Jaguar F-Pace 25t Test Drive Review – Extremely Desirable

Jaguar F-Pace 25t Review

Car Tested: Jaguar F-Pace 25t; Road Test No. 1048; Test Location: Mumbai

Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 75,71,207

The F-Pace is a wild-looking luxury SUV with great performance & dynamics

Jaguar’s foray into the SUV segment with the F-Pace did come across as a surprise to many as the brand’s sister concern is the ace in making off-road vehicles. Still, Jaguar did a fine job of differentiating the F-Pace from Land Rover’s similarly priced offerings, making it the best selling Jag ever. Launched in India as a CBU, the British automaker was quick to start local assembly of the F-Pace in India and just recently launched the petrol model with both the engine options being available in a single Prestige trim. We drive the F-Pace petrol, which comes at a Rs. 3 lakh price premium over the diesel. We tell you if the 25T model has an upper-hand over the 20d.

Motor Quest: Jaguar unveiled the F-Pace in concept form as the C-X17 in 2013, unveiling the production model (codenamed X761) in 2015 with a world record 360 loop-the-loop. The company launched the F-Pace via the CBU route in India in October 2016 with 2 diesel engine options with local assembly of the 4-cylinder diesel commencing in November 2017 and the petrol version being launched in October 2018.

Exteriors – The Jaguar F-Pace looks unmistakably Jag while still retaining the SUV proportions. This is the brand’s first SUV and manufacturers have rarely aced the designs of their first SUVs. But the F-Pace looks refreshingly different, very sporty and subtly elegant, all at the same time.

The F-Pace has all the Jaguar DNA in its design and looks outstanding

The front is dominated by a massive grille with the Jaguar logo sitting proudly, in red. The grille is really a highlight. It is massive and gives the car an intimidating presence. But in being very large, it does not end up looking excessive or out of proportion like the grille on the upcoming BMW X7. The grille sits well with beautifully designed headlights flanking on either side. The LED cluster of the headlight looks great too with brilliant detailing. The way the DRLs light up especially at night gives the Jag the desired angry cat effect.

The side is more conventional and that is actually a good thing. You will notice that the window line is a little higher up than in some SUVs and the wheel arches look properly big. This gives the relatively sleek F-Pace a typical SUV demeanour. The lines flow seamlessly across the body and the window roof slopes down ever so gently giving it a very balanced coupe-like look.

The rear is the best angle of the F-Pace. The taillights grab your attention instantly and they feel so in tandem with the rest of the Jaguar cars, particularly the F-Type. The taillights are short but wide and like the headlights, they boast of amazing detailing. The bulge on the boot lid looks nice and the spoiler atop the hatch gives it the sporty air.

Interiors – Getting in the F-Pace is relatively easy as the car sits rather low to the ground. Once inside, you can easily stretch out. Surrounding the driver is a rakish windscreen, high rising door cards, and the fascia and a relatively high transmission tunnel. So the F-Pace does not feel like an SUV initially.

The F-Pace gets a panoramic sunroof, it’s loaded with a lot of equipment

Jaguar hasn’t made the dashboard design too radical and that is a good thing. The interiors, particularly in beige look classy and properly upmarket. The centre console gets all the controls at convenient locations, meaning you don’t have to take your eyes too much off the road while controlling. The dashboard is adorned by the large 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment screen complete with all the necessary connectivity and navigation features. You also get a sweet sounding Meridian Audio System and 360-degree sensors all around to make it easier for you to park you large F-Pace.

The infotainment system is quick to respond but lacks the ultimate degree of crispiness found in BMW’s iDrive. Nonetheless, owners are likely to appreciate the horizontally placed screen for its versatility. The F-Pace also comes with a larger all-digital instrument cluster which looks smashing with all the graphics and is very easy to read.

The start-stop button pulses for attention, attention to detail is very unique

There is more to make you feel special on the inside. You get configurable ambient mood lighting, a 10-way electric adjust for the front seats, cooled glovebox, auto-dimming rearview mirror and a four-zone climate control system. The quality of materials is very good for the most part but when you dig deep, you are bound to come across some less-than-perfect plastics especially in the lower parts of the dashboard. The cabin also does not feel as indestructible as some of its German rivals.

The front seats are really comfortable and offer a variety of adjustments. We also love some details up front that adds to the cabin’s sense of occasion. The cowl at the very end of the dash that extends from the passenger’s door to the driver’s gives the cabin a snug feel. The gear lever that rises up as you press the start/stop button is also a clever touch. We’ve seen this in many Jaguar cars and it is a little old but it still feels premium.

The back seats offer generous legroom and just about enough headroom. However, the seats don’t feel as supportive as the ones found in the Volvo XC60 and they are best for two, thanks to the intruding rear AC vents and a hump in the floorboard. The panoramic sunroof adds to the airiness of the cabin.

Performance – With demand for petrol-engined luxury cars gradually increasing, Jaguar Land Rover has been introducing petrol models slowly. The F-Pace 25T is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged Ingenium gasoline mill that belts out 247 HP and 365 Nm, with peak torque coming in at 1300 RPM, all the way till 4500 RPM. Expectedly, there is a good amount of low-end punch with the motor being very refined but the mid-range is a bit flat and the powerplant wakes up around 4000 RPM and pulls strongly all the way to its 7000 RPM redline. The motor does sound vocal, but the sound is throaty and sporty especially towards the top-end.

