Not long ago, the notion of a high-performance SUV would have seemed ridiculous. But today, with plenty of premium manufacturers adding more power, handling, and nameplate letters to their taller machines, SUVs emphasizing the sport in sport/utility are commonplace.
Jaguar was an early adopter, bringing the F-Pace to the market in 2016. Despite its age, the F-Pace remains one of the best-looking and -sounding SUVs on the road. I've been lucky to drive examples of this rowdy cat on multiple occasions, and they've always left me wanting more time behind the wheel.
Understandably, I was eager to see how this Jaguar SUV holds up in 2024, even though changes for this year are limited. The only tangible tweaks over last year are standard blacked-out trim and an ebony headliner to match.
The 2024 Jaguar F-Pace is available in three trim levels. The P250 R-Dynamic S has a starting price of $57,000, while the P400 R-Dynamic S is $66,500. Go up to the full-fat P550 SVR, and you're spending a minimum of $91,900, plus a $1,275 destination charge.
Photo: Tim Stevens
The Jaguar F-Pace competes in the Compact Premium SUV market segment. According to data collected from verified new-vehicle buyers for the JD Power 2023 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, Jaguar F-Pace owners rated their SUVs in 10 primary categories.
Listed below in descending order, you’ll find their preferences, from what they like most about the F-Pace to what they like least:
In the 2023 APEAL Study, the F-Pace ranks second out of 15 Compact Premium SUV models.
In the sections that follow, our independent expert analyzes a 2024 Jaguar F-Pace SVR equipped with the following options:
The test vehicle’s price was $96,523, including the $1,275 destination charge.
Photo: Tim Stevens
While the F-Pace isn't a particularly tall SUV, you'll still need to hike yourself up to climb into the SVR, thanks to the extensive bolstering on the front seats. One quick look is enough to know that this version of the F-Pace means business, but when you slot yourself into position, it's hard not to get in the mood yourself.
Though plenty supportive, the seats are surprisingly comfortable. Power adjustments for the bolsters and lumbar mean you can sink yourself in as deep as you like for sportier driving or open things up more for those longer drives when you want more freedom to move and adjust. I had no problem getting the seat exactly where I wanted it, but shorter folks might not like the positioning of the fixed headrest.
Meanwhile, those on the other end of the height distribution curve will find plenty of headroom in the front or rear seats. There's even decent legroom in the back. It's shoulder room that is at a premium. Maximum seating in the F-Pace is five people, but four is a more practical limit.
Limit yourself to two in the back, and you can take advantage of the center seat pass-through to the cargo area, allowing you to carry longer items and passengers simultaneously. Or, drop the entire back seat down to expand cargo space from 32.1 cubic feet to 70.4.
The materials inside the F-Pace SVR are top-notch. Everything feels pleasing to the touch and looks great, too. That's especially true with the Light Oyster upholstery you see in the F-Pace photographed here. The contrasting colors, including red piping on the seats and the slashes of metal across the dashboard, create a bright space that's as inviting as it is aggressive.
Photo: Tim Stevens
Pivi Pro, the software used across much of the Jaguar Land Rover family, offers one of the cleanest and most mature-looking user interfaces of any infotainment system. Unfortunately, you can sense its age once you start tapping on the display.
Pivi Pro has the basics covered, including:
Pivi Pro's integrated navigation looks and feels dated and demonstrates sluggish performance to match. Thankfully, the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support means you have the power of Apple or Google Maps at your disposal.
You'll also have Google Assistant or Siri augmenting the onboard voice assistant. While the integrated voice system in the F-Pace was functional, it frequently failed to understand basic requests to modify vehicle settings. It was also unable to deliver results when asking for directions to local businesses.
Thankfully, changing vehicle settings and features is easy enough through the 11.4-inch touchscreen. Meanwhile, music plays through a Meridian sound system. It's bright, clear, and powerful, as it must be to overcome this SUV's other sound system: the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine.
Photo: Tim Stevens
Many cars and SUVs with powerful engines emit a loud, harsh bark when you fire them up. The F-Pace SVR is far more subtle. The 5.0-liter V8 engine ignites after a few seconds of the starter's high-pitched whir, and when it does come alive, it doesn't boom or shout but hums.
