Jaguar F-Pace S Review

What happens when you demand a little too much from your everyday car. When you want an ultra-luxurious cabin endorsed with latest feature gadgetry and a powertrain configuration capable of embracing any challenge thrown at you by an unforgiving terrain that comes your way. Is there an ultimate car that exists at both ends of consumer demand spectrum? Read on to know more on one such machine we recently got to lay our hands on..

F-Pace is Jaguar’s first attempt at coming up with a luxury crossover performance SUV to compete with the already established models from the Audi, BMW & Mercedes stable. Launched in the year 2016, it is built on the same platform as used in some of the other popular sedan offerings from Jaguar like the XE & XF however in essence F-Pace derives a portion of its DNA from the Land Rover family, part of the same group.

Design

The F-Pace bears a clear design resemblance with its other Jaguar siblings, albeit every other car in the Jaguar line-up is a saloon but for this one exception. The stooping bonnet in the front with a large grille holding a jaguar face and its signature J blade DRLs leaves you in no doubt about its lineage. Large 20 inch alloy wheels plonked in wide shouldered wheel arches gives the car its macho looks.  The slanted rear wind screen with a sporty spoiler and tail lamps inspired from the F-Type gives a strong sporty character to the car.

Interior

The well-appointed interiors of the F-Pace have a lot in common with other Jaguars. You will find the familiar Rotary Gear Selector that rises up on cranking the engine. The plush leather seats with 10 way adjustable electric front seats are comfortable and give a sense of luxury at the same time. One can also set up a mood lighting option picking up shades based on personal choice.

The relatively longer wheelbase and decently wide cabin makes it a nice place to be in. Rear seats are wide with adequate room for three adult passengers sitting side by side. A 40:20:40 rear seat split option provides flexibility for carrying a range of personal belongings otherwise difficult to carry in a car due to an odd size or shape. A sliding panoramic sunroof with electric blinds adds to the feeling of space inside.

Features

F-Pace comes equipped with a range of advanced and innovative features. The high end R-Sport version that we drove had a 10.2 inch touch screen in the central console in addition to a 12.3 inch digital instrument panel with virtual dials and a full screen map view option. For the more demanding customers, F-Pace gives you an 825W Meridian sound system with 17 speakers and is equipped with a customisable Head-Up Display which keeps the driver notified on vehicle speed, navigation signals & cruise control status. Plus, it has a park assist feature supported with a 360 degree surround camera system and an activity key in the form of a sturdy, stylish waterproof wrist band that can help one access the car without the use of primary key.

Driving Performance 

Jaguar F-Pace S is the more powerful 3.0L V6 Diesel with 300PS power and 700Nm of torque. The light-weight aluminium body construction ensures that the car doesn’t behave its true weight or reminds you of its dimensions when it comes to a swift driving manoeuvre on road. The eight speed automatic transmission is a breeze to drive and has an option of changing gears manually using the steering mounted pedal shifts.  A zero to hundred is achieved in an impressive 6.2sec.

Please the throttle and you will be talking to the wind. There is more than sufficient pull in their engine to challenge other luxury sedans. The pull is linear and there isn’t the turbo kick that will make you go bonkers.

Verdict

Jaguar F-Pace has received various honours and acclaims across the globe. It indeed is a well deserving car and with a price band of Rs 79L to 1.41Cr it sure is capable of bringing about a new wave of change in the Indian market. In our opinion, F-Pace is the car that can carry you in style for a late evening Russian Ballet performance at a prestigious venue like Bolshoi and also lets you climb atop treacherous mountain peaks in the Alps with ease. So, if you wish to stand out of the crowd and are looking for a new option that’s bold, stylish, powerful and yet practical all at the same time, then F-Pace is the right choice for you.