Jaguar is set to become an all-electric luxury brand before the end of the decade. In 2024, they took a step closer to that goal by discontinuing the F-Type sports car. So with that in mind, is it worth considering an SUV like the 2024 Jaguar F-Pace P400 knowing that one day, it’ll be discontinued as well?
Performance
Engine – The 2024 F-Pace is available with a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, a supercharged V8, and a turbocharged inline-6 like this P400 version. This inline-6 produces 395 hp & 406 lb-ft of torque (295 kW & 550 Nm) with a 0-100 km/h time of 5.4 seconds according to Jaguar. This is a fast responding and powerful feeling engine. From 2,000 rpms and onward, it pulls really hard right up to the redline at around 6,000 rpms. The quick response is in part thanks to the mild-hybrid system. The electric supercharger that is equipped with this system, aids the turbocharger in quickly building up boost at low rpms. With this big SUV tipping the scales at 1,953 kg (4,305 lbs), the engine is still powerful enough to provide the “pin to the back of the seat” feeling.
Sadly, it’s not a particularly loud engine. It makes some nice noises from inside the cabin but they’re barely noticeable from outside the car. I think some of the noises are enhanced by the audio system.
Fuel Economy – For such a powerful and heavy SUV, the 2024 Jaguar F-Pace P400 is quite fuel efficient. It is officially rated for 12.6 L/100km (18.7 MPG) in a city and 9.4 L/100km (25 MPG) on a highway. I managed a respectable 11.3 L/100km (20.8 MPG) during my time with the F-Pace.
The car does have different drive modes, including Dynamic, Normal, and Eco, but the Eco mode doesn’t provide the same fuel saving techniques as some rivals. For example, in other mild-hybrid equipped luxury vehicles, the engine shuts off while coasting at speed. This is to not only save fuel but it also allows the vehicle to travel a bit further without any engine braking to slow it down. As soon as the throttle is applied, the engine fires up right away. This F-Pace doesn’t do that nor does it do anything like other MHEVs such as switching the transmission into neutral while coasting or shutting off the engine moments before arriving at a complete stop. The F-Pace does have an auto start/stop system but it behaves like a traditional setup much like you’d find in a normal gasoline-only powered vehicle.
Transmission – The inline-6 engine is paired with a ZF 8-speed automatic. This is a transmission that is used in many other vehicles, most commonly, BMW vehicles. As such, this is a great transmission with smooth and quick shifts. But while it performs well in this F-Pace in most conditions, in bumper to bumper traffic, it’s as though this transmission doesn’t know what to do. It’s as though it can’t decide whether to stay in 1st gear or shift to 2nd. As a result, it tends to make the car a bit jerky in this driving condition. But once the speed builds, it’s fantastic.
Braking – With this P400 R-Dynamic version of the Jaguar F-Pace being poised as a more sporty driving SUV, the brakes need to be able to bring this heavy SUV to a stop in a short distance. I’m happy to say that they feel strong with an excellent brake pedal feel. To some, they may feel a bit like on/off switches when pressing the brake pedal but I found it to be just right.
Handling – Let me just start by saying that this demo vehicle came equipped with snow tires which generally don’t provide as much grip as summer or all-season tires on dry pavement. But even so, this 2024 Jaguar F-Pace P400 felt as though it had a lot of grip. It has a rear-biased AWD system that shifts the engine’s power accordingly. The steering is sharp and responsive with a nicely balanced weight feel. And the chassis felt rock solid when driving through turns thanks to the adaptive dampers that keeps body roll in check. I found myself more often than not driving a bit too quickly through corners in this F-Pace.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – A few years ago, Jaguar tuned the F-Pace to be a bit more comfortable on city streets. Admittedly, it has been a long time since I last drove a non SVR Jaguar F-Pace so I can’t remember the ride quality of that older car. But this 2024 model has a ride that is in between something like a Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 and a BMW X3 M40i. It effectively absorbs smaller bumps but bigger bumps are not so forgiving.
However, helping with the smoother ride are the bucket seats. Normally seats that look like these are not super comfortable but I found them to be just about perfect for my body type. Some may find the side bolsters digging into their sides.
