“First of all, it’s beautiful.” When you look at the F-Pace, this quote from an old joke comes to mind. In blindingly bright corporate color Caesium Blue, which is a reference to the spectacular C-X17 concept presented in 2013 at Frankfurt Motor Show, he is especially good. And it is recognizable as one hundred percent, concentrated Jaguar: here are the lights, like the F-Type sports car, here are the ventilation holes on the front wings, and here are the exciting “hips” rear wings. Short overhangs, a sculpted hood, a strong slope of the tailgate, a distinctive radiator grille and headlights complete the harmonious image. Nothing extra!

Passengers are “embraced” by the smooth curve of the front panel, which turns into the doors. This design solution provided the crossover with an incredibly comfortable wide “window sill”, on which the left hand rests so comfortably. There was also a place on it for the window lift buttons. Some people don’t like this, but I’m used to this solution on the Gelendvagen and it seems quite logical to me. The instrument panel, as is customary these days, is a 12.3-inch screen with three virtual scales. In addition to the speedometer and tachometer with engine temperature and fuel level indicators, there is a window on-board computer, but, like on Land Rover, there is quite a bit of information there. In general, the virtual “tidy” is designed very modestly, although the screen resolution allows you to draw something more colorful and three-dimensional.

Thanks to the long wheelbase, the rear is surprisingly spacious. The knees do not rest against the front seats, the seating position is comfortable, and the gigantic (no exaggeration) panoramic roof provides excellent visibility and visually increases the space. Yes, the hatch doesn’t open, but guys, let’s be honest. How long have you used the hatch? In Moscow, this is a real perversion, because public utility workers are so good at keeping the streets clean that a bright salon can then be dry-cleaned, and kilograms of sand will have to be washed out of your hair.

Back rear seat folds in a 40:20:40 ratio if you need to transport something large (and do it quickly). From the outside, the F-Pace looks so fast that you'll think rear passengers will have to sit hunched over, but no, there's plenty of headroom. The British claim that this was achieved through the use of magnetic ceiling cladding fasteners, which are much more compact than traditional plastic clips. Tricky solution! For rear passengers there are a couple of power outlets, and all the doors have large pockets.

By the way, it’s worth telling more about the body. The F-Pace's lightweight aluminum architecture uses more aluminum than any of its competitors - 80%. To reduce weight, the tailgate is made from composite material, and the radiator frame and cross member are made of magnesium. The body structure includes advanced high-strength steel alloys, 2,616 rivets, 73 meters of assembly adhesive and 566 weld points. A third of the aluminum used is RC5754, which is created primarily from recycled materials and is a unique development of the company.

The seats are comfortable, but slender people (like me) want to tighten the lateral support even more.

The sports steering wheel is heated and has clear buttons.

But the boring instrument panel was a disappointment. A car like Jaguar deserves more expressive scales! In "dynamic" mode, the speedometer and tachometer are swapped.

The “puck” of the gearbox selector is convenient and effectively hides into the tunnel when the ignition is turned off.

Look how great the interior looks in the dark! There are 10 backlight colors to choose from.

The front cast-aluminum suspension struts have been refined to provide the crossover with the necessary ground clearance and suspension travel. The front beams have become stronger and stiffer, and the reinforcement of the body in the places where the subframes are attached made it possible to modify their attachment points in such a way as to increase the rigidity of the body without increasing its weight. The muscular hood became thinner, which also contributed to the reduction in body weight, and its inner part has been redesigned to distribute the load more efficiently. You can't tell by looking at it - the hood is motionless even at high speeds.

The front wheel suspension is double wishbone, the rear wheel suspension is multi-link Integral Link. Like the F-Type sports car! The levers are made of aluminum, as are the steering knuckles. Top mounts the pendants are made of forged aluminum, and lower arm— made of aluminum using hollow casting technology. Interestingly, the springs and shock absorbers are installed separately to achieve optimal force distribution. To improve steering precision, a fifth steering rack mount was added to the body and the rigidity of the subframe mounting components was increased. The British used adaptive mono-tube shock absorbers, which react easier and faster to uneven road surfaces compared to traditional double-tube shock absorbers. The system monitors body position changes 100 times per second and wheel movements 500 times per second to adjust damping force for improved ride comfort. low speeds and handling - at high levels. The driver can choose a comfortable or dynamic driving mode, in which the operating algorithm changes throttle valve, gear changes, steering sensitivity and suspension stiffness.

Under the bonnet of our bright blue Jaguar F-Pace is a three-litre petrol V6 with a Roots mechanical twin-vortex turbocharger mounted in a 90-degree camber. Needless to say, this aluminum engine with a power of 380 Horse power also borrowed from the F-Type sports car? Yes, yes, the F-Pace is not called for the sake of saying anything sports crossover. The gearbox is an automatic 8-speed; the drive on the Russian market can only be all-wheel drive. The gearbox uses hollow shafts and an aluminum alloy housing, as well as a semi-dry sump lubrication system with a mechanical pump driven by an intermediate shaft.

