Jaguar F-Pace. Cool, groovy, slightly mad?

When you think of Jaguars, you think of large, luxurious limousines finely-crafted with the best British wood and leather. Or sleek, stylish sports cars fit for any British spy, from James Bond (cool) to Austin Powers (groovy). But the Jaguar F-Pace is an SUV! What gives? Has the world gone mad?

What is it?

The F-Pace is Jaguar’s first ever SUV. As SUVs seem to be the must-have car of the moment, maybe it’s no surprise that Jaguar wants in on the action. And they have a good base to start from, since Jaguar is linked to Land Rover, the undisputed SUV specialist. The F-Pace should be something quite special then…?

What’s it like?

Jaguar has tried to infuse some of its own character into the F-Pace, and so it is a bit more ‘sporty’ than ‘utility’. This particular one, the S model, has a 3.0-litre supercharged V6 petrol engine that produces 380bhp and 450Nm of torque, so it is fast. Very fast. Almost as fast as Jaguar’s own F-Type two-seater sports car in fact.

It ticks a lot of the lifestyle boxes too. There’s plenty of space, the boot is huge, and it even has a nifty little trick called Activity Key. It’s more like a sports wristband that you wear, and then you go do your, erm, activities. After that, just scan your Activity Key on the car’s tailgate and the car unlocks. No need for keys!

Should I buy one?

If you like using your Sports Utility Vehicle for sports more than utility, then the F-Pace seems perfect for the job. It drives like a sports car, and has enough space to help sporting folks indulge in their activities. It also marks a brave new world for the brand. Crazier things have happened in this world, so a Jaguar SUV isn’t all that mad now is it?

For more car reviews and tips, look out for regular posts in this series.

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