Jaguar F-Pace Plug-In Hybrid Review (2024)

Introduction

Except for the odd sports coupe, Jaguar has specialised in executive saloons for decades.

Along with Volvo, and German premium brands Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, a handful of manufacturers lead the way.

But things have changed.

A few years ago, Jaguar joined the masses chasing an exploding market: the SUV.

As more consumers seek larger vehicles, the traditional saloon has gone from commonplace to almost a niche vehicle, with nationwide sales halving since the turn of the century.

Indeed, Volvo withdrew all its saloon cars from sale last year (though it did resume taking orders for the S60 in February).

The rapid rise of the SUV was a problem Jaguar needed to address – and the launch of the F-Pace in 2015 was its first attempt.

It made a lot of sense, given Jaguar is Land Rover’s sister company, so the SUVs of both brands have a lot in common.

Two more have followed in the form of the smaller E-Pace and the intriguing all-electric I-Pace.

Now, following the discontinuation of the XJ, Jaguar has just the XE and XF as its more traditional models, so SUVs now outnumber saloons in its range.

It feels only yesterday that the F-Pace arrived, but it’s already had a mid-life facelift, with an overhauled interior and some exterior styling tweaks – and it’s the F-Pace we’re testing today.

At a Glance

Jaguar overhauled its design language in the mid-2010s – and it’s transformed the desirability of the brand.

The F-Pace continues this with bold looks, including the now-traditional large Jaguar grille, mean headlights and two large air intakes at either side.

Creases and indentations towards the bottom of the doors accentuate the vehicle’s flair, while the bottom line of the windows swoops upwards towards the back.

A sporty roof spoiler adds a rear-facing baseball cap effect, implying some playful tomfoolery. At the same time, the tail has a carved 'n'-shape at the bottom, accommodating twin tailpipes on some versions – and a quad-exhaust system on the mighty SVR variant.

Overall, it’s a fashionable, inviting design that screams stylishness and sportiness.

We hope it's as good to drive.

Key Features

There are various trim levels offered on the F-Pace.

The SVR version is a different kettle of fish, so we’ll only cover that in limited detail in this review.

An overhaul towards the end of 2022 brought various upgrades, including a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display as standard, bigger wheels and a PiviPro infotainment system on all models.

R-Dynamic S sits at entry level and is equipped with 19-inch alloy wheels, an 11.4-inch infotainment touchscreen with SatNav, DAB radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and voice control.

You also get perforated DuoLeather sport seats, a 12-way heated electric driver’s seat with memory function, Ebony Morzine headlining and a heated steering wheel. This trim also boasts power-folding door mirrors, LED taillights, dual-zone climate control, a wireless charger and a powered tailgate.

R-Dynamic SE gets 20-inch alloys, metal pedals, configurable cabin lighting, automatic high beam and animated indicators, plus keyless entry and a Meridian sound system.

R-Dynamic HSE gets 21-inch wheels, an electrically adjustable steering column, perforated Windsor leather sport seats and 16-way heated and ventilated massage front seats with memory function.

Each grade is available in a ‘black’ edition, which adds black wheels and replaces any chrome styling with, you guessed it, black. Plus, you get slightly more kit on this edition.

There is also a standalone Sport trim with 22-inch wheels, 16-way heated and ventilated electric memory front seats and a fixed panoramic roof.

All F-Paces are all-wheel drive – and there’s a bunch of powertrains available.

The diesels are badged as D200 (200PS) and D300 (300PS) while the petrols are named P250 (250PS) and P400 (400PS) – the first three are mild-hybrids, too.

They are all 2.0-litre four-cylinder units, except for the P400, a 3.0-litre straight six and exclusively available with the Sport trim.

If you’re power hungry, the SVR is worth looking at with its thumping P550 (550PS) 5.0-litre V8 – if you’re willing to pay the hefty premium for this special version.

But it’s the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) we’re interested in – the P400e – which uses the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit we mentioned earlier, alongside an electric motor for a total of 404PS.

Range & Batteries

The F-Pace was facelifted in 2021 when the PHEV was introduced.

The further upgrades at the end of 2022 we mentioned earlier brought along an overhauled battery pack to the PHEV – 19.2kWh, up from 17.1kWh.

That has increased the electric-only range by over 20% from 33 to a claimed 40 miles.

Despite the new figure, you'll only achieve nearer the former 33-mile figure in the real world.

Ambient temperature can impact range, as can weather conditions and, of course, driving style, so the ‘results may vary’ disclaimer always applies where batteries are concerned, regardless of manufacturer.

Performance & Drive

Electric motors are very torquey, so an inevitable burst of acceleration is felt as soon as you press the accelerator.

404PS is notable, and the F-Pace PHEV feels mightily quick, getting from 0-62mph in 5.0 seconds flat.