Interior Space – The interior of the 2024 Jaguar F-Pace is about average for this class of vehicle. It has less maximum headroom than something like the BMW X3 or Genesis GV70. But it has more front & rear legroom than the X3 and about the same as the GV70. However, the Volvo XC60 has even more legroom than this F-Pace.
Cargo capacity, however, is a bit less than its competitors with 601 L (21.2 cu-ft) behind the rear seats. With the 40/20/40 backrests folded, cargo capacity increases to 1,428 L (50.4 cu-ft). That’s about 1.8 meters behind the rear seats and about 1 meter in width of space. The F-Pace also has a spare wheel underneath the trunk floor.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – As I mentioned earlier, the engine sounds good inside the cabin but not from the outside when you’re “hooning” it. The rest of the time, engine noises aren’t really noticeable. Tire noise is a bit more evident on highways. Again, this car had winter tires which, in addition to not providing as much grip on pavement as all-season tires, they’re also louder.
As for squeaks and rattles, I pulled and prodded on every surface and I only found one piece of trim that squeaked when pushing on it. A piece of plastic next to the passenger seat. But again, this only happened when exerting force on it. During all other times, the cabin was squeak free.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – The 2024 Jaguar F-Pace P400 R-Dynamic starts at $76,400 CAD ($66,500 USD). That is a bit more expensive than the likes of the BMW X3 M40i but less expensive than the Genesis GV70 3.5T. This demo vehicle came equipped at $88,810 CAD ($76,700 USD) which, again, is slightly more expensive than the X3 M40i.
Gadgets – The 2024 F-Pace P400 can be equipped with a lot of gadgets. Some of these features include heated, ventilated & massaging front seats, heated rear seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, panoramic sunroof, an 11.3” touchscreen with wireless CarPlay & Android Auto connectivity, a 12.3” digital driver display, a head-up display, a heated steering wheel, a heated windshield, ambient cabin lighting, wireless phone charging, power adjustable steering wheel, and power liftgate among many other features. Perhaps one item that is missing is surround view cameras. It has front & rear parking sensors along with a backup camera but no surround view.
The infotainment system takes a bit of getting used to if you’ve never experienced it before. It allows for some customizability with different widgets on the home screen and their specific order. Once you’ve had some time to interact with it, not while driving though, it does become a bit more structured and you’ll know exactly where everything is. Additionally, you can select between a few different views on the digital driver display. From a map to media to one dial or two dials, it has more customization options than some other luxury SUVs.
Interior Design – The interior is dark due to the black leather and headliner but it exudes a feeling of luxury & class. It’s a minimalist design with only 2 major physical controls (temperature, heated/ventilated seat controls, and fan speed) on the dashboard under the touchscreen. I’m not a fan of touch controls but at least jaguar has given us the important ones as physical controls.
Furthermore, every surface or control that you lay your fingers on has a feeling of being premium. There are few plastics and those items that are, tend to be soft plastics not the hard/scratchy plastics.
Exterior Design – Just like the interior, the exterior also exudes a presence of class. In recent memory, Jaguar vehicles have not looked bad and this F-Pace is no exception. The headlights & taillights have a slim design, the exhaust pipes are real, and the optional 21” wheels fill the wheel wells nicely. The exterior design looks good from every angle.
Safety – Whether you choose the F-Pace with the 4-cylinder engine or this one with the 6-cylinder engine, it comes equipped with every safety & driver aid that is in the Jaguar catalog. Emergency braking, blind spot assist, lane keep assist, front & rear parking aid, traffic sign recognition, and a lot more. It has them all.
Warranty – The 2024 Jaguar F-Pace P400 is covered by a 4 year / 80,000 km new vehicle warranty here in Canada. In the United States, it is 5 years / 60,000 miles. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For information on American warranty, click here.
Conclusion – Should you get this Jaguar knowing that it’ll get discontinued before the end of the decade? Well, if that’s something that worries you, you can lease it and then return it at the end of the lease. If you want to buy it, Jaguar will continue to service and provide parts for it after it’s been discontinued. Usually it’s for 5 to 10 years. Overall, I quite like the Jaguar F-Pace. It’s a perfect blend of sporty driving and luxury feel.
Thank you to Jaguar Canada for providing the vehicle. www.Jaguar.ca
2024 Jaguar F-Pace P400 Gallery