For those interested in technology, Jaguar is ready tell a lot of useful information.

The capabilities of all-round cameras are extremely wide. You can even display a picture from any camera of your choice.

In addition to the sidewalls, the system allows you to control the corners of the body, which is sometimes very useful when parking.

The picture from all cameras is clear and bright.

By default, 100% of the thrust is sent to the rear axle, and if necessary (the British say this process takes only 165 milliseconds) is divided between the front and rear wheels in a 50:50 ratio. Transfer case— with a multi-disc hydraulic clutch and chain drive on the front axle. By assessing parameters such as vehicle speed, steering angle and lateral acceleration, the traction control system continuously evaluates the road surface and determines how much torque to send to each of the vehicle's wheels.

For slippery ones road surfaces You can select three driving modes: snow and ice, wet asphalt and gravel as well deep snow. Don't forget that this is not only a sports car, but also all-wheel drive crossover With ground clearance 213 millimeters and approach/departure angles of 25.5° and 26.0°. Of course, the Adaptive Surface Response system, based on Land Rover Terrain Response technology, also has an automatic mode. The F-Pace is even capable of storming water obstacles 525 millimeters deep! Sorry, there was no place to check...

Widescreen 10.2" touch display multimedia system- the largest in the class, which Jaguar is deservedly proud of. The menu has several home screens with widget icons that you can scroll through. Contrary to prejudice, the system works without any brakes, and the diagonal of the display allows you to highlight the side panel to display contextual information. Comfortable. The Meridian audio system with 11 speakers and a power of 380 W plays quite energetically; it supports connecting smartphones on iOS and Android, and there is a Wi-Fi hotspot.

10-inch menu touch screen consists of several pages with application icons.

But the gearbox in standard mode allows for a noticeable hesitation during an energetic start, which is successfully treated by switching to the “dynamic” mode. The brakes work just great - I don’t remember such an impressive deceleration on any crossover. If necessary, the F-Pace stops dead in its tracks, forcing passengers to hang on their belts, and the only complaint you can find is the overly light brake pedal. The suspension is a bit harsh, but it allows you to develop impressive lateral accelerations in corners. But be careful: after all, the F-Pace is a car with pronounced rear-wheel drive habits. The more interesting!

So. The Jaguar F-Pace is damn beautiful and charismatic. Yes, it handles perfectly, without reservations, but you must admit, you are greeted by the way you dress. For many buyers, the F-Pace was their first Jaguar. And certainly not the last! In the super popular segment mid-size crossovers He didn’t turn out to be a stranger at all and managed to stake out a place for himself, forcing his regulars to make room. It seems to me, gentlemen, that we have before us that very rare case when the first pancake is not at all lumpy.

Word and deed

Nine years have passed, but I still remember the demonstration of a business prototype Jaguar sedan C-XF in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show. Chief designer Ian Callum assured me then that cars of this type were, are and will be the basis of the company’s well-being. The maestro denied the possibility of a crossover appearing in the lineup. They say that a Jag must have a squat body.

Crossovers and I are like parallel lines: we don’t intersect!

Never say never". Already in 2013, at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the Jaguar stand was decorated with the C-X17 concept car, drawn by... that's right - Callum. The public liked the crossover, and it received positive press. The appearance of a production car was a foregone conclusion.

And here I am, spinning around one of the first crossovers to come out of Solihull. - almost the spitting image of the prototype: long hood, interior moved back, body tapering towards the stern. Huge air intakes in the bumpers, horizontal “gills” on the wings, impressive 22‑inch wheels by the standards of the segment. And luxurious “hips”! Expressive, energetically saturated appearance. The F‑Pace looks even sportier than the BMW X4 and crossover coupe-crossovers. Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe, which, along with Porsche's Macan, the British consider the main competitors of their brainchild.

Have you already noticed that not a single Land Rover fits this description? Is this really Jaguar's own development? Yes. The F‑Pace is based on the new modular iQ platform, known from the XE and XF sedans. The body is 80% aluminum, front and rear suspension also made primarily of winged metal. That is why Jaguar is at least half a centner lighter than the mentioned rivals, although it surpasses them in length and wheelbase.

The solid dimensions allowed the British to claim the most spacious interior and trunk in the segment. I agree about the rear seat - there is really a lot of space there. But as for the trunk, a disclaimer is necessary. The record - 650 liters - is valid only for the version with a repair kit. In the version with a spare tire (only this one will be presented in Russia), the trunk “dries out” to 508 liters, although this is a decent figure.

The global sales volume of Jaguars is relatively small: last year 83,987 cars were sold (in Russia - just under a thousand). And representatives of the German “Big Three” sell twenty times more. It is from them that the British hope to steal some of their clients. According to marketers, F‑Pace will allow the brand to double its sales. Moreover, half of the buyers will be new, that is, those who have not previously owned Jaguars, and a third of the clients will be the fair half of humanity. And if now average age buyers are over fifty years old, then with the advent of F-Pace it should drop to a little over forty.

