2016 Jaguar F-Pace SUV: prices, specs & release date

You could well describe the new Jaguar F-Pace as the most commercially vital new car in decades. It’s the first time Jaguar has dipped its corporate toes into the lucrative SUV pond and the company needs this car to be a financial success if its future is to be secure.

Up against rivals like the BMW X3, Audi Q5, Porsche Macan, Mercedes GLC and even the Land Rover Discovery Sport, the Jaguar F-Pace has to impress against these competitors if it’s going to be a success.

There’s no denying that the F-Pace is one of the prettier SUVs available. Slender lights all-round, an imposing grille and slinky proportions manage to combine the elegant grace we’ve come to expect from Jaguar with the size and shape of an SUV.

New Jaguar F-Pace 2016 review

First unveiled to the public at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, the F-Pace very closely resembles the CX-17 concept that was revealed at the same show two years earlier. Now, though, order books are open, deliveries have started and prices unveiled.

If you’d like to buy one, then you’ll need at least £35,020 for an entry-level Prestige model, rising to £52,300 for the S. There was a limited-run First Edition model that cost more than £65,000, but it sold out very quickly.

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Jaguar F-Pace SUV design

One of the biggest challenges faced by the design team at Jaguar was combining the apparently conflicting requirements of a slinky, elegant Jaguar and the bulky bodywork of a big, tough SUV. In an interview with our sister title, Auto Express, Jaguar’s design director Ian Callum said he wanted to make a “Jaguar shaped like a crossover, [not] a crossover pushed into the shape of a Jaguar.”

There’s no doubt the F-Pace has borrowed elements of its design from other members of the Jaguar family, however. The headlights are very reminiscent of the Jaguar XE executive saloon, while the slender taillights are just about direct copies of those found on the Jaguar F-Type sports car. The rectangular grille is set deep into the front of the car, while the sharply creased bonnet and flanks hint further at its sporty pretensions.

Also marking the Jaguar out from more humdrum SUVs are its sloping roofline, steeply raked windscreen and sharply angled rear window. There’s also a roof spoiler to further emphasise the car’s performance potential. All models sit on alloy wheels, ranging from 18 to 20 inches in diameter and available in a variety of designs, depending on what trim level you go for.

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In common with many manufacturers’ SUVs, the F-Pace is based on pre-existing mechanical components – in this case, ones from the XE saloon. By using tried-and-tested manufacturing techniques and materials, Jaguar has been able to build a car with short, sporty-looking ‘overhangs’ (the bodywork ahead of the front and behind the rear wheels) while maximising interior space – something SUV buyers expect from their cars.

Engines and handling

The F-Pace shares engines as well as mechanical underpinnings with the Jaguar XE. This means buyers have the option of a 178bhp 2.0-litre diesel, a 296bhp 3.0-litre diesel and a range-topping 375bhp supercharged V6 petrol. The F-Pace is rear-wheel drive as standard, with four-wheel drive an option for drivers who want extra grip. The F-Pace is predominantly available with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, although a six-speed manual gearbox is available with the rear-wheel-drive 2.0-litre diesel configuration.

Read the new Jaguar F-Pace review here

While Jaguar bosses have neither confirmed nor denies the possibility of a performance-orientated F-Pace, the brand’s reputation for fitting large, supercharged V8 engines to its cars – coupled with its new Special Vehicles Operations performance arm – suggests an F-Pace R is a distinct possibility.

The F-Pace’s diesel engines are likely to be the best sellers, and while the 2.0-litre is capable of 0-62mph in 8.9 seconds and returns 57.7mpg, the 3.0-litre is likely to be a better car to drive. The 3.0-litre diesel F-Pace’s 0-62mph time of 6.2 seconds is the sort of performance Jaguar customers expect, while its 47.1mpg fuel economy is still respectable.

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Although the supercharged 3.0-litre petrol F-Pace is expected to sell in relatively small numbers thanks to its 31.7mpg fuel consumption and relatively high 209g/km CO2 emissions, this engine propels the F-Pace from 0-62mph in just 5.5 seconds – although it’s only available in higher-specification F-Paces fitted with four-wheel drive.

In keeping with the rest of Jaguar’s model range, the F-Pace is built predominantly from aluminium to keep weight down, benefitting performance and economy. Jaguar is calling the F-Pace a ‘five-seat performance crossover’, so expect SUV practicality to be matched with sporty handling and an involving driving experience.

The F-Pace has been carefully designed not to draw sales away from the smaller and cheaper Range Rover Evoque, nor the more expensive Range Rover and Range Rover Sport – cars from Jaguar’s sister brand, Land Rover. The F-Pace has also been built with driver appeal rather than true off-road capability in mind, further distancing it from Range Rovers.

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Specifications

Rear-seat passengers in the F-Pace should find the car’s legroom comparable to some larger SUVs and its 650-litre boot (which increases to 1,740 litres with the seats down) is generous. It’s also possible to order the F-Pace with a full-size spare wheel under the boot floor – this is an option we recommend.

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In terms of in-car technology, the F-Pace comes with an eight-inch touchscreen as standard, which can be upgraded to 10.2 inches if desired. Jaguar also offers a customisable 12.3-inch digital dashboard display in place of a traditional speedometer and rev counter, much like the ‘virtual cockpit’ seen in the Audi TT.

The F-Pace is available in four trim levels and all cars are well equipped. The entry-level Prestige model has leather seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights and an electric bootlid, as well as DAB digital radio, sat nav and on-board wi-fi.

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The mid-range R-Sport trim has larger 19-inch alloy wheels, sports seats, xenon headlamps, a sporty bodykit and gloss-black trim inserts inside, while F-Pace customers who choose the Portfolio trim will benefit from softer, premium leather paired with wood trim inserts in the dashboard, a panoramic sunroof, an upgraded 380w Meridian stereo and a reversing camera.

Aside form the limited First Edition model, the F-Pace’s top trim level is simply called S. This offers only the two most powerful engines and comes with a host of options, both cosmetic and performance-orientated. The F-Pace S has 20-inch alloy wheels, red brake callipers and an even sportier bodykit, while Jaguar’s advanced adaptive suspension system monitors each wheel and adjusts the chassis and suspension depending on the road conditions. This makes the F-Pace more composed and engaging to drive.

Prices

F-Pace Prestige models start from £34,710, R Sport models from £36,670, Portfolio models from £39,170 and the top-of-the-range S from £51,450.

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Jaguar F-Pace First Edition

Jaguar built 2,000 First Edition F-Paces, and of these just 200 were made available to UK buyers. First Edition customers paid for this exclusivity though, as the model cost £65,275. For that, you got 22-inch alloy wheels and ultra-luxurious houndstooth-embossed leather sports seats, as well as red brake calipers, full LED headlights, a panoramic roof, interior mood lighting and the bodykit from the S.

The F-Pace First Edition was also finished in the same Caesium Blue paint as the CX-17 concept that first previewed the F-Pace. It’s sold out now, but you may start to see some First Editions pop up as ‘nearly-new’ or approved used cars at Jaguar dealers in the next 12-18 months or so.

Full specification list

For more on the current Jaguar range, check out Carbuyer’s reviews page.