Luxury car brand joins the growing SUV sector with the stylish F-PACE model

By Gerry Murphy

With the buying trends for SUVs around the world taking growing faster than any other segment, the posh boys have a new contender with the arrival of the Jaguar F-PACE. Here is Jaguar’s first foray into the division, and as you would expect this is a luxurious 4×4 that has already grabbed the headlines and is making inroad here in Ireland and all over the world.

We should be reminded that the company has a great deal of know-how on the back of its sister brand, Land Rover’s experience of building big 4x4s over many years and all that knowledge is evident in this Jaguar offering. That said, it is a wholly different kind of car with the same design cues of their car range and the super refined interior that comes from a manufacturer of pedigree cars.

It comes with Jaguar’s distinctive front profile and sleek lines, not often seen in a car of its bulk, and while it is not easy to make SUVs look slender, the designers have done a great job to make it look like a real Jag.

Head designer, Ian Callum – one of the best in the business – has his finger prints all over the shape and the fine points of the design. These are the special touches that make it unique in the sector.

Inside, too, Callum has brought a good balance between comfort and an effective SUV that gives it the robustness necessary in a car that should be able to work as hard as it should be plush. This is also where it differentiates itself from the Land Rover range. The Jaguar is more sensitive to the demand of the luxury-car buyer who may also want indulge in a bit more opulence.

On the road, the smoothness normally associated with the brand is there to be enjoyed. While there is a certain level of roll in the corners, you are always sure that you are in control. It is also a car that never feels too heavy, thanks to Jaguar’s use of aluminium in the architecture of the chassis. That also makes it feel really lively and taut, which benefits the handling and the ride.

Callum summed it up when he said that “the Jaguar F-PACE represents a perfectly judged balance of performance, style and practicality”.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.