A big heart

The five-minute pre-launch briefing lasted what seemed like an eternity. It is impossible to listen to the speaker when you have the key to the very powerful version Ef-Peisa. Get behind the wheel!

The driver's workplace has the same ambiance as the latest XE and XF sedans. Here you have an arc running under the windshield, and a similar steering wheel and center console. But in some ways the F‑Pace compares favorably with its relatives. For example, it is available as an option virtual panel devices. On the walls of the massive tunnel there are pockets in which it is easy to attach a mobile phone, and on the door cards, instead of the controversial recessed handles, full-fledged handles have appeared. The main difference is the feeling of security unknown to sedan passengers, which is provided by wide window sills, like in Land Rovers, and a high seating position. I had never looked down on the road from Jaguar before. And I like this feeling.

Premieres and events of the English brand pour out of a cornucopia: XE and XF sedans, renewal of Experience off-road proving grounds, Jaguar Tour speed festivals, introduction and presentation of new service programs. But all this cannot be compared with the main event of the brand - the release of the first Jaguar history crossover. So, the fiery red F-Pace is in our hands!

The wait for the car was long and thorough, although the obvious excitement, in general, subsided - the British delayed the launch for quite a long time, not hiding the car from the eyes of the curious.

The crossover concept labeled C-X17 was first shown back in 2013 at the Frankfurt Motor Show; a year later, yours truly managed to catch the prototype, which was already close to its imminent implementation, in person at the Moscow Auto Show.

And in 2015, it was already presented in American Detroit serial version, which was almost no different from the prototype.

The fact that Jaguar would make a car that was clearly aimed not so much at functionality and solidity, but at sport, became clear immediately.

The F-Pace is stunning on the outside! The predatory muzzle of the new Jags was so successfully integrated into the pumped-up body that the car became a complete analogue of a sports celebrity, sparkling with a sculpted torso from the cover of a glamorous magazine.

Most will not be able to resist this!

The task of turning the F-Type sports coupe into a crossover has been completed one hundred percent! Among mid-size premium crossovers, only the Porsche Macan has such a dynamic and harmonious appearance - from certain angles the cars even look similar. Jaguar, as always, is selective about who it intends to take customers from!

In terms of dimensions - length 4731 mm, width 2070 mm - the Jaguar F-Pace surpasses all its rivals, but still falls short of the senior class in size. For example, Porsche Cayenne longer than the Jaguar by a decent 124 mm. However, the competitive advantage is obvious: for those who find the Macan (X4, GLC Coupe) small and cramped, and the Cayenne (X6, GLE Coupe) expensive, the F-Pace will be the golden mean.

In addition, the F-Pace is the most spacious, has the highest ground clearance (213 mm) and is lightweight (depending on the engine) - the latter achieved through the widespread use of aluminum. Volatile metal makes up up to 80% of the structure.

Inside, the fuse of admiration and visual pleasure is replaced by a distinct feeling of déjà vu. Yes, yes, we have already seen all this! And not so much in our recent test of the XF business sedan (at least it has its own deflectors), but in the “bully” XE - the interior of the crossover almost completely copies the decoration of the younger model. Moreover, if the compact, or rather, cramped XE is a clear opponent of having passengers, then the F-Pace is exactly the opposite - roomy and not spacious by design.

One problem - it's a bit gloomy. Having lost the three-story shimmer of the XE's front panel, the stylistic simplicity of the crossover, wrapped in black leather, looks and feels simpler than we would like - we definitely recommend ordering a light or contrasting interior. The cabin itself is built on the cockpit principle, with a deep seat and a wide tunnel between the seats - sports fans will appreciate it. And convenience has not been compromised - there are no questions about ergonomics. The only thing that is unusual is the block of buttons on the window sill - greetings from Land Rover. The only pity is that the “charged” version of the R-Sport hardly shows itself in terms of details: a small nameplate on the steering wheel is the only reminder.

But what Jaguar has done perfectly well, without a single complaint, is multimedia and information visualization: for Jaguar this is almost nonsense. Two huge displays in the best traditions German competitors We finally made it to Foggy Albion. The first screen, which replaces the instrument panel, has been installed on Jaguar for a long time, but its functionality has been seriously expanded - you can display everything in any combination, up to completely filling it with a navigation map.

In the center of the dashboard is the optional InControl Touch Pro system with a 10.2-inch touch display. Works great! Graphics, speed, tablet control, a lot of conveniently displayed information and a lot of options for settings. In addition to it, there are a couple of USB ports, an HDMI output and a SIM card slot for Internet access. Definitely order for any Jaguar.

