Jaguar F-PACE A SUV That Had Us Curious

The way Jaguar has come back from the brink of closure has been nothing short of amazing. Now with the Jaguar F-PACE they look to expand their market.

With the resurgence of Jaguar into the marketplace, they have done so with the bread and butter of the brand. Powerful coupes and sedans that have regained their lost popularity. The elegant lines and throaty exhaust have driven demand for the new Jaguars.

Now they are trying to expand their reach into a market that is full of well-established brands. The new Jaguar F-PACE SUV is a risky departure for the automaker. While Jaguar is recovering, its reputation is still a work in progress.

The new mid-sized SUV is looking to find a place as an affordable luxury option for buyers. With a starting price of $40,900, it finds itself placed just above similarly sized but well-configured offerings from Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge. With options that most would want, the price rises above the domestic offerings.

The exterior styling of the Jaguar F-PACE does not lend itself to other Jaguars. It seems to have hints of Volvo through the front end around the headlights and the Ford Edge behind the rear door. There is a lack of originality in the design.

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It seems that the group that designed the spectacular new F-Type had no contact with the Jaguar F-PACE team at all. There is almost a generic feel to the SUV that makes it disapointing. I wish they would have added some more distinct elements to the exterior design.

Even under the hood there is a lack of something special. The choice between an 180hp 2.0L diesel and a 340hp 3.0L V6 gasoline engine do not scream Jaguar. Where is the option that is going to make the exhaust turn your head at the softball field? It is a crossover SUV, that is where it is going to be.

The lack of defining characteristics of the exterior thankfully does not carry over to the interior. The F-PACE interior feels out of a Mercedes sedan. The simplistic design of the controls on the dash and console are a welcome sight. The analog gauges with the leather-trimmed dash are very warm feeling.

The modern dial controller in the console is easily accessible and fits the overall feeling. The options available to the interior far outpace the limitations of the exterior design. There is a definite disconnect from the exterior to the interior of the Jaguar F-Pace.

When I heard that Jaguar was going to expand into the SUV field I imagined a sporty performance based platform that would dazzle. Instead, we got a safe design that leaves us wanting. The ride might be fantastic, but if I am going to spend the money for Jaguar, I want it to turn heads. The F-PACE fails to meet the expectations the new Jaguar has built up.

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