The 25t motor shines in low-end and top-end performance while the mid-range is a bit weak

0-100 km/hr takes 6.8 seconds while the top speed is 216 km/hr. The motor does rev freely and there are 4 driving modes on offer – Normal, Dynamic (changes the cluster’s backlit and centre console light to red), Eco (changes the cluster’s backlit and centre console light to red) and Rain/Ice/Snow; these parameters tweak the engine, AC and steering but not the gearbox as the transmission has its own Sport mode which holds onto a gear, if you tap the paddles, the car won’t upshift unless and until you do so, giving you complete control of cogs. The 8-speed ZF gearbox isn’t the fastest with shifts and does hesitate when you want a quick downshift but is a smooth operator.

The Jaguar F-Pace 25T does not have the lusty mid-range like the diesel, particularly the more powerful V6 diesel. It is never to a point where it feels bothersome but a little more torque would have gone a long way. That said, even the Porsche Macan 2.0 petrol feels flat in the mid-range.

The F-Pace SVR can go from 0-100 km/hr in 4.3 seconds but we don’t get it in India

The Jaguar F-Pace 25T returns a mileage between 7-10 km/l, depending on the driving style and condition. It has a 60-litre fuel tank which seems a bit small for a car of this segment. While there is adequate performance, it’s not going to push you back in the seat although Jaguar does offer the SVR model globally which has staggering numbers like 550 PS, 680 Nm, 4.3 seconds to 100 km/hr, 283 km/hr top speed and even a large 82-litre tank!

Driving Dynamics – The F-Pace is a heavy car, it weighs almost 1800 kgs but is lighter than the diesel which makes it less prone to understeer around corners due to the lighter nose. This car is sporty and that’s how it differentiates itself from its Land Rover siblings as the D7a platform is shared with the XE, XF and Velar. This advanced aluminium monocoque architecture uses 80% aluminium along with magnesium and composite, this makes it not only lighter but also more rigid. In fact, the F-Pace uses an all aluminium suspension with the front suspension being derived from the F-Type, a double wishbone. At the rear, the sub-frame mounted multi-link rear suspension is more expensive than what rivals use but that lets Jaguar tune the car for a better balance of ride and handling.

Despite being an SUV, the F-Pace boasts of very good driving dynamics

Handling is very good by SUV standards and it makes the F-Pace feel much smaller than what it actually is. This is thanks to Jaguar having achieved 50:50 weight distribution. The AWD system is rear-biased with a slew of Jaguar systems like torque vectoring by braking, hill launch assist, all surface progress control (it’s like a cruise control for low speeds and works under 30 km/hr when going off-road), dynamic stability control and traction control working well to ensure controlled body movements at higher speeds. However, the suspension is on the stiffer side but the ride quality is good and improves as you increase the speed but does have vertical movement at higher speeds. The speed proportional electric steering is light at low speeds but does weigh up well at higher speeds giving you the necessary confidence while cornering. The brakes of the F-Pace are very surefooted and the car remains under control even under heavy braking, offering positive feel at the pedal.

Safety and After Sales Service – There is nothing like an ‘unsafe car’ when you are shopping for a car from this segment. Like all its rivals, the F-Pace scores a full five-star Euro NCAP safety rating. Jaguar offers all the bells and whistles like ESP, Traction Control, pre-tensioner seat belts and 6 airbags. Jaguar is not offering radar-based safety with the F-Pace as of now. Factor in the superb build quality and amazing dynamics, you have a very safe car indeed.

Verdict – The Jaguar F-Pace still remains one of the better looking, better equipped, better handling and more desirable SUVs in our market. So regardless of which engine you pick, the F-Pace still comes across as a very well rounded and refreshingly different alternative to the regular German brigade. However, the 2.0-litre engine with its smooth powertrain and good exhaust note comes across as the more entertaining engine in the line-up. But we miss the effortless torque of the V6 diesel and the superb efficiency of the 2.0-litre diesel. That said if you are after something that is refined and reasonably quick and is a low-mileage driver, the petrol 25T makes a strong case for itself.

What’s Cool

* Looks gorgeous, smart and intimidating
* Luxurious and well-loaded interior
* Good ride quality along with high-speed stability
* Excellent dynamics and safety rating
What’s Not So Cool

* More expensive than its German rivals
* The engine lacks mid-range punch

Alternatives: – BMW X3, Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Volvo XC60, Porsche Macan, Range Rover Evoque

Jaguar F-Pace 25t Specifications

* Engine: 1997cc, 4-Cyl, Petrol
* Power: 247 HP @ 5500 RPM
* Torque: 365 Nm @ 1300-4500 RPM
* Transmission: 8-Speed AT
* Top Speed: 216 km/hr
* 0-100 km/hr: 6.8 seconds
* Fuel Type: Petrol
* Tyre Size: 255/55/20 (Front), 255/50/20 (Rear)
* Suspension: Double-Wishbone (Front), Multi-Link (Rear)
* Brakes: Disc (Front), Disc (Rear), ABS
* Safety: 6 Airbags, Traction Control, EBD, ESP

Jaguar F-Pace 25t Dimensions

* Overall length x width x height: 4737 mm X 2175 mm X 1651 mm
* Wheelbase: 2874 mm
* Turning Radius: 5.9-metres
* Fuel Tank Capacity: 60-litres
* Kerb Weight: 2460 kgs

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