The front seats of the F-Pace are very good, but they do not have pronounced sportiness - they are too wide. Again, for the R-Sport version, the “hugs” could be made stronger and the upholstery more grippy. But behind full order- and places with interest, and additional functions there seems to be enough armrest, pockets and even USB chargers, but only for two. The legs of the central one will have to be placed on a high tunnel. There are no questions at all about the trunk: it is the leader in volume in the class - 508 liters. Plus a convenient rectangular shape, plus a convenient three-section division of the back of the sofa, plus a “dock”. The latter is standard especially for Russia.

In general, it is quite surprising that Jaguar devoted no less attention to caring for passengers than to design, and most importantly, to driving characteristics! After all, three out of four available engines develop at least 300 hp. With.! We have 340 “horses” under the hood, taken from a compressor V6, and active shock absorbers that adapt to conditions every second.

The top version of the F-Pace S with the same V6 engine boosted to 380 hp. With. - rather, for narcissism. It is only 0.3 seconds faster with the same traction and elasticity. But outwardly it looks even more impressive. Extra charge for pathos and 40 hp. - more than a million rubles.

In general, of course, it is difficult to get used to the idea that power, previously available to almost Formula 1 cars, is now commonplace in family crossovers, albeit of premium status. Apparently, this is why in city mode the F-Pace seems to have two stages of behavior: you press the pedal carefully and gently, somewhere up to 60-80 km/h, and the car does not show any aggression at all, carrying the driver away with airy ease, but with cat-like smoothness until the next traffic light.

But as soon as the tachometer needle jumps beyond 3000 rpm, you get an avalanche of acceleration that you don’t want to stop for a moment. Yes, you can’t stop it - the torque peaks at 4500 rpm, and after that the engine sound begins to develop racing overtones that excite not only the vestibular apparatus, but also the hearing. After a while, the brain simply gets tired of tracking the jumps in numbers towards the 200 km/h mark, which means it’s time to go where there are no speed limits - to the St. Petersburg circuit.

Here, the sport mode, hidden behind the racing flag button, and all-wheel drive settings with an emphasis on the rear axle, and tailored for driving fast ContiSportContact 5 tires, and the aforementioned Adaptive Dynamics active shock absorbers. Surprisingly, the on-board computer even includes a racing stopwatch with a lap time cutoff - in general, if you didn’t know that everything is in the body of a two-ton crossover, you could think about describing a sports car!

“Why not give him a little race then?!” - the words of the international master of sports and Russian champion in auto racing Alexander Lvov, who regularly helps us with tests, turned out to be terribly tempting, as always. To battle!

The “horses” running wild under the hood instantly reveal the main advantage of the car - straight lines. Short, long - it doesn't matter. The F-Pace rushes to absorb them without a trace, with rivals only in the rearview mirrors! What about corners? And here the biggest Jag is wonderful - it dives clearly, rolls moderately, and even obeys the driver with lightning speed. One problem - it dangles. Firstly, in wide chairs, the body slides off the smooth leather until, in a turn, it hits the support bolster. Secondly, no matter how you look at it, the notorious electric shock absorbers can’t keep up with the pace - driving through sharp corners along the edge is reflected for another second or two by micro-swaying of the body as if the car was on pneumatic elements. The same goes for sudden acceleration and braking. In general, clamped struts and 22-inch wheels instead of 19-inch ones like ours are on the top-end S-version for a reason.

Alas, we didn’t have time to take this muscular British playboy off-road. Yes, to be honest, we weren’t in much of a hurry. The declared ground clearance of 213 mm and good body geometry are all that the Jaguar F-Pace has from an SUV. Even all-wheel drive is here without any modes - everything is at the mercy of electronic imitations.

What's the result?

One of those cases when the first pancake not only didn’t become lumpy, but turned out to be a delicious cake! The Jaguar F-Pace was a success in everything - appearance, power, character, amazing balance of comfort and drive. And most importantly, he remained a Jaguar. Clear title contender main reason gnashing of teeth in the camp of the German premium three.

The editors of the “Engine” magazine express gratitude to the “Autobiography” company, official dealer Jaguar in St. Petersburg, as well as the St. Petersburg Autodrome and personally Alexander Lvov for help in preparing the material.

Characteristics

Jaguar F-Pace R-Sport

Anya Saltykova

“Buyers dreamed, the market was perplexed...” - this is how you can start a test drive of the first crossover in the line of any car brand. Let's remember 2002 and the premiere of the Porsche Cayenne. German designers were condemned and cursed by all and sundry. How dare marketers add to model line is this squalor? Some even said that this was the beginning of the end for the brand. Well, you know the continuation of this story, as well as the degree of popularity of the car.

Jaguar delayed the production of the crossover for a long time. On the one hand, there is Land Rover, which was supposed to satisfy the demand for SUVs, on the other, the market is already divided between competitors who offer cars of this class for every taste, color, length and thickness. But buyers dreamed, the market was perplexed, and the British created the F-Pace, which still looks more elegant than Land Rover.

