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Jaguar’s F-Pace has been a long-time member of the premium SUV club. When it first arrived back in 2016, it acted as a real game-changer for Jaguar as it entered the firm into this ultra-competitive market but did so in a way which still felt true to the brand. Good to drive and smartly finished inside, it was a big hitter for Jaguar,
But the game has progressed especially since then and there are more features than ever before. Jaguar recently updated the F-Pace, but is that enough to keep it on top?They put us behind the wheel to find out.
As mentioned, Jaguar updated the F-Pace in March 2022. As well as a more streamlined specification diversity, Jaguar has also expanded the diversity of styling we’re testing today: the plug-in hybrid, with the P400e badge. Longer diversity is never a bad thing for a plug-in hybrid, however, the F-Pace is still available with a diversity of other engines, adding a mild hybrid diesel and a V8.
As before, the F-Pace is supplied with Jaguar’s newest infotainment formula that has reshaped the brand’s cars, as well as a higher trim level than before.
At the heart of the P400e’s engine setup is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine which is then linked to an electric motor and battery. Combined, there’s a decent amount of power – 398bhp, in fact – while combined with 640Nm of torque it helps to deliver a 0-60mph time of just five seconds and a top speed of 149mph.
But there’s lots of efficiency to go with the performance, too. Now Jaguar claims fuel consumption of 163.2mpg for the F-Pace P400e but, as is the case with all plug-in hybrids, you’ll need to take this with a pinch of salt since that figure can only really be generated when you’re running entirely on electric power. However, a total electric-only range of 39 miles means you can go quite far without troubling the engine.
It’s this uniquely electric diversity that makes your first contact with the P400e relaxing. You can drive with that battery power and it gives the car a lot of speed off the line. The guide, as has been the case with all F-Pace models since their launch have an excellent weight and give the car a sporty yet planted feel. The steering wheel itself also has a thin edge.
When that four-cylinder engine gets called into play does change things. It’s quite noisy under heavy acceleration and just disrupts that overall premium feeling that you were getting beforehand. Once you’ve run out of battery power, we were seeing fuel economy in the mid-30s, so you’re definitely best keeping it topped up with electricity. That said, mid-30s fuel economy is about right for this size of vehicle.
The F-Pace, to our eyes at least, represented quite a nice interpretation of some of Jaguar’s sports car designs on a larger platform. The rear lights, for example, look rather similar to the ones you’d find on the F-Type sports car, while the front grille ties it in nicely with other cars from the brand such as the XE and XF saloons.
Our car was presented with an all-gray exterior with black alloys, which made it look like a villain’s car from a James Bond movie. However, Jaguar has a clever array of colours to choose from with the F-Pace should it fit. .
The driving position you can get in the F-Pace sets the mood inside the cabin. There are plenty of tweaks and you can place the steering wheel anywhere you want, making the F-Pace feel a little more geared towards more passionate drivers than its rivals. . Elsewhere, we have bulky controls and dials that’s easy to access when you’re on the go, such as those for heating and ventilation. It’s a refreshing replenishment of other, more screen-centric setups.
In the rear, headroom and legroom are both pretty decent, but the side is let down by the area at the back of the driver’s armrest – it’s covered in some very nasty-feeling plastic and disrupts what is otherwise quite an upmarket-feeling area.
Our car, with R-Dynamic trim, brings a full package of external styling and LED lights, while the internal is an 11. 4-inch infotainment formula with Jaguar’s Pivi formula. One of the most productive in the industry, as it responds very well to inputs and has many intuitive features. Apple CarPlay is included as popular and is also wireless.
Prices for the F-Pace start from £48,770, but opting for the P400e plug-in hybrid specifically increases that amount to £61,035. That’s a lot more than you’d pay for an Audi Q5 plug-in hybrid or a Volvo XC60. with a plug-in hybrid setup. However, the F-Pace offers many popular gadgets and a much longer diversity in electric mode only.
While the F-Pace has been on our roads for a while, it’s still more than enough to fend off the existing crop of premium SUVs. This plug-in hybrid edition also provides the opportunity to reduce running costs, we believe I still wouldn’t be disappointed with one of the “classic” mild hybrid editions.
It’s an example of Jaguar bringing some extra spirit into an SUV, too, but backing that up with good driving dynamics and plenty of standard equipment.
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