The name F-Pace suggests something fast that’s related to Jaguar’s racy F-Type.
But any aesthetic link between the 1310mm low F-Type sports coupe and the 1651mm tall SUV is limited to the gorgeous graphics of the LED tail-lights.
Still, the F-Pace is one of the most stylish European SUVs right now, and its styling is attractive in any colour, even ah beng bronze (or Halcyon Gold, to give the paint job its official name).
Size-wise, the F-Pace sits between Porsche’s Macan and Cayenne, and BMW’s X3 and X5.
But the Jaguar’s alloy wheels go up to a whopping 22-inch, bigger than any of its rivals’.
Those dramatic big wheels do not destroy the ride quality of the F-Pace, which traverses the tarmac like an elevated XE saloon – quietly and gently, with only mild jiggles over rough patches of road.
The F-Pace can be specified with smaller 20-inch wheels, which make the ride even more agreeable, without affecting grip and stability.
This car always feels so grippy and stable, boosting my confidence at speed, even on narrow two-way switchbacks flanked by high mountain wall on one side and a long fall off the Montenegro mountain on the other.
The steering, by the way, is well-weighted and accurate.
Thankfully, the brakes do a great job of shedding speed or stopping the car completely whenever another vehicle appears from one of the mountainside’s numerous blind corners.
Picking up the pace in the F-Pace isn’t shiok in the turbocharged 2-litre diesel version (which is strangely unpolished and rather unenergetic), but shiok in the supercharged 3-litre petrol V6 version, which pulls with gusto and sounds like a wildcat gone wild.
However, the 380bhp engine needs plenty of revs to really charge ahead, which may be the reason why it doesn’t feel like it can nail the 0-100km/h sprint in a claimed 5.5 seconds.
My uncertified “butt dyno” suggests a timing closer to 6 seconds, which is still very quick for an SUV that weighs over 1.8 tonnes (despite a monocoque structure that’s 80 percent aluminium) and hauls a spacious cabin with a commodious 650-litre boot.
The British luxuries on board include lovely decorative materials (such as soft-grain leather and warm-tone wood), classy and comfy seats, precisely controlled air-conditioning, 10-colour ambient lighting and a panoramic sunroof.
Not so luxurious, though, are some of the cabin plastics, and all of the styrofoam organiser parked under the boot floor. And the dashboard’s switches seem less tight than those in the Audi Q5.
The infotainment and instrumentation of the F-Pace are excellent.
The top-of-the-line instrument cluster is a 12.3-inch, high-definition digital affair with a choice of delightful visual themes and a full-screen navigation display.
Party tricks to impress the geeky driver include a pin-sharp laser head-up display, a smartphone app to secure or climate-control the F-Pace, and something called the Activity Key.
Said to be the first of its kind, the waterproof and shockproof wristband has an integral transponder that lets the driver lock/unlock his F-Pace from the outside – with the (automatically disabled) keyfob inside the car – by using the Activity Key to touch the “J” of the “Jaguar” script on the tailgate.
The activity in question would probably be outdoor sport, or in the case of the all-wheel-drive F-Pace, recreational off-roading.
The steeply inclined bridge (set up by engineers), muddy slopes and rocky trails of the rainy test route in Tivat were tackled confidently by the Jaguar, so it qualifies as an occasional jungle cat.
But I would still be concerned about getting the stylish exterior scratched and the posh interior dirtied.
The Jaguar F-Pace will make its Singapore debut next month (July).
Jaguar F-Pace 2.0D
ENGINE 1999cc, 16-valves, inline-4, turbo-diesel
MAX POWER 180bhp at 4000rpm
MAX TORQUE 430Nm at 1750-2500rpm
POWER TO WEIGHT 101.4bhp per tonne
GEARBOX 8-speed automatic with manual select
0-100KM/H 8.7 seconds
TOP SPEED 208km/h
CONSUMPTION 18.9km/L (combined)
CO2 EMISSION 139g/km
PRICE INCL. COE To be announced
Jaguar F-Pace First Edition 3.0 (A)
DRIVETRAIN
Type V6, 24-valves, supercharged
Capacity 2995cc
Bore x Stroke 84.5mm x 89mm
Compression ratio 10.5:1
Max power 380bhp at 6500rpm
Max torque 450Nm at 4500rpm
Power to weight 204.2bhp per tonne
Gearbox 8-speed automatic with manual select
Driven wheels All
PERFORMANCE
0-100km/h 5.5 seconds
Top speed 250km/h
Consumption 11.2km/L (combined)
CO2 emission 209g/km
SUSPENSION
Front Double wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Rear Integral links, coil springs, anti-roll bar
BRAKES
Front / Rear Ventilated discs
TYRES
Type Pirelli P Zero
Size 265/40 R22
SAFETY
Airbags 6
Traction aids ABS, DSC
MEASUREMENTS
Length 4731mm
Width 1936mm
Height 1651mm
Wheelbase 2874mm
Kerb weight 1861kg
Turning circle 11.87m
BUYING IT
Price incl. COE To be announced
Warranty 3 years/100,000km
+ Splendid exterior, practical interior, enjoyable dynamics
– Some interior plastics feel cheap, pick-up seems less fast than claimed