The competitors were nervous and prepared; their closest rival, Porsche, even released the Macan. Only “Makan” Ef-Peysu is not a rival! At first glance you wouldn’t say so, but I’ll try to draw an analogy. Driving around in a Porsche, I have to go out every day only with perfect makeup, hairstyle, a Gucci bag and preferably Louboutins. Getting into a Jaguar, I can afford to leave the house today and go to the gym, and tomorrow, if necessary, be chic.


The Porsche Macan, when driving through Patricky, just screams: “Come on, everyone, take a break from your business and look at my car! Look closely, here it is, my Porsche Macan. I bought it, here it is, I have it.” The Jaguar F-Pace has an inner beauty that doesn't require confirmation. It’s in everything, in the features, in the beveled posts, in the quality of the finish, in the comfort and character. Its owner does not need to flaunt his virtues.

Taking a look at the F-Pace, we can definitely say that it has not lost its sporting roots, and the cabin, which is shifted back, completely resembles a cat getting ready to jump. As for the sizes, the length is more BMW X4, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Porsche Macan and Audi Q5, but still less than the BMW X6, Lexus RX, Infiniti QX70, Porsche Cayenne and Mercedes-Benz GLE.

The interior is spacious and comfortable. For my height of 170 centimeters, I had enough space between my head and the panoramic roof and the reach of the steering column. By lowering the seat with adjustable cushion length and lateral support as low as possible and pushing the steering wheel towards me, I got a sporty riding position that I expected from any car, but definitely not from this one huge crossover. Still, there is more sportiness here than it seems at first glance at the car. Having adjusted the seat, I never touched the adjustments again - I felt comfortable even on long trips.

What is inconvenient are the buttons for opening the windows: they are placed on the window sill, and in their place there are buttons for setting the seats, mirrors and steering column.

If you knew how nervously I drove up to the parking meter again, I fumbled with my hand along the panel, blocked the doors and cursed.

This is just as unpleasant as if you changed from a Mercedes to another car and turned on the turn signals instead of changing gears. I think it’s time to stop trying to differentiate automakers from each other and introduce common standards! At least in terms of buttons! Let them compete in technology, performance, reliability and exterior, let the control of functions for the driver be uniform. Doesn’t it occur to anyone to swap the gas pedal with the brake pedal?

The display is cool, 10 inches, it is part of the InContol Touch Pro system. I complain about many cars because their multimedia or Chinese graphics work slowly, but here the touchscreen is really fast, the interface is logical, and the image does not cause any complaints. You can make your own desktop, where all the necessary functions will be collected and your own theme will be installed. If there is more than one driver, then there may be several desktops. Just like my MacBook.

The digital instrument cluster in the Jaguar F-Pace is an option, but it looks much more interesting than the analogue one. There are four themes, I chose a minimalist one that does not distract from the road. But for some reason it is impossible to display the on-board computer data on the left panel. There is only one line for them at the bottom of the speedometer, and on the left is a virtually useless place for music, navigation or a clock. Considering that I can guess my music from three notes, Yandex.Maps is on my phone, and I don’t need time more than knowing about acceleration dynamics or oil level, I was sad. By the way, information about your speed, as well as road signs displayed not only on the dashboard, but also on the windshield via a projector. I absolutely love this feature because it allows you to change gears without bothering the puck. The system works properly even in the dark and in the light xenon headlights, automatically switching - for a minute - from high beam to low beam.

There are more than enough buttons on the steering wheel, but this does not cause confusion; they are arranged logically. But let me have a fight! IN Jaguar F-Type you'll have to pump your fingers. The temperature is adjusted here by pressing a key. Yes, yes, that’s how I poked half a degree at a time to raise the temperature from 18 degrees to my favorite 28-degree “Tashkent” in the cabin. Why not take this to some kind of “twist” is unclear. And separately about my favorite function in the car - heating the soft seat. Another inconvenience: to turn on the heated seat, you don’t just need to press a button on the dashboard; you need to “turn on” the function by also poking at the display. But ok, I like this display so much that I poke it some more, so be it.

You know what, just watch our cat test drive right away, and then come back to finish reading. There is still a lot of interesting things below!

As it turned out later, the F-Pace has small (and after the Opel Corsa - very large) problems with visibility. Firstly, the racks are piled back and are about the same thick as I was when my gym membership ran out. Secondly, massive mirrors are adjacent to the racks. Let's add a little something here rear mirror and a rear view camera, which in Moscow, without a washer or protection, works until the moment you drive away from the car wash, and night parking in the yard becomes like lamenting: “It’s a fir-tree, you can’t see anything! Now I’ll hit something and I’ll forever pay the loan for it.” The parking sensors save the situation; they work flawlessly.

