It’s loud, obnoxious, & fun that the whole family can enjoy. Review over. Ok so maybe there’s a bit more to the 2019 Jaguar F-Pace SVR than that so let’s dive right in.
Performance
Engine – The Jaguar F-Pace is available with a wide range of engines which include two variations of the 2.0L turbocharged Ingenium 4-cylinder engine, a 3.0L supercharged V6, and now a 5.0L supercharged V8. The supercharged V8 that’s in this F-Pace is broadly the same engine as found in the Jaguar F-Type SVR but with a slightly different tune. In the F-Type it produces 575 hp while in this F-Pace, power is down to 550 hp and 502 lb-ft of torque. To be brutally honest, with 550 hp, the F-Pace is one fast SUV. The industry standard of 0-100km/h gets done with in just 4.3 seconds which is the same as a manual Chevy Camaro SS. This 5.0L V8 overshadows every other aspect in the F-Pace. It has a lot of character.
In terms of fuel economy, well, does it really matter with an SUV that weighs 2 tonnes and has a 5.0L supercharged V8? It’s not going to be good. During my time with the F-Pace SVR, I averaged around 14 L/100km (16.8 mpg) and about 60% of the distance I traveled was on the highway. I definitely could have been lighter on the throttle to improve the fuel economy figure but with this engine, I just couldn’t. It was too much fun.
Transmission – Like many other Jaguar models, the F-Pace receives an 8-speed automatic transmission. In S-Dynamic mode, the shifts are noticeable both on upshifts and downshifts. But they are relatively quick for a traditional automatic. Pop the gear selector into D and the transmission shifts become much smoother (and slower) which makes it perfect for normal city driving.
Braking – 15.5” front rotors with massive 4-piston calipers do majority of the braking. Despite the 2,000 kg curb weight, the 2019 Jaguar F-Pace SVR stops like as though it’s a lighter sport sedan. Not quite a sports car but still very good. Unfortunately there is no option of carbon ceramic brakes like on the F-Type SVR but for everyday use and driving through mountain roads, the steel brakes provide better feel and still have a confident feeling brake pedal after repeated use. Emergency automatic braking is a standard feature on the Jaguar F-Pace SVR.
Handling – With AWD and massive 295 section wide tires in the back, the F-Pace SVR has a lot of grip. 100% of the engine’s power gets sent to the back wheels majority of the time with some of that power going to the front wheels when the wide tires do start to let go. Exiting out of a corner feels like you’re getting shot out of a cannon. However if you have traction control and stability control off and you’re not careful, the big cat can slide. It’s an uneasy feeling when the big rear tires do let go and 2 tonnes of SUV goes into a direction that you’re not expecting. But leave traction & stability control on and the F-Pace feels like it can outcorner just about every other sports SUV on the market… and even some sport cars.
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Comfort
Ride Comfort – The Jag F-Pace SVR gets adaptive suspension that can be switched between Comfort or Dynamic. Even when they’re in the harder Dynamic setting, it’s still relatively comfortable to drive around city streets. Although it has to be said that you probably do want to swerve around bigger potholes. The seats are a little on the firm side but they provide very good support when just commuting or having some fun around twisty roads.
Interior Space – Front occupants have a good amount of space for both tall and shorter drivers/passengers. The seats also make you sit quite high up so you have good visibility over other vehicle in front and it makes it easier to get in and out. Rear occupants also have a good amount of room so long as they’re below 6’2”-ish. If you’re taller than that, it’s not really a place you’d want to be for a long road trip as leg room can be tight. Cargo space is bigger than the competition however it could have been bigger still if it didn’t have the spare wheel taking up the cargo space underneath the trunk floor.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – Just like the F-Type SVR, this F-Pace SVR is loud, very loud, very very loud. When in S-Dynamic mode, the exhaust has the traditional V8 roar when accelerating, burbles when upshifting, and crackles & pops when letting off the throttle. Like I said before, this engine overwhelms every other aspect of this SUV and a lot of it has to do with the noises that it makes.
But when you just want to have a quiet drive to work, the active exhaust is quiet enough to not attract attention. You’ll still hear the V8 burble but it’s not overshadowing. I should also point out that on a highway, the 22” optional wheels & tires make quite a bit of noise. Not enough to ruin a trip but it is noticeable.
Interior Design – The F-Pace shares a lot of similar design cues with other Jaguar models. The new 10” wide touchscreen is from the F-Type as is the gear selector, the steering wheel and climate controls are from the XF, and the driver digital display is similar to the one on the E-Pace. Where the SVR differs is the carbon fiber trim and sport bucket seats with the red and black quilted leather. The red leather makes the interior pop and stand out from the usual all black, everything black trend.
Odds and Ends
Gadgets – The 2019 Jaguar F-Pace SVR can be equipped with just about every advanced safety & convenience feature in the Jaguar options list. The only thing that’s really missing are massaging seats. Other than that you can spec your F-Pace SVR to just be an SUV with the heart of a supercar for $92,000 CAD or one that’s fully loaded for around $117,000 CAD.
One thing you may want to omit though is the head-up display. It is small and the type of projection that Jaguar uses can be irritating to some. GM and Ford have far better looking and bigger head-up displays.
Exterior Design – The standard Jaguar F-Pace is not a bad looking SUV. The SVR treatment though makes it look more aggressive with larger air intakes in the bumper, functional hood and side vents, and large quad exhaust pipes. I also really like some of the little touches like the slats in the body work behind each wheel. Not sure why they’re there but they look cool.
So at the $92,000 CAD starting price, is the Jag worth it? The Porsche Cayenne Turbo is a bit faster and bigger but also much more expensive. The Alfa Romeo Stelvio is similarly priced as the F-Pace but it’s not as fast. The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT is less expensive but also less powerful and it doesn’t have the same quality interior. So with all that to take into consideration, it’s a no brainer. At $92,000 CAD the 2019 Jaguar F-Pace SVR is most definitely worth it.
Thank you to Jaguar Canada for providing the vehicle. www.Jaguar.ca
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