Jaguar F-Pace R-Sport, Track Test

Some of you may remember that we’ve recently spent quite some time with the F-Pace, which happens to be the winner of the World Car of the Year award for 2017. So, you could say that we’ve gotten to know Jaguar’s first SUV quite well – and, on the whole, we’ve been quite impressed. 

However, the 2.0-litre diesel engine fitted to our long-term F-Pace test car seemed a bit inadequate for a car that looks so purposeful. Enter the R-Sport, which is the version of the F-Pace that we had for this test. And this is a completely different beast altogether! The larger 3.0-litre diesel engine that produces 296bhp and 700Nm of torque completely transforms the nature of the driving experience. The F-Pace goes from being docile to dynamic instantly. Power is immediate, and, as a result, you’re really able to exploit the immense capability of this chassis. The F-Pace is built on JLR’s new aluminum-intensive architecture, and it’s a sweet platform that endows this machine with excellent road manners, body control and ride-and-handling. And this shows in its lap time, which makes it the seventh quickest car in this test – which is no mean feat. 

Design wise, the F-Pace looks beautiful with these large wheels. As you can see, it got near perfect marks in the design category, and pretty much everyone you drive past agrees – as they seem to ogle at this car for far longer than any other SUV we’ve ever driven. The cabin of the F-Pace, meanwhile, features Jaguar’s latest multimedia system with a distinct Land Rover touch coming courtesy of the window controls that are mounted on the top of the door pad. 

The trouble with the F-Pace is twofold, it’s not as big on the inside – especially the rear seat – as you would expect, and it’s extremely pricey. Style, fit-and-finish, ride-and-handling are all exceptional though, so you get what you pay for. And, with this motor, you also get the performance that its looks promise.

Best of 2017 : << BACKNEXT >> : Jaguar XF