In addition, the car has a contactless trunk opening system. Well, as it is, or at least it should be! No matter how much I danced in front of the car, waved my arms, or crawled under the trunk, the system did not want to work! I don’t know, maybe the car decided to take revenge on me for driving harshly and turned on “ignore”, but my apologies did not help.

With system keyless entry Something didn’t work out for us either...

I love these spectacular walks from the cafe to the car, when hair flutters in the wind and a beautiful blonde (that is, me) sits down in expensive car under the admiring glances of passing guys. In reality it was like this: I walk up to an expensive car, pull all the doors one by one, but they don’t open!

It looks even more impressive because it looks like I'm trying to get into someone else's car. It’s just caustic grins that darken the picture. The situation was saved by the waterproof, shock-resistant Activity Key bracelet, which the press park staff carefully placed in the glove compartment. This key looks like an I-Watch, is waterproof, doesn't require a charge, and can open/lock the car when held against the "J" in the Jaguar lettering on the trunk. Stylish, youthful function.

Olya Lukyanova

I believe in chemistry. Either the “wow” moment happens between you right away, or it doesn’t happen at all. I remember how I got turned on and got goosebumps on my skin. But I'm generally a sports car person. I like smaller doors, bigger wheels, lower car. There is a huge, insurmountable gap between me and the word “practicality”. So when I was given a Jaguar F-Pace, I was confused. They promised that there would be a cat in the test, but in fact it turned out to be a hippopotamus. I don’t put anything bad into the word hippopotamus, it’s just that this car doesn’t look like a sexy kitty. The only thing that reminds us of the powerful beast, whose name it proudly bears, is its aggressive and angry face.

Subterranei dress

The Jaguar's appearance, of course, is simply magical: the combination of British nobility and the daring character of a wild cat leaves almost no one indifferent. And if other brands have unsuccessful models in design, this does not happen with Jaguar cars. If you choose externally from its “classmates” (Porsche Macan, BMW X3, X4, Audi Q5, Mercedes GLC) I will definitely choose Jaguar.

And not only for appearance. I liked the spacious interior, at least that’s what it looks like visually. The “ceiling” presses a little: with a height of 170, I rested my head.

I feel that if our editor-in-chief Vitaly Petrov, with a height of about 190, got into the car, he would have to open the hatch so that he would not hit his head on the trim.

By the way, about the hatch and roof. The roof is fantastic, for panorama fanatics like me, it's a real treat. Moreover, this is not just a panorama, but a panorama that can be opened to the middle.

Mark (editor's note: Mark Morra, our test driver) says I praise cars too much. It’s really difficult for me to criticize, knowing what a huge team works to create each auto masterpiece. But I will still try to express all my “fi”.

The first and most unpleasant thing for me is the “yacht” feeling. It usually puts me in this state Mercedes-Benz E-class and any Rolls-Royce cars. I get carsick even while driving this “cat”. Apparently, before I go, I need to take a Dramamine tablet, but this is an individual trait and a weak vestibular system.

Secondly, this is the gearbox. I thought that a newfangled gearbox couldn’t be worse than the one on Mercedes. I was wrong, the “twist” that Jaguar made is even more uncomfortable. You can’t change gear without looking, every time you need to turn your head and painstakingly twist the “saucepan” to get into the desired gear. It is, of course, unsuitable for a humble auto journalist to give advice large corporations, but, in my opinion, it would be more practical if you could put the car in the parking lot by pressing this “twist”. But no! You need to scroll backwards to the end.

Another “joke” is the turn signals. They are very quiet and do not always turn off automatically. The combination of these two qualities creates the situation “a blonde is driving with the turn signal on.” That is, you didn’t notice that it didn’t turn off automatically after performing the maneuver, you don’t hear it and continue to drive with the flashing light.

My last “pain” is the Start-Stop button. I hate it always and everywhere, and in the F-Pace I hated it with renewed vigor. The fact is that it turns off with only two clicks. You got into the car, pressed the button, drove, stopped at a traffic light and the car stalled. WTF? I turned off this function! In fact, when you press the button for the first time, the inscription on the panel lights up: “Function is on,” and when you press it again, the inscription appears: “Function is off.” Why this was done is not clear to me personally; we must accept it as a given and get used to it. I forgot every time and got very annoyed when the car stalled.

In general, these are all disadvantages. Let's be honest and frank, they are not so global, and most people will not even feel them.

But this is the first car, among those that I tested over the last year, that showed you the permitted speed on the section of the road on which you are driving. This is incredibly convenient and allows you to save on fines.

Conclusion

Despite the offensive nickname “hippopotamus” and other barbs aimed at the F-Pace, do not forget that we are girls! If we swear and hiss, it means we are not indifferent, and this is the most main indicator success. We really had cars about which we could not say anything: everything seemed to be fine, everything was in order, everything was in place, but what can we say? I just want to shower this car with compliments and curses. It evokes emotions, and this is not surprising, because after all, Jaguar has produced the most beautiful crossover among its competitors. Perhaps this car will not surprise anyone with its efficient engine, high-quality interior and luxurious multimedia, and the price of 3,429,000 rubles will allow you to make a choice in favor of competitors, but the F-Pace is one of a kind. Harmonious, noble, daring and provoking you to give all your money to him, if you have any left.

