The Jaguar F-Pace has always stood out when it comes to its ability to be a practical family hauler and moonlight as an enthusiast sleeper pick when you have the chance to go down twistier sections of tarmac. The F-Pace has proven to be a sales hit for Jaguar, and its success even inspired the company to release the smaller E-Pace. That said, does the 2022 F-Pace still have the chops to hang with the segment’s best, or are its recent round of updates not enough to keep it from falling behind the pack?
F-Pace’s Callum Penned Lines Still Draw Stares, Makes Us Wonder About Future
The bulk of the changes for the F-Pace was completed back in 2021, and as a result, the 2022 version carries over virtually unchanged. It’s still a beauty, with the front fascia doing a good impression of a Jaguar XF or even the F-Type before it got its new nose job for the new model year. The look has been polished up versus older versions. However, Jag designers still managed to create a unique canvas, especially in the face of many of its rivals who have chosen to clutter up their entries’ designs for safety and futurism.
The rear fascia also benefits from the light plastic surgery, and the taillights lose some of their rounded bits for a sharper, straighter set of lenses. R-Dynamic models like our tester add some sportier accents to spice things up. Still, overall the F-Pace is a refreshing breath of fresh air in the segment. It will be interesting to see how the third generation will push the design forward, especially with Ian Callum no longer at the helm of Jaguar design.
Jaguar Luxury Without The Fuss
It wasn’t too long ago that Jaguars were often considered to be a step or two behind German rivals regarding the levels of luxury and technology that greeted customers when they slipped behind the wheel. The F-Pace (and other Jaguars, for that matter) have vastly improved the user experience, with our tester’s 11.4-inch infotainment system being a welcome highlight during our time with it. The Pivi Pro software is quick and accurate, and the system even comes with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. Whether you upgrade to the optional 14-speaker Meridian Premium Audio system will require careful thought since the system doesn’t;t offer that noticeable difference to average listeners, and the enhancements are evident and can only be picked up by trained ears.
The control layout is easy to master, and the F-Pace’s combination of enhanced visibility and high seating position helps eliminate some of the visual compromises that are typical of sleekly shaped SUV entries. Our major gripe centered around the inconsistent interior room the F-Pace delivers to its occupants. Front seat passengers get copious amounts of head and legroom, but second-row passengers suffer from cramped legroom, and taller passengers will find that their heads graze the headliner. Cargo capacity is also deceptively large, and buyers that fold down the seats (via trunk-mounted switches and secondary seatback-mounted ones) are greeted with 69.1 cubic feet of space which shrinks to 31.5 cubic feet with the seats up.
F-Pace Adopts Inline-Six, Is It Better Than The V6
Jaguar engineers focused on adding more fuel economy and fun to the F-Pace, which meant completely overhauling the engine choices. A 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is standard, but our F Pace S grade example arrived with the all-new 3.0 liter twin-charged (super and turbocharged) inline-six. This new engine had formidable shoes to fill with the inline replacing the long-running and beloved 3.0 liter supercharged V6. While we still personally miss it, the new six makes a strong case for itself when you give it the chance to do its stuff.
The inline comes in two tunes and can make up to 395 hp in specific models. In our case, we had the base setup, which is good for 335 hp and is a mere five horses short of matching the old V6. But the slight difference in power will not be noticed by the bulk of Jaguar customers, and it can still hang with the best of them when asked to do so. The sprint to 60 mph goes by in 5.8 seconds, and while the eight-speed automatic is still a cog short of some of the nine-speed automatics that pepper the segment, the transmission is still a smooth operator and delivers accurate shifts.
Handling is also pretty impressive, but the more prominent 21-inch wheels on our tester added some jiggle to the ride and delivered harsh feedback when going through some of Michigan’s battered roads. On smoother roads, the issue resolved itself, and our tester was a very fun SUV to drive when we could stretch its legs out for a good drive. Fuel economy is improved from the outgoing V6, with the EPA claiming models like our tester can achieve 20 mpg in the city, which is a slight bump up in that category. It’s also important to note that the 27 mpg in fuel economy is a mirror image of the figure seen in the base 2,0-liter four-cylinder engine.
Value Quotient
Pricing for the F-Pace reflects the segment it competes in with a base P250 model (the four-cylinder) starting at $52,050. S models start at $55,150, with the inline-six going up to $60,750. Our Eiger Grey tester arrived with several different packs (options), which caused the final price to climb to $73,420. That’s a pretty high figure, and that’s also before you even consider the F-Pace R-Dynamic S and the range-topping F-Pace SVR models.
However, while some of the options are the equivalent of extra frosting on a child’s birthday cake, some options are certainly worth the spare change, like the comfortable Caraway Windsor Leather seats and the Adaptive Cruise Control system. As it stands, the 2022 Jaguar F-Pace is an improved instrument, and we’re glad that Jaguar chose to update things in a calculated fashion with the improvements focusing on areas where they were needed most. When you combine that with the high level of style and luxury on hand, this Jag still remains a very desirable addition to any garage.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.