Jaguar’s sexy feline curves join the crossover market with this sharp-clawed kitty.

The first luxury-performance brand to come out with an SUV was when BMW debuted the X5 in 1999. Since then, many high-end brands have followed suit. In 2003, Porsche joined the category with the Cayenne and today it’s one of their bestselling vehicles. Any luxury brand that’s noticed the success Porsche has had with it knows they need an SUV, especially Jaguar. Last year, the brand announced the production of their first-ever SUV, well over a decade after BMW came out with the X5 and over a decade after seeing the success of the Porsche Cayenne. Tata Motors, owners of Jaguar, claimed the F-Pace was created to suit a sporty SUV buyer that would be interested in a Macan, a Cayenne or a BMW X5. I guess their thoughts were: better late than never. However, despite the tardy arrival, they happily proved critics wrong when over 10,000 F-Paces were pre-ordered before the vehicle even hit the market.

The F-Pace proudly keeps Jaguar’s sexy feline curves and powerful moves. The company says it was visually inspired by the sexy F-Type although it does look a bit more like an XE or XF. Regardless, it is definitely a performance SUV with the DNA of a sports car. With a choice of a standard 340-horsepower or optional 380-hp supercharged V-6, it maintains its crisp Jaguar roar. It still has the ability to pick up speed rapidly, going from 0-100 km/h in 5.8 seconds. Obviously, Jaguar’s goal with its SUV was to ensure it still performs and handles in signature Jag fashion despite its size and weight.

Inside, this Jag comes with the common technology features that most cars boast about nowadays, like GPS navigation, hands-free technology and more. One of its most unique attributes is that it comfortably seats five and offers the option of electric reclining seats for the three adults sitting in the back. It uniquely consists of 10 different shades of mood lighting, which creates a nice ambience and complements whichever combination of leather interior best suits your personality. The trunk has a “Reversible Loadspace Floor,” which can be switched, in an instant, from durable carpet to an easy-clean, rubberized surface, perfect for damp or muddy equipment. Another asset of this vehicle is the Lane Departure Warning. Jaguar offers drivers everywhere idiot-proof driving by including a system that senses unintentional lane drift and warns you by vibrating the steering wheel if you stray from a lane without signalling — an innovative safety feature that can save a lot of people in moments of distracted driving.

The F-Pace appeals to the Jaguar enthusiast, as well as the luxury-performance SUV lover. It successfully maintains the brand’s history of crafting cars with grace, pace and space – but with a modern twist. Perhaps Jaguar intentionally took its time in creating its first SUV.

jaguar.ca