Photo: Mark Morra

There is no need to remember what the Xs from BMW, the conservative Q-series from Audi or the GL line from Mercedes-Benz look like. Just know that a car has appeared in the premium crossover segment that was designed without any compromises.

Jaguar F-Pace S

Jaguar F-Pace Portfolio

The Jaguar F-Pace is offered in several versions - from the base Pure to the top-end S variant, which features a front bumper with large air intakes, rear bumper design and S badging on the body. On the right is a calmer, but no less luxurious Portfolio

The power of proportions

For the first time, our hands are free. Previously, we tried to fit into the framework of some specific platforms, we were constrained by conservative Ford requirements. And the new modular aluminum structure made it possible to draw what we had long wanted.

Julian Thomson

Jaguar Design Director

At first glance, the design of the Jaguar F-Pace is not original: the “face” is similar to the XE and sedans, and the rear was clearly inspired by the F-Type coupe. Are they sure they don't have interchangeable lighting equipment? But everything is decided by the proportions, maintained in the traditional British style - a long hood, a cabin set back, a low roof and short body overhangs. It’s as if the aristocratic “shooting brake” was lifted above the road and placed on huge 22-inch wheels. By the way, they are the largest in the segment so far.

It’s interesting that the Jaguar F-Pace, due to its dimensions, fell into some kind of vacuum. With a length of 4731 mm, it is larger than crossovers such as the BMW X4, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Porsche Macan and Audi Q5, but falls short of the BMW X6, Lexus RX, Infiniti QX70, Porsche Cayenne or Mercedes-Benz GLE. Wheelbase(2874 mm) is larger than that of the same Lexus RX, but is only 1 mm greater than the distance between the axles of the Mercedes GLC. However, the Jaguar seems much more compact than it actually is.

More means... easier!

And here is the main surprise - the Jaguar F-Pace turned out to be perhaps the lightest among luxury crossovers and is only 5 kg inferior to the more compact Macan. On the Russian market, the basic Jaguar F-Pace is a car with a two-liter turbodiesel (180 hp), an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, which weighs 1,775 kg (in Europe, F-Paces come in rear-wheel drive and manual). For comparison, the BMW X4 xDrive20d already pulls 1815 kg.

Jaguar F-Pace S

Jaguar F-Pace Portfolio

The merit of such mass is hidden under the paint and varnish (there are 14 shades to choose from) - this is a body made of 80% aluminum alloys! The trunk lid is completely made of plastic, and the front panel in the cabin is attached to a magnesium cross member. Streamlining is also in order - coefficient aerodynamic drag is 0.34 versus 0.36 for the same “Makan”.

It’s good that the weight savings did not affect the interior, which is largely borrowed from the sedan - even the basic version does not look like a simpleton with combined seat upholstery and rough-textured plastic on the front panel, while the top versions of the F-Pace have a “dashboard” trimmed in leather, with water pouring from the top sunlight through the huge glass roof (and it comes in two versions - with and without a sunroof), the ceiling and pillars are covered with Alcantara, and 17 speakers of the 825-watt Meridian audio system with surround sound are scattered throughout the cabin. Luxurious leather seats with numerous adjustments are also available (including “hugs” of lateral support).

The F-Pace's interior almost completely copies the decoration of the Jaguar XE sedan, but differs in door panels with massive handles. But at the same time, the front panel lost the high belt near the windshield with the Jaguar inscription in the center. And it got better! There are no complaints about the build quality - the parts fit well, and the plastic does not creak even when driving off-road

It’s a pity that the F-Pace doesn’t have door closers, and the rear sofa only comes with electric backrest angle adjustment for an additional fee. It’s good that there is at least four-zone climate control, albeit without seat ventilation (this option is only available for the front seats). All this is reminiscent of the story with the XJ sedan - at the time of its debut, it also could not boast of a bunch of “bells and whistles” usual in this class, but over time it acquired them. So the Jaguars will try to implement all of the above in the F-Pace. And they are going to lure the first owners with a limited edition First Edition (2000 cars in total), which is available exclusively in combination with the most powerful motor and in Caesium Blue color.

Looks cool, but how does it drive?

Under the hood of the blue F-Pace S First Edition is an exclusively three-liter compressor V6 that produces 380 hp. and 450 N∙m of torque. But don't rush to sign him up as a rival! Yes, Jaguar reaches a hundred from a standstill in 5.3 seconds, but it does it in a completely different manner - smoothly, without shock switching and howling of the exhaust system. At first you’re even surprised - somehow it’s not like a Jaguar!