It tops out at 149mph, though doing that speed will hurt the battery life (not to mention putting your licence in jeopardy when the police catch up once the battery runs out).

But it demonstrates that there’s plenty of performance to spare when you hit 70mph on a motorway.

Getting there is effortless, and it's a breeze to overtake, while around town, it feels nimble enough, despite its large size.

Speed has never felt so cheap, particularly when you compare its fuel economy with the SVR version.

If you don’t want the plug-in hybrid, the alternatives make a good case.

The P400 3.0-litre is almost as pacey, with a 0-62mph just 0.4 seconds slower than the PHEV. But the P250 is very capable, too, for those who want to take things in a more leisurely, civilised manner.

For drivers who want fuel economy, the diesels are well-refined, too. In fact, the entry-level D200 is the pick of the non-plug-in range, delivering sufficient acceleration while maximising fuel economy.

The D300 is quicker, and, considering it in isolation, it’s better than the D200.

But when you factor in the additional cost and lower fuel economy, there seems little point in choosing it if you're chasing extra performance, given there's a plug-in hybrid and two petrols to pick from (not to mention the mega SVR).

JLR tends to build its Land Rovers for comfort rather than handling (although some of its sports models lean towards the latter).

Jaguar is the side of the business to go for if you’re chasing cornering prowess.

As a result, the suspension of the F-Pace is stiffer than in Land Rover’s equivalent models – and in higher trims, the larger wheels make this even more noticeable.

Our test car was fitted with 21-inch wheels, and that's plenty big enough for us.

The car, on the whole, feels well-planted with plenty of grip. Granted, no SUV will handle like a BMW 340i M Sport or a hot-hatch, but the F-Pace’s control of body lean in the bends is impressive given the size of the vehicle.

It's aided by the adaptive dynamics, which automatically adjusts the suspension to try and get the best of both worlds in terms of comfort and agility.

This is included as standard on all trims on the PHEV and top-of-the-range petrols and diesels, but not if you pick entry-level engines.

Admittedly, if agility at speed is a priority, the plug-in hybrid likely isn't the best choice, as the additional heft of the batteries and electric motor spoils the handling.

Nevertheless, we're hard-pressed to find a PHEV SUV that performs quite as well as this.

All F-Pace models come with an eight-speed auto transmission, which is smooth and features predictable gear changes.

The PHEV features three driving modes: EV Mode runs on all-electric power, while Save Mode prioritises the use of the engine. Hybrid Mode (the default setting) sits in the middle, optimising the car for maximum economy, automatically switching between engine and battery power as needed.

Charging

The F-Pace PHEV supports 35kW fast charging, which can deliver a 0-80% charge of the batteries in around half an hour.

If you don't think 35kW is a swift charging rate, you'd be right. Some manufacturers are approaching ten times that in all-electric cars, which generally have far bigger battery packs.

It’s fast by plug-in hybrid standards, though, where charging speeds below 10kW are commonplace.

A full 0-100% top-up using a 7kW home wallbox takes just two-and-half hours in the F-Pace PHEV.

Running Costs & Emissions

The upgrades from around a year ago improved the F-Pace PHEV’s economy, making it even more attractive to company car users.

Given the savings gained by having a plug-in hybrid or all-electric car, it’s pretty pointless choosing anything other than the F-Pace PHEV if you're a company car driver.

If you do opt for the petrol or diesel models, the D200 returns 43.1-44.6mpg (166-172g/km CO2) depending on trim, while the D300’s figures are 38.1-38.2mpg (193-194g/km CO2).

The P250 returns 29.9-30.7mpg (210-215g/km CO2), and the P400 manages 28.8mpg (223g/km CO2).

Regarding reliability, Jaguar performs poorly nowadays, along with sister company Land Rover. However, the F-Pace has performed better than this reputation suggests but still lags behind SUVs from the Far East.

Interior & Technology

Jaguar has improved its interiors massively in recent years and now offers arguably one of the best. It is a sea of plush, soft surfaces and looks quite spectacular.

Brushed aluminium surrounds the steering wheel spokes, air vents and gear lever, with more on the doors, brightening up things nicely.

Our interior is mainly black, though you can pick dark red, orangey-brown or creamy white colours, the latter of which looks particularly classy.

Regardless of choice, the steering wheel looks sporty, bold and inviting to hold, while the tablet-like infotainment screen is perched on the dashboard.

The system is impressive, clear and responsive to your prods, swipes and touches, with an intuitive menu layout, well-thought-out shortcut buttons and a customisable home screen.

The lack of a rotary dial is a negative, but voice control is included, and it works reasonably well.

Beneath the screen, physical buttons operate the climate control, which conveniently displays the set temperature on a digital display in the centre of two dials.

