- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.0T, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
221kW, 400Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 7.7L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4WD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2017)
Jaguar F-Pace R-Sport 30t 2018 Review
Jaguar was a latecomer to the SUV party but it made a striking entrance with the F-Pace in 2016.
It immediately became the brand’s best-selling model thanks to its combination of leaping cat performance and style. Jaguar has evolved the range and for 2018 and has introduced this new 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that wears the 30t badge. It’s part of the Ingenium family of engines that has been developed for both Jaguar and sister-brand Land Rover in the wake of increasingly strict emissions regulations.
But it doesn’t sacrifice much in the way of performance, because it can’t. Jaguar is a brand that has prided itself on building some of the world’s most iconic sports cars and best sports sedans, so the F-Pace has to live up to that heritage.
- Looks great.
- Stylish cabin.
- Drives as good as it looks.
- A bit light on equipment.
- Misses key active safety items.
- Engine sounds lacks real punch.
Is it right for me?
That means the F-Pace is for those looking for an SUV with an edge. This isn’t an off-roader (you buy a Land Rover for that) or a big family hauler with no style (there are plenty of those to choose from). This is a fashion-conscious SUV with sport sedan performance for buyers who prefer to stand out.
Can I afford it ?
We’re driving the R-Sport 30t, which sits in the middle of the complex range. Below is the Prestige trim grade and above it Portfolio and the range-topping S variants. All four are available with a variety of engines - a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel, 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel, 3.5-litre supercharged V6 petrol and a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol that’s in our test car.
Pricing for the R-Sport 30t starts at $81,695 plus on-road costs, but that’s before you add any optional extras which typically add a lot to the price of the British machines.
What do you get for your money?
Standard equipment is good for the price, starting with 19-inch alloy wheels, satin chrome grille, bi-Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, a power tailgate and a unique R-Sport bodykit (front bumper, rear bumper, door cladding and badges).
Moving inside there’s keyless entry and ignition, perforated leather trimmed seats, 10-way electronically adjustable front seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, an 11-speaker Meridian sound system and Jaguar’s latest InControl Touch infotainment system with navigation.
But in true Jaguar fashion there’s a long list of extras that range from big ticket items, like the $4330 panoramic roof, to the little items that should be included on a luxury car; digital radio costs an extra $930 for example.
How much does it cost to maintain?
Jaguar has simplified its servicing program by offering a single, one-off payment package that covers all the routine maintenance. It costs $1800 and covers the first five-years and up to 130,000km.
For added convenience the plan can be purchased when you buy the car so it can be bundled with your finance plan. Alternatively you can buy it anytime up to and including the first scheduled service.
Is it well built?
As is the case with its overall level of standard equipment, the R-Sport 30t loses ground to key competitors in safety terms.
While it has a five-star ANCAP crash test rating and comes with autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and a reversing camera it misses out on some active safety gear you’d otherwise reasonably expect at this price.
Blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are a $1150 optional extra and a 360-degree parking camera is $1250.
What are the standout features?
The immediate appeal of the F-Pace are its looks. The British firm’s designers managed to sculpt an athletic but handsome SUV that features many of the design cues from the brand’s range while still creating a unique and fresh style.
Jaguar also designed the F-Pace to fill an empty space in the crowded SUV market. It’s a large SUV, capable of seating five, but it isn’t quite as big as the Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE. Neither is it as small as a Q5, X3 or GLC. Instead it fits in a space between the two sizes - roughly halfway between a Porsche Macan and Cayenne.
The only similar-sized rival is the Range Rover Velar… because it’s based on the same underpinnings as the F-Pace.
What does it have that others don't?
Aside from its size, Jaguar has imbued the F-Pace with a sporty character. Which isn’t a surprise because the leaping cat brand is known for building some of the world’s best sports car as well as sports sedans like the XJ and more recently XF.
This is an SUV you’ll really enjoy from the driver’s seat; which is not something you can truly say about many similar-sized SUVs.
How practical is it?
Of course being an SUV it still needs to tick the boxes for family friendliness and flexibility.
Despite its in-between size it still has generous room in the rear seats for two adults or three kids. It’s not quite as roomy as larger offerings (such as the Q7, X3 and GLE) but there’s enough head- and kneeroom to make it liveable.
Is it comfortable?
The interior design is excellent, following closely in style and execution with the XF sedan. Jaguar favours horizontal lines across the dashboard and centre fascia which creates a modern look. The use of high quality materials add to the premium ambience that marks the F-Pace R-Sport as both a sporty and luxurious SUV.
The rising rotary dial gear selector and pulsating starter button are small touches that add an element of theatre; even if the rotary dial remains a polarising device.
Easy in, easy out?
One advantage of the SUV is the higher stance makes getting in and out easier for some. Undoubtedly it has been one of the key factors in the rise of SUV popularity over the last decade as they don’t offer any significant practical advantage over a traditional, low-riding wagon.
It’s particularly handy if you have small children in car seats as you don’t have to lean down to buckle them in. It also makes loading items into the boot easier, as long as those thing you are putting in are relatively light.
Space and versatility?
Speaking of the boot, the rear seats offer 40:20:40 split/fold which allows you to expand the 508-litre boot if required.
It’s not a huge boot by SUV standards but it’s a square load area so it can accomodate bulkier items if required.
What's the engine like?
The heart of the 30t is Jaguar’s latest member of its Ingenium engine family - a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit.
It’s available in two states of tune; 184kW of power and 365Nm of torque in the model’s badged 25t and the more potent 221kW and 400Nm for the 30t varieties.
It’s good engine with more than enough poke to motivate the F-Pace and live up to Jaguar’s sporty image. But while it’s a punchy engine off the mark it lacks the mid-range boost that the V6 offers up, so you do feel like you’re missing out on the most potent powerplant at times.
It also misses the more evocative six-cylinder soundtrack, instead sounding like the rorty four-pot that it is; in other words, more hot hatch that luxury SUV.
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How much fuel does it consume?
It compensates for the lack of V6 punch with a strong claimed fuel use of 7.7-litres per 100km.
Although, to be honest, that will require a light right foot and plenty of open road driving. Around town and if you push the engine to its limits you will likely see a return in the low-mid teens.
If fuel economy is your priority then Jaguar has plenty of more efficient diesel-powered F-Pace alternatives.
Is it enjoyable to drive?
As mentioned earlier the F-Pace is as fun and engaging as any SUV you can buy today.
Jaguar has equipped it with Configurable Dynamics (adjustable settings for throttle response, steering response and gear shifts) as well as Torque Vectoring by Braking for improved on-road performance. For off-road expeditions - which are unlikely in an F-Pace anyway - there’s All Surface Progress Control; Jaguar and Land Rover are sister brands so you don’t need to be a genius to figure out where that technology has come from.
Our test car was also fitted with the optional Adaptive Dynamic Pack which brings adaptive dampers to the mix, so our R-Sport handled with the kind of precision you’d normally expect from a sedan, not an SUV. It also rode remarkable well for a car on (optional) 22-inch wheels, soaking up big bumps with ease and only fidgeting on surfaces with repeated smaller bumps; which is almost unavoidable with such low-profile tyres.
Does it perform as you expect?
The F-Pace R-Sport 30t does largely do what you expect from both a Jaguar and an SUV.
The striking exterior looks and sophisticated interior embody the brand, as does the way it rides and handles, while the space and versatility of the interior appeals to the head not just the heart.
The new engine is a nice new addition and will appeal to those who prefer petrol power and can’t stretch to the supercharged V6. But you’ll miss the extra grunt of the bigger engine at times, even if the new four-cylinder does a solid job.