All the cream goes to those around you - both the juicy notes of the exhaust and the pops when releasing the gas. But inside there is silence and grace. Of course, the Jaguar is far from the serenity reigning in the cabin of the Audi Q7, but that was not the goal - after all, it’s a crossover with sporting pretensions. Along with the muffled rumble of the V6, you can only hear the rustling of the tires, to which air is added at speeds of 130 km/h.

And these complaints are justified - the F-Pace easily copes with winding mountain roads, and the Jaguar is especially good at fast turns. Interestingly, even in Dynamic mode, the steering wheel does not become too heavy - unlike Mercedes or BMW, Jaguars do not “clamp” it with unnatural force. But on frankly tight serpentines, it’s better not to try to pretend to be a rally driver - in 180-degree hairpins, the front axle begins to protest under the squeal of the tires, and the stabilization system immediately strangles the engine. The TracDSC algorithm does not help either - for wild maneuvers it is better to disable it completely.

And then there will be even more pleasure! Four-wheel drive here with an emphasis on the rear axle - the IDD transmission migrated here from, and the traction vector control system brakes the inside wheels when turning. If you get really bold, the Jaguar F-Pace is not averse to turning its tail when you add gas. Character! But don't overdo it - the brakes start to overheat on winding descents. This would include carbon ceramic discs. Apparently, they were saved for the upcoming F-Type SVR, which is already undergoing testing. So the rivalry with the Porsche Macan GTS will have to be postponed.

But Jaguar wins back on rough roads - the ride is good even on 22-inch wheels! The main thing is not to translate adaptive dampers into Dynamic mode, otherwise the F-Pace begins to convey the profile in detail and transmit any asphalt defects to the cabin. It's a pity that it doesn't eliminate the sway - it deprives the F-Pace of feeling absolutely composed on the road. Would air suspension help? Perhaps, but it is also not offered yet.

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The advanced multimedia complex InControl Touch Pro with a 10-inch screen (there is also a simpler version, with an 8-inch display) pleases with expanded communication with smartphones, has a 60-gigabyte SSD drive, and can be upgraded for an additional fee Wi-Fi router supporting up to 8 devices. But the performance and logic of the menu are far from ideal. And the screen sometimes responds to touches the second time

Is it possible to drive off the asphalt?

Need to! Thanks to our colleagues from Land Rover. The F-Pace has a ground clearance of as much as 213 mm, has an assist function when descending or ascending a mountain (ASPC) - you set the speed (in the range from 3.6 to 30 km/h), remove your feet from the pedals and the F-Pace rolls down even there , where not even a pedestrian would go! A sort of off-road cruise control. And on slippery surfaces, you can switch to AdSR mode - an analogue of Land Rover's Terrain Response 2 system. It dulls the response to the accelerator pedal and closely monitors that there is no slipping. Add to this the fording depth of a good half meter and you get a crossover that feels confident even off the asphalt.

The rear part of the R-Sport modification with a two-liter turbodiesel is designed more simply - the exhaust pipe is double and shifted to the left. The suspension travel is small, but the diagonal suspension of the F-Pace is not a hindrance - the electronic imitation of inter-wheel locks works flawlessly

The F-Pace also surprised me on the dirt road - as the speed increases, not a trace of shaking remains! The main thing is to take care of the tires, because even 20-inch Pirelli P Zeros can easily be punctured by sharp stones (we’re generally silent about the luxurious 22 inches). And Jaguar traditionally does not offer run-flat tires. Okay, that's for Russian market They put at least a stowage bag in the trunk, even if it meant sacrificing its volume - 508 liters versus 650 European versions. However, the base F-Pace wheels are simpler, 18-inch.

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Not just a compressor

In general, many engines have been prepared for the F-Pace - there is also a 340-horsepower version of a three-liter gasoline V6 with a compressor, and soon the range will be replenished new motor 2.0 with a capacity of 240 “horses”. Not the current Ford EcoBoost, which is installed, for example, on the XE sedan, but a unit developed from scratch by Jaguar engineers. But you shouldn’t shy away from diesel engines either - the 300-horsepower “six” 3.0 boasts a very impressive torque of 700 N∙m!

True, at the start this F-Pace is a little slow, but then you can enjoy endless thrust in the range from 2 to 4 thousand “rpm”. You don’t even need to put the pedal to the floor, spurring the 8-speed ZF automatic - the car’s traction allows you to stay within the current gear for powerful acceleration. Do you want to take control? It’s easy - in manual mode, the box maintains the set stage, even when the engine is already beating at the “cut-off”. But this is pampering, although sometimes it’s nice to once again touch the cold aluminum of the steering column shifter. And the main trump card is fuel consumption, which remains at the level of 10-11 liters per hundred kilometers even with active driving. The petrol F-Pace S in the same conditions “eats” 5 liters more. In addition, the F-Pace shock absorbers on the “20s” and other shock absorbers are already a little softer. And I won’t say that handling suffered from this in any way.