As the end of Jaguar’s ICE (internal combustion engine) age draws nearer, the number of vehicles on offer in their Australian model range has thinned. There are just now three variants in Jag’s larger, luxury SUV, the F-PACE, but between them there’s still a choice of engines with a four-cylinder petrol, six-cylinder diesel or petrol, or the magnificent V8 supercharged petrol available.
This Carpathian Grey F-PACE is the mid-range 400 Sport variant with the 3.0 litre, Inline 6-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that’s paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The engine produces 294kW of power and 550Nm of torque and is capable of acceleration the F-PACE from 0-100km/h in 5.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 250 km/h. The official combined fuel economy is 9.0L/100km and for my week I used 13.5L/100km of petrol. The F-PACE has a 750kg (unbraked) and 2,400kg (braked) towing capacity
There’s no aggressive V8 roar on start-up like the SVR emits, but it’s still a very nice noise regardless from the inline six and there’s ample performance available as well. This F-PACE is fitted with the optional ($310) JaguarDrive Control with Adaptive Surface Response for low grip situations, with the other drive modes being Eco, Comfort, and Dynamic. In Dynamic mode the exhaust note deepens when you engage it and you also have the option of adjusting the Engine, Steering, Gear Shift, and Suspension between either Dynamic or Comfort to tailor the driving experience to your personal preference. But for me just like the F-TYPE, I enjoy this Jag when it’s stalking and ready to pounce in Dynamic mode as even then the ride is akin to the soft pads of a big cat stepping through a rainforest.
The scent of the cabin in the F-PACE is amazing thanks to the Windsor leather, but as more car companies move to synthetic or manufactured upholstery this is another trait that’s becoming less common unfortunately. The lux elements go beyond the leather though with many of the touchpoints in the F-PACE registering a reward response in your brain. From the Aluminium steering wheel mounted paddle shifters to the Satin Charcoal Ash veneer, Suedecloth headlining, electrically adjustable steering column, illuminated metal treadplates with Jaguar script and even the configurable ambient lighting in the cabin.
The Windsor leather Performance seats with Monogram perforation in the Light Oyster give off a high-quality vibe, but it’s not a colour I would choose personally with the thought of cleaning up spills from children front and centre in my mind. Both front seats have powered adjustment for recline, forward/back, seat cushion height front and rear, 4-way lumbar support, side bolster adjustment with three memory positions.
The front seats are also heated and cooled and under the seat comfort controls you can select the intensity of the temperature and whether or not it is on the back, cushion or both parts of the seat. Both functions work well and the cooled seats were not too noisy when in operation. The steering wheel is even heated, something that you will truly appreciate in winter, and this is part of the optional Cold Climate Pack ($2,250), which also includes a heated windscreen, front fog lights, and headlight power wash.
I did note an improvement with the Pivi Pro infotainment system over the previous F-PACE that I drove with the voice control now working well for making phone calls, changing the radio station and setting a destination of the sat nav. Wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto seamlessly connect your smartphone to the with 11.4-inch central touchscreen as well. The driver also gets an Interactive Display on the dash that can be configured and my F-PACE also had the optional head up display ($1,960).
I appreciate the distinct lack of gloss black materials in the cabin of this F-PACE and in their place is a beautiful brushed metal centre console. In front of this is a wireless charging pad for compatible devices with one USB-A port and one USB-C port located in the cubby under the arm rest. Beneath the roller cover on the centre console next to the two cup holders with grippy sides, is a storage cubby and one 12V socket. More storage is on offer on the large ledge under centre console, which has a grippy base and there’re also good-sized drink storage cubbies in the front doors for your water bottle.
The only gripes I have with the cabin of the F-PACE were that I found it hard to balance the temperature using the climate controls with it feeling like I was constantly tweaking it to keep the cabin at a pleasant temp. Also, the buttons between the two rotary climate controllers require a harder than expected press to engage them.
There is a good amount of leg room for me and head room is adequate in the rear seats, but taller individuals may find it a bit tight and this is somewhat due to the optional panoramic sunroof ($4,420). The F-PACE has two ISOfix/three rear tether child seat restraint points, but the centre point is not labelled as a fixing point, which is confusing. I also think it would be difficult to fit three car seats across due to the width and contoured nature of the rear seats.
The centre seat folds down as an arm rest with two cup holders in it with grippy sides, but they are quite shallow, so it’s handy that the drink bottle storage in the rear doors are a good size. Rear passengers get two central air vents with individual on/off and direction controls and only one 12V socket below the air vents. The transmission tunnel in the F-PACE is also quite high and broad so the carpet over it may get worn over time from children sliding back and forth across it to get in and out of the vehicle.
The boot in the F-PACE is a good size and would fit a pram and a small shop or the weekly grocery shop with ease. The boot space has four hooks, two lights and four substantial tie down points for securing items and a reduced section steel spare wheel ($490 option) under the boot floor. If more room is required the rear seats have a 40:20:40 split fold down mechanism with remote release levers located in the boot (a $120 optional extra). To access the boot, you can use the button under tailgate, on key fob, and in the cabin to raise the powered tailgate.
All variants of the F-PACE model range have a 5-star ANCAP safety rating (2017) with an adult occupant protection rating of 35.5 out of 38 (93%) and a child occupant protection rating of 42.0 out of 49 (85%). They all come with an advanced driver assistance system including Blind Spot Assist, Rear Traffic Monitor, Lane Keep Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition and Adaptive Speed Limiter, Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist, Driver Condition Monitor and Emergency Braking. For convenience you also get premium automatic LED headlights with signature daytime driving lights, auto high beam assist and variable rain sensing windscreen wipers.
Passive safety includes front airbags, with passenger seat occupant detector, front side airbags and full-length side window curtain airbag. While this F-PACE only gets a standard rear-view camera with front and rear parking sensors rather than the full 3D view camera.
All new Jaguar vehicles sold now come with a 5-year unlimited kilometre warranty with 5 years roadside assistance. A 5 years/ 102,000km (whichever occurs first) service plan that covers standard service costs during this period and for the F-PACE P400 Sport this can be purchased upfront for $2,450.
The number of variants on offer from Jaguar may be reducing, but the lux nature of their vehicles is definitely not as this F-PACE 400 Sport demonstrates. Prices start at $126,920 excluding on road costs and as tested this F-PACE was $137,090 plus on-roads. You can Build your Own F-PACE online or visit your preferred Jaguar retailer for more information.
| Pros | Cons |
| The lovely interior finishes | Temperature was hard to balance on climate control |
| The perky engine | No USB ports for rear passengers |
| Voice control has improved | Centre rear tether point is not labelled |
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.