BRACELET
- THE LAST WORD
Driving Made Fun
Thanks to Jaguar’s famous heritage of sports cars and sport sedans, the F-Pace is fun to drive, really fun. In many ways the F-Pace drives as if it is a performance car instead of a SUV crossover. The turbo charged diesel has plenty of “oomph” to make passing a breeze. And thanks to its computerized traction and suspension it manages to feel both light and stiff. The F-Pace’s unibody is made from lightweight aluminum, which is nearly twice as light as a similarly steel framed vehicle. One owner with whom I spoke said the F-Pace has changed his driving habits for good. “The F-Pace drives more like a luxury sports car than an SUV,” explained Carsten Ovesen. Ovesen also really likes the “lines” of the vehicle, and that’s impressive because he is a well-respected, international furniture designer. “It’s just a great design,” he explained.
- SMOOTH OPERATOR
- DRIVING MADE FUN
- GRIP IT, GRIP IT GOOD
- CREATURE COMFORTS
- OPEN AND BEHOLD
- FREE BRACELET
- THE LAST WORD
Grip It, Grip It Good
While the F Pace is a four-wheel drive vehicle it manages to shift traction between the front and rear tires. Under normal street conditions, all the power is directed toward the rear wheels, adding to the F-Pace's sports-car-like driving feel. The four wheel-drive system switches on when difficult terrain is encountered, and it distributes power as required between the front and rear tires. Standard in all F-Pace models is “Torque Vectoring,” which regulates tire rotation through corners and makes the elegant Felis catus feel even more stable. You can select between four different driving modes to change ride stiffness and engine tuning. The “sport” setting will knock your socks off with its hyper engine and gearbox performance!
- SMOOTH OPERATOR
- DRIVING MADE FUN
- GRIP IT, GRIP IT GOOD
- CREATURE COMFORTS
- OPEN AND BEHOLD
- FREE BRACELET
- THE LAST WORD
Creature Comforts
While the F-Pace doesn’t look like a looming SUV it does manage to seat five people comfortably in an abundance of space. If you’re tall you’ll notice that the F-Pace doesn't have a high ceiling and that’s because of the car’s sloping, aerodynamic roofline. The Jaguar F-Pace’s interior is elegant and subdued, a bit on the minimalistic side. Even so, some might find the aesthetics a bit plain, especially for a luxury vehicle. And on the base model there seems to be a lot of plastic. Still, it’s a very comfortable, well laid out interior and has all the bells and whistles you’d expect in a luxury vehicle. Fit and finish on this SUV is impeccable.
- SMOOTH OPERATOR
- DRIVING MADE FUN
- GRIP IT, GRIP IT GOOD
- CREATURE COMFORTS
- OPEN AND BEHOLD
- FREE BRACELET
- THE LAST WORD
Open and Behold
The F-Pace holds over a cubic meter of stuff in the cargo bay. Rear seats easily fold down to effective doubling the storage capacity. It is one of the largest cargo holds in the luxury compact SUV class. A power liftgate is standard in the F-Pace making popping the hatch easy.
On the vehicle I tested the F-Pace came with an 8-inch touch-screen display. Navigation, GPS controls were easy to operate and worked well in Singapore. One of the best things about the car was its sound system, which was utterly fantastic. Whether it was Bluetooth or FM radio the sound quality was astonishing. To achieve the incredible sound, Jaguar formed a partnership with specialist audio manufacture Meridian. On the base model 11 speakers are standard. Another cool feature was the disc shaped gear select knob, located in the center console. When the vehicle starts the knob rises from the console and is automatically retracted when the car is shut down.
- SMOOTH OPERATOR
- DRIVING MADE FUN
- GRIP IT, GRIP IT GOOD
- CREATURE COMFORTS
- OPEN AND BEHOLD
- FREE BRACELET
- THE LAST WORD
Free Bracelet
The F-Pace comes with one feature I found really useful. It’s a waterproof, shockproof, and battery-free silicone bracelet that looks like a Fitbit. If you're going for a run, a swim or other activities that make it awkward taking your keys along, you can just leave your keys in the F-Pace, and lock the SUV with the bracelet. This disables your car keys until you return and tap the "J" on the rear hatch with the bracelet and the car opens. Even if someone were to break in and find your keys, they won’t work. Only the Fitbit lookalike can open and activate the car.
Standard on all F-Pace models is the Intelligent Speed Limiter, a warning system that is especially convenient when you want to ensure you're not speeding.
Other advanced driver safety systems are available as options like blind spot monitoring, pre-collision braking with pedestrian detection, a rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors, rear cross traffic alert, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go traffic assist and driver drowsiness monitoring.
- SMOOTH OPERATOR
- DRIVING MADE FUN
- GRIP IT, GRIP IT GOOD
- CREATURE COMFORTS
- OPEN AND BEHOLD
- FREE BRACELET
- THE LAST WORD
The Last Word
Aside from small noise from the gearbox at times, the Jaguar F-Pace is without a doubt one of the best luxury compact SUVs on the market today. It more than keeps pace with its close competitor, the Porsche Macan, and in some ways, the F-Pace is the better choice. The F-Pace has more space and gives incredible sports-car-like performance, all for less money. Jaguar has seemingly done the impossible by blending both Sport and Utility into one elegant package. The new Jag has been so successful that there’s a 9-month waiting time for delivery in Europe. Singapore’s agent for Jaguar, Wearnes Automotive, reports that the car has been selling well, too, and that they have enough stock on hand for the moment. The F-Pace starts at S$262,000 for the basic model with a 2.0-liter turbo charged diesel.
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