One can just imagine how competitive the SUV segment in the global motoring industry these days is with the total of 19 contenders that are vying to become Motor Trend’s 2017 SUV of the Year.
Because of its superb exterior design, great handling, and driving dynamics, and surprising off-road capability, the 2017 Jaguar F-Pace joined the six finalists, whose winner would be known during the Motor Trends Awards slated on November 14th.
In addition to the Jaguar F-Pace, the other five finalists for the 2017 SUV of the Year Award are the Audi Q7, the GMC Acadia All-Terrain, the Mazda CX-9, the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, and the Tesla Model X.
The 2017 Jaguar F-Pace is actually the first foray of the British luxury carmaker in the SUV market and based on the warm reception of the vehicle and the critical acclaim that it is also receiving, Jaguar Land Rover has made a successful hit.
Critics are one in saying that the 2017 Jaguar F-Pace has changed the sport-utility vehicle segment because not only it is styled like a sports car, it also drives a lot like one, complete with a snarling engine and a throaty exhaust note.
The SUV’s exterior styling and driving dynamics also more than make up for its rather subpar interior design, which according to many critics features too much hard black plastic.
Overall, Jaguar has really succeeded in coming up with a vehicle that truly puts the sport in sport-utility vehicle which is quite a good thing for SUV enthusiasts.
A standout exterior
The 2017 Jaguar F-Pace is a very pretty SUV because of its standout exterior. The handsome shape fits neatly alongside the XF and XE sedans. With a tall grille and available LED lighting, the F-Pace matches deft details with a traditional form in one distinctive, beautifully outlined crossover-SUV body, details The Car Connection.
The F-Pace has a spare but elegant cockpit, one where touchscreens and digital displays factor in heavily. A rotary drive controller rises from the center console, surrounded by swaths of piano-black trim, with aluminum and wood framing the cabin.
The Jaguar SUV also has the excellent road manners it needs to tackle rivals like the Porsche Macan.
A supercharged V-6 engine with a great low-end grunt and lots of resonance inside the cabin powers the mainstream models. With a crisp-shifting 8-speed automatic, the 2017 F-Pace can hit 60 mph in 5.1 seconds, according to Jaguar.
Spacious and subtly well-trimmed, the Jaguar F-Pace nails the utility part of the SUV equation. There’s good space for five adults inside, and a high driving position that results in good outward vision for the driver.
The F-Pace’s seats are firm and could use more bolstering, but head room isn’t a concern even though the roofline tapers toward the rear. The back seat has enough knee and shoulder room for two adults and the seats recline for long-distance comfort. The second-row seats are split 40/20/40 and fold down to boost cargo space from 33.5 cubic feet to 61.4 cubic feet.
Superb ride and handling
While it can go decent distances off-road, but the F-Pace is no Land Rover. It is set up to be a practical Jaguar, which means ride and handling take priority over rock climbing and mud-running.
The F-Pace’s hardware is based on the stuff that underpins the XF and XE sedans, with some reworking to accommodate its wagon body and higher weight.
Most of the mass in its front control arms and rear independent suspension comes from aluminum pieces, for less weight and more responsive handling.
The 2017 Jaguar F-Pace drivers will have to contend with some fiddly ergonomic choices. The window switches sit high on the door caps, while the lock button is mounted low. They’re placed in the opposite locations you’d expect, in relation to each other.
The strip of switches for driving modes is impossible to find and flick without taking one’s eyes off the road. Other ancillary controls make up twin rows of black buttons on the dash, buttons that aren’t so easy to locate on the go.