Coming from the same stable as the ubiquitous Land Rover, the Jaguar F-PACE, as a 4x4, might be expected to demonstrate the offroad ability and mud plugging feats synonymous with the famous brand... but that would be missing the point.

Yes, there ' s definitely a smattering of Land Rover heritage here but the F-PACE is built on underpinnings derived from the XF – it isn ' t as much about traversing the sticky stuff as about coping with it whilst looking exceptionally good... and throwing in an entertaining drive with it!

The on-demand 4wd system mainly drives the rear wheels, only engaging the front( up to 50 %) when conditions demand. Whilst not a truly capable off-roader then – certainly not in the Land Rover ' s league at any rate, the Jag will still do better under more challenging conditions than you ' d imagine. And it is lovely to look at – especially in the guise of our test vehicle, the 3.0l V6 diesel S. Options fitted include panoramic roof and 22” wheels, making this car a real stand out.

Taking styling cues from the F- Type sports car, the F-PACE, as I said before, is a real looker and in

its ideal habitat – on the black stuff – it drives more like a sports car too. The power plant has no lack of‘ oompf’ and delivers torque right through the rev range, making eating up the miles a very enjoyable experience.

Added to this, the handing for such a large SUV is sublime, delivering confidence in the bends with very little body roll and providing a sharpness lacking even in the other upmarket rivals.

Being built on an all-aluminium platform helps here, ditching some of the dead weight which in return, provides a slick, quick, balanced drive. The standard suspension delivers a very smooth and comfortable experience on most reasonable surfaces, however, bumpy roads or stretches of uneven surface provide a challenge and upset proceedings a little – especially on the 22” wheels fitted here. The optional adaptive suspension should help in this respect. Of course, the turning circle is also compromised a bit on those huge rims... but they look great.

Also great is the 8 speed automatic gearbox, standard on this 3.0l model. Gear changes are smooth and effortless and it

responds very quickly when pushed. There ' s very little noise from this engine, indeed, it ' s more of a growl when tapped, and when cruising( which this car does very easily) the engine is refined – positively wafting down the road.

Of course, there is also a smaller and less powerful 2.0l ingenium engine available which we haven ' t tested but should provide better numbers in terms of mpg and CO 2.

Inside, the cabin is mostly well finished and is a comfortable and spacious place to be. Surprisingly, there ' s not much to complain about here – there are plenty of cubbyholes and storage around, the seating position is very good and the leather seats are comfortable and supportive( and electrically operated on this model). Dashboard layout is excellent and incorporates a very clear and easy to use infotainment system. It was a very quick and easy procedure to link my iPhone too. Full marks there.

I suppose one gripe would be the use of below par plastic for the door bins – this could easily be rectified and does detract from the overall quality feel to the cabin as a whole. Scratchy plastics have no

place in a £ 50,000 + car.

There ' s ample rear legroom too and you can accommodate 3 adults in the back easily. You ' ll have to look elsewhere for a 7 seat option though.

The boot is surprisingly large – bigger than most rivals I ' d wager, which presents a bonus if carrying passengers and their luggage. There are 12v sockets scattered around and useful usb ports for all those phones & gadgets.

Overall, the F-PACE won me over. From the sporty drive to the comfortable interior to the practicality. And let ' s not forget the looks.

Chuck a towbar on there and it would pull just about anything, I think – and you ' d arrive wherever you were going in style... and probably stand out in the sea of Range Rovers.

At £ 51,450 OTR(£ 59,665 as tested including options) the F- PACE presents reasonable value, especially when considering residual values.

Test drive one and I’ m sure that you will have a smile on your face at the end( except when parting with the cash!).

Andrew Poulton, Editor

Engine

6 cyclinder, 2993cc, 300ps

8- speed Automatic AWD with torque vectoring

0-62mph 6.2s Top Speed 150

Gross weight: 2570kg Towable weight: 2400kg

Combined: 47.1mpg CO2 Emissions: 159g / km

Transmission

Performance

Weights

Fuel Economy