But get on the power, open up the exhaust valves, and you'll have no doubt about the intensity of this engine. With a supercharger making maximum use of its displacement, this V8 produces a healthy 550 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque sent through an eight-speed automatic transmission to all four 22-inch wheels fitted on my test vehicle.
The F-Pace SVR offers only three drive modes, and sadly, they aren't customizable, which means you'll have to deal with too firm steering if you want maximum performance from that engine. That's a small price to pay for the brutal acceleration it can supply.
This Jaguar can handle well too. Though tall, the F-Pace SVR keeps body roll to a minimum, and when you get on the power a little too hard coming out of a turn, it's happy to wag its tail to let you know it's enjoying the game.
But when it's time to dial things back and relax, the SVR is a little less willing. Even on its softest setting, the adaptive suspension can prove punishing on broken roads like those in upstate New York during an early spring thaw.
The SUV drives smoothly and cleanly, even in rough conditions, always feeling composed. But it's too harsh for those more relaxed moments when you just want to get where you're going. And be prepared to feed this beast, regardless of where that destination might be.
Photo: Tim Stevens
The Jaguar F-Pace SVR includes the following advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) features as standard:
In my testing, these features were a little hit-or-miss. The adaptive cruise control system worked well in all conditions, readily spotting trouble ahead and adjusting speed smoothly. However, the lane-centering assist system could have been more reliable. In uneven lighting, or whenever lane markings were less than perfect, the system frequently lost track of the lane. That made for some unexpected wandering whenever the system dropped out.
The Jaguar also tended to meander left or right when an exit lane appeared on either side of the highway and, in general, was more of a nuisance and liability than a help.
Photo: Tim Stevens
The Jaguar F-Pace SVR has 32.1 cubic feet of storage space. Drop the rear seats, and that goes up to 70.4. Those seats fold easily with handles integrated into either side of the cargo compartment. Or, leave both seats up and fold the middle section down to accommodate longer cargo like skis or snowboards while carrying a couple of passengers.
According to the EPA, the Jaguar F-Pace SVR gets 17 mpg in combined driving. I did slightly better in my testing, at 18.7 mpg. Given the SUV's 21.9-gallon fuel tank, I could expect a maximum range of 410 miles, though I'd want to stop to fill up before then. As is always true with forced-induction engines like the SVR's supercharged V8, fuel economy heavily depends on how heavy your right foot is.
Neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has provided any crash test ratings for the 2024 Jaguar F-Pace.
The 2024 Jaguar F-Pace prices range from $57,000 for the P250 R-Dynamic S to $91,900 for the SVR. Remember to add the $1,275 destination charge to ship the SUV from its Solihull, U.K., factory to your local dealership.
In the JD Power 2023 Initial Quality Study (IQS), the Alfa Romeo Stelvio ranks highest in the Compact Premium SUV segment. The BMW X4 and the Cadillac XT4 are the next highest-ranked models.
In the 2023 APEAL Study, the BMW X4 ranks highest in the Compact Premium SUV segment. The Jaguar F-Pace and the Genesis GV70 are the next highest-ranked models.
Other competitors to the 2024 F-Pace include the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC, and Porsche Macan.
Photo: Tim Stevens
The 2024 Jaguar F-Pace SVR is among the wildest SUVs on the road. Though its style isn't radically different from other F-Pace models, the gaping intakes on the front fascia and those 22-inch wheels give it incredible presence and poise. Add the rumble from the quad exhaust pipes connected to that 5.0-liter V8, and you have a machine that looks and sounds the part.
It drives like it looks too, but where other manufacturers can make machines that run the gamut from plush to precise, the F-Pace SVR struggles with the softer side of the equation. It's always ready and rowdy, enough that some will tire of its stiff dynamics on everyday drives over broken roads.
But the SVR shines like few SUVs can for those special moments when you're only interested in speed and grip.
Tim Stevens is a veteran automotive and technology journalist with over 25 years of experience covering everything from smartphones to supercars. In addition to JDPower.com, his expert perspectives have appeared in numerous national and international outlets, including print, online, and broadcast television.
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