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The name says it all - F-Pace - fast and fabulous. It's Jaguar’s answer to a medium-sized premium sports utility vehicle. The F-Pace is a bold-looking SUV that oozes style in an overtly athletic manner. It's not to be confused with a pick-up and drop-off soccer mom wagon, like some of its competition. Instead, its muscular good looks are imbued with a coupe-like appeal. 

 

The world's strange - I mean, consider the concept of a sports car, whichever spring to mind. Now, think of a do it all 4X4, like a Jeep Wrangler or the Defender Land Rover. These two concepts are polarized. But, we - us car buying folk, wanted a hybrid of these two extremes; now we have an array of blisteringly quick SUV's, which are as adaptable as a Swiss Army knife. Personified, they'd be a superhero. Perhaps with some imagination, they could liken to a particular X-Men? 

 

Let's play with my concept. If the F-Pace was a Marvel character, from the rival gang, the Hellions to the X-Men series then I'm going with the lesser known Sharon Smith, AKA Catseye. This sexy vixen can transform into either a housecat or a human-panther hybrid (a werecat). In her panther form, she has superhuman strength, speed, agility, reflexes, coordination, balance, and endurance in addition to hyper-keen senses, razor-sharp claws and fangs and the ability to crawl up walls.

 

See where I'm going? The Jaguar F-Pace is just like Sharon - a hybrid between an executive family car and an athletic wild Jaguar. The imaginative thought is amazing. 

 

Living with it is another story. 

 

The F-Pace is one of the newest members of the genetic revolution that is the new era of Jaguar cars. The brand is modern, distinctive and decisively athletic. Each car brand builds their reputation on distinctive constructs. Jaguars are offer English style infused with a racing pedigree.

 

In my week with Jag's medium-sized SUV it was evident that although the product has its strong points, it's not perfect. 

 

Gorgeously designed, but lacking that same overt aggression of its prototype, especially evident in the base (Pure) models. 

Open the car, and you're transported into a seemingly modern world of man-made leather, brushed aluminum, mock suede, and high-gloss black plastic. Like many other car makers - the instrument panels are all electronic. Together the look is clean, luxurious and up-to-date. But on closer inspection, some of the materials used, specifically the plastics, are hard; not in keeping with the quality you'd expect from premium British car like a Jaguar.

 

On the road, the flagship F-Pace's S badge alludes to something special under the hood. What you'll find is a 3.0-l 6-cylinder turbocharged diesel motor. This engine has been tuned to thrust 190 kW of power and a whopping 650 Nm of marvelous torque to the tarmac. Jaguar has mated their engines to arguably the best gearboxes on the market. They are 8-speed ZF units that quickly and seamlessly slice between each gear. Your traffic light darts from standstill to 100 km/h will be achieved at around 6.2 seconds. My fuel consumption figures, albeit mostly in Eco mode and on a heavy urban cycle of driving, was 11-l per 100 km. Jaguar claims a figure closer to 7-l.  

 

Dynamically, the F-Pace has been designed to tackle the road with agility. That's great if you live on a race course - you'll be smiling from ear to ear whilst easily maneuvering sharp bends. You won't see that when driving to and from your daily commutes on our poor roads. The suspension set up is far too firm for this purpose. Perhaps if you opt for optional air suspension, this will soften up? It's a shortfall of this car’s otherwise good composure. 

 

PLUS +

Unique-looking.

Solid road feels.

Powerful engine.

Fantastic gearbox.

Sporty.

Luxurious.

 

MINUS -

Firm sporting ride.

There is a weighted feeling from the steering at pull off. 

Average list of standard creature comforts.

Pricey.

 

Competition 

Porsche Mecan, Mercedes-Benz GLC/Coupé, BMW X3 and X4 and Audi Q5. 

 

Pricing

20d AWD Pure R802 066

20d AWD R-Sport R897 266

 

25t Pure R869 102

25t R-Sport R963 302

25t AWD Pure R898 500

25t AWD R-Sport R992 700

 

25d AWD Pure R889 562

25d AWD R-Sport R983 662

 

30d AWD Pure R969 946

30d AWD R-Sport R1 064 146

30d AWD S R1 021 046

 

35t AWD Pure R1 021 046

35t AWD R-Sport R1 115 246

35t AWD S R1 233 646

 

Service and warranty 

The Jaguar F-Pace range is sold with a 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan.

 

My choice

25d AWD R-Sport R983 662

www.jaguar.co.za

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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