The digital instrument display also impresses. But it’s non-interactive in the entry-level model – replacing physical dials with a second screen, which adds lots of helpful information, including the option to display the SatNav map in full when in use.

Overall, the interior is well thought out, solidly built and seemingly with no expense spared.

Space & Practicality

Even entry-level R-Dynamic S trim gets 12-way electric adjustment in the driver’s seat, including electric lumbar support adjustment, which makes things easy to find a comfortable driving position.

It is the same in our R-Dynamic SE-trimmed test car, while top-of-the-range HSE gets 16-way electric adjustment in both front seats, plus a massage function.

It is a shame the electronic adjustment doesn’t extend to the steering wheel on the S and SE trims, but it’s unlikely to be an issue unless you’re constantly switching drivers.

The F-Pace is a rounded vehicle in appearance, with a prominent roof spoiler and side windows that swoop upwards.

As a result, we assumed this would restrict visibility. But while we've been in cars with far less obstructed views, it wasn't as bad as we expected, even though the rear pillars are about as vertical as can be.

The driving position is relatively high, while a rear-view camera and fore and aft parking sensors are included as standard, which further mitigates any inconvenience.

There is a lot of space in the front, with plenty of legroom, while the headroom is impressive.

The rear seats have a civilised amount of space, although fitting three fully-grown adults in the back isn't the most comfortable for longer journeys.

There is plenty of storage space inside, including a generously sized glove compartment, a cubby in the centre console and reasonably big front door bins.

You also get a 613-litre boot in the F-Pace, which beats most of its rivals. However, it's reduced to 485 litres in the PHEV due to the batteries beneath the floor.

Because of its shape, the usable space is likely to be less than that in practice. But if you’re transporting many individual items (or filling the boot full of shopping because you’ve forgotten your bags), it'll likely come in handy.

The boot space expands by pushing a button on the rear seats that fold in a convenient 40:20:40 configuration.

Safety

The Jaguar F-Pace earned a maximum five-star rating when crash-tested by Euro NCAP in 2017, though the assessments have become more stringent since then.

Nevertheless, it scored 93% for adults, 85% for children and 72% for safety assists.

Emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, adaptive speed limiter, rear-view camera, front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, driver condition monitor, and lane keep assist are all included.

The SE-trimmed model gets blind spot assist and a rear traffic monitor, while the HSE trim gets a rear collision monitor.

Options

The default F-Pace colour is white, while metallic black, red, grey, dark blue or pearl white are also available.

If you're feeling flush, a dark grey is available as a premium metallic paint, but it's not far off two grand.

Privacy glass, different alloys and a fixed or sliding panoramic roof can be added, along with roof rails.

Curiously, front fog lights are an optional extra, too.

You can choose from a range of hues for the interior at no extra charge or upgrade the seats to more premium leathers, along with improved seat adjustment.

A head-up display, a dog-friendly Pet Pack and a Drive Assist Pack (which adds further safety technology) can also be specified.

There are various accessories, including a 360-degree camera system, a self-parking system and a gesture tailgate, which can open the boot by waggling your foot underneath a sensor.

There are many other extras, too, so check them out.

Rival Cars

There are plenty of rivals to the F-Pace – and some are cheaper to lease.

If it’s keen handling you’re after, then the Porsche Macan is likely to be the best alternative (there’s no PHEV model, but an all-electric version is on the way), while the BMW X3 blends handling and comfort well.

Audi’s Q5 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC are worth considering, too – especially given the latter’s superior all-electric range.

Volvo’s XC60 also ought to be on your shortlist as well.

If you're specifically going for a plug-in hybrid, you might be surprised that Jaguar's all-electric I-Pace isn’t all that much more to lease, so that’s worth thinking about, too.

The E-Pace is smaller than the F-Pace, so if you want the latter’s bells and whistles but can live without some additional practicality, it could be a viable alternative.

Verdict & Next Steps

The Jaguar F-Pace is an excellent all-rounder, but the key takeaway is that it's a driver's car biased strongly towards enjoyment behind the wheel.

For an SUV of its size, it handles excellently and comes well-equipped, even at entry-level, with a nice interior that can compete with the best.

For those prioritising practicality, rear seat space and comfort, there are better options, though.

As for the plug-in hybrid, it’s an excellent choice for those seeking company car savings and superb economy without sacrificing power.

However, Mercedes’ GLC has a much greater all-electric range, and an Audi Q5 PHEV is cheaper to lease at entry-level.

As a result, the F-Pace PHEV may seem on the slightly expensive side, unless you’re downsizing from something even larger.

Where to next?

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Jaguar F-Pace Plug-in Hybrid.

**Correct as of 08/04/2024. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £5,032.44 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.