Growling engine, giant paws, dynamic handling and a cabin filled with fine leather and Alcantara, the new F-PACE not only welcomes state of the art technology it exemplifies the history and tradition of Jaguar’s core DNA.
Famous for their striking looks, agility, ride comfort and powerful engines, performance and luxury automotive brand Jaguar’s vehicles are as synonymous with Britain as cricket or Wimbledon and arguably more engaging. With a history that dates back to the 1930s, the sleek ‘leaping Jaguar’ motif has been seen on some of the finest motor vehicles ever to have graced the automotive world, just ask Enzo.
In 2016 Jaguar somewhat strayed from their highly-desirable sports car and saloon blueprint and ventured into the seemingly insurmountable world of SUVs. However, created on their premium lightweight architecture (PLA) aluminium platform and fervently adhering to the brand’s principles of exciting, beautiful and elegant, the F-PACE immediately stood apart from the crowd. It won the prestigious World Car of Year and the World Car Design of the Year titles and quickly became the brand’s best seller. Now, for 2021 the F-PACE has upped the ante again.
With performance at its heart, the new F-PACE has been engineered with a strong lightweight bodyshell delivering enhanced handling and sporty performance with the bonus of improved efficiencies. The bonnet and front bumper have been re-designed and when combined with the precision-engineered foil-tipped front grille the result is both emotive and dynamic to gaze at.
The SUV’s advanced new pixel LED headlights feature a distinctive ‘Double-J’ graphic and come with animated directional indicators. At the rear, the redesigned bumper includes a new valance, integrated exhaust tips and a full set of LED lights to further emphasise the SUV’s dynamic personality.
The F-PACE’s spacious and luxurious interior has been completely redesigned too with premium materials and quite simply an exquisite attention to detail. Double-stitched leather combined with high quality finishes blend harmoniously with chrome accents while the tactility of the ‘cricket-stitched’ leather gear selector deserves special acknowledgement - as do the bevels on virtually all the dials.
The centre console is dual level offering additional storage and there’s wireless phone charging with signal boost technology conveniently placed below the A/C controls.
The SUV’s steering wheel has a new split rim design which gives easy access to key vehicle functions such as adaptive cruise and audio controls, while the lightweight performance seats provide amazing levels of both support and comfort, with heating, ventilation and massage functions, of course.
Each passenger has room to move and relax and the F-PACE also comes with class-leading 793L of luggage space which - when the 40/20/40 configured rear seats are laid flat - extends out to 1842L. For added levels of cabin refinement, the ambient lighting has 10-colour options to suit your mood, the air ionisation filters remove those nasty fine particles such as dust and pollen, active road noise-cancelling technology ensures that things are always quiet and calm and the full length panoramic roof floods the cabin with sunlight.
At the heart of the new Jaguar’s technology is an all new Pivi Pro infotainment system that’s sharply presented on a centrally located 11.4-inch curved touchscreen. The interface is intuitive and ‘smartphone-like’ with swipe-style menus or advanced voice control access. It’s quick and most of the key features are on the homescreen. Concert quality audio comes via a powerful Meridian surround sound system and the navigation has been redesigned too: on top of on-line search functionality, it can also learn your regular routes and, by monitoring traffic conditions, is able to offer alternative routes if necessary. The navigation can also be displayed ‘full-screen’ on the upgraded 12.3-inch driver’s instrument cluster.
There are a multitude of Pivi Pro apps that both assist your drive or improve your safety. The reversing camera is now 3D surround and specific cameras can be selected for those tighter areas, making parking a breeze. Dynamic-I allows you to personalise the F-PACE’s dynamics such as throttle response and suspension to your particular driving style and there are screens for lap times, G-force and even options to view where the power is being delivered (front or rear wheels) at any given time.
Pivi Pro can also be accessed by a mobile phone app, allowing you to remotely set the cabin temperature, access navigation and monitor fuel level, plus there is an optional activity key to lock/unlock the SUV and start the engine without the keyfob.
The F-PACE’s new range of engines all comes with auto transmission and paddle-shift. Beginning with the D200 and P250 (relating to PS/HP) and jumping up to the P400 or the mind-blowing 5L SVR, there’s a powertrain to suit your every whim; there’s even a 400e PHEV option that leaps from 0-100km/h in just 5.3 seconds and offers combined fuel-efficiencies of 2.4L/100km.
What’s also standard across the range is Jaguar’s impressive all-wheel drive system with intelligent driveline dynamics. It monitors the road hundreds of times per second and when combined with Jaguar’s advanced suspension system, ensures agile composed handling and exceptional grip.
Depending on your mood or environment the F-PACE offers a drive mode to suit. At the turn of a bevelled dial the SUV’s character will change from placid, fuel-saving Eco to a heart-pumping Dynamic wildcat; and should the terrain below turn to snow or ice, Winter mode will ensure maximum grip and stability.
Whether it’s a casual meander through the city to a five-star hotel or a wildly-exciting bolt through the twisting turns of New Zealand’s expansive countryside, the new Jaguar F-PACE has the ability to thrill and entertain. Its eye-catching design is charismatic and charming, its usability and practicality is boundless and its performance is sure to delight - it’s quite honestly, the best of British.
