So the newest Jaguar F-Pace luxobarge has landed in SA, and it’s been given a proper going-over to keep it relevant in the premium league. Apart from a cleaned-up interior, it has seen some clever tweaks to hone the exterior, with new R-Dynamic and R-Dynamic Black trim levels to up the ante. In addition, there are two new 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, and two derivatives offering the option of a Mild Hybrid (MHEV) or a Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) powertrain.
The exterior features a new bonnet, revised bumpers, slimline quad-LED headlights and a wider diamond mesh grille.
A swanky and less cluttered interior boasts things like cricket ball stitching, open-grain wood veneers and plush heated leather seats, just for starters. While some key buttons have been retained, the rest is high digital, and now includes the new Pivi Pro infotainment system, with a curved 11.4-inch central screen. The driver is gifted a 12.3-inch interactive display with things like full-screen navigation. There is noise cancelling tech, and 3D surround cameras for negotiating the urban jungle, plus a range of driver aids including adaptive cruise control.
There are two diesels and three petrol engine options, all coupled to an eight-speed transmission and all-wheel drive with a rear-drive bias to add a dash of sportiness. The diesels kick in with the Ingenium family’s D200 2.0-litre four (147kW/430Nm), and step up to the D300 in-line six-cylinder with 221kW/700Nm. The petrol entry point is the 2.0-litre four-cylinder P250 (184kW/365Nm), moving to the in-line six 3.0-litre P400 with an electric supercharger and twin scroll turbo. This MHEV ‘mild hybrid’ uses regenerative power stored in the battery for extra boost, to make outputs of 294kW/550Nm.
The final petrol is the eco-aware P400e, which is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) using a 2.0-litre petrol engine coupled to a 105kW electric motor run from a 17.1kWh lithium-ion battery, for a total system output of 297kW/640Nm. The big appeal of this tech is a potential fuel economy of 2.2litres/100km and a range of up to 53km on electric power alone on full charge. Apparently an 80% charge can be achieved on a domestic wall outlet in 100 minutes.
Up to 20 colour options are now on the cards, and a new gangster R-Dynamic Black trim on a number of derivatives which adds gloss black 20-inch wheels, roof rails, grille, and so on, with charcoal veneers on the interior.
A superbly sporty SUV with the tech to tame its weight, the F-Pace offers a credible alternative to the German offerings in this class. It’s no ideal bush-whacker, but the more adventurous owner can certainly tackle a few gravel roads in confidence.
New F-PACE pricing:
- D200 R1 122 500
- D300 R1 233 200
- P250 R1 214 500
- P400 R1 239 400
- P400e R1 610 100
- D200 R-Dynamic R1 190 500
- D300 R-Dynamic R1 301 000
- P250 R-Dynamic R1 282 400
- P400 R-Dynamic R1 307 300
- P400e R-Dynamic R1 672 700
- D200 R-Dynamic Black R1 176 600
- D300 R-Dynamic Black R1 287 100
- P250 R-Dynamic Black R1 268 500
