2024 Jaguar F-Pace SVR – Aging Rockstar

Unfortunately, Jaguar also joined the electrification bandwagon and will stop building its gas-powered cars this year. Too bad, because the F-Pace SVR is the only compact luxury SUV with an actual V8 engine remaining in the market, and the V8 engine is one of the smoothest and best-sounding options available. Even though it is an aging platform, the F-Type is appealing to the audience that wants to have the exclusivity of a less-common sport luxury SUV, along with handsome styling.

The Looks – Exterior & Interior

The F-Pace looks like a traditional compact SUV for an untrained eye or non-enthusiasts. The long hood line, big front grille, sleek-looking headlights, and sloping roofline with 4-doors offer a nice balance of premium feeling while still having the traditional SUV layout. The SVR trim is the sportiest option Jaguar offers, meaning that it comes with sportier design elements like blacked-out accents, large air vents in the front bumper, and giant 22″ wheels wrapped with all-season tires.

The sporty design features continue throughout the vehicle. You wouldn’t be able to find any chrome pieces on the exterior. There are more air vents on the front fenders The SVR version is slightly lower than the other trims for extra stability at higher speeds, but the biggest difference is in the rear. The rear bumper not only looks different, but it also comes with real quad exhaust tips that you would not see in other trims.

The Jaguar F-Pace is one of the older entries in the market, but that doesn’t mean it looks old. It is also the case for the interior design. Jaguar updated the interior thoroughly, and you will find a lot of parts or design elements taken from the latest Land Rover products, which is a positive feature in terms of overall premium feeling and refinement. Jaguar decided to use different materials throughout the dashboard, and there are not a lot of glossy black plastics, especially in high-touch areas.

You get the latest and greatest tech you would find in many other Jaguar and Land Rover models, including the 11.4-inch touchscreen with the latest JLR infotainment system, which I found one of the best-looking and most intuitive options available. It is easy to read, the system is quick and responsive, there is no input lag, and the overall screen quality is the right choice for a luxury SUV. The F-Pace SVR also comes with the latest 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster with a lot of custom layouts and options available.

Unlike most entries, the F-Pace still offers physical controls and doesn’t put everything onto the screen. Even though most buttons are haptic feedback, they still have a dedicated location for the most essential features you would use every day, such as the HVAC controls, driving modes, volume slider, and gear selector. The build quality does not feel as premium as Land Rover models or some German entries, but it has come a long way compared to the previous dashboard design.

What I really like about the F-Pace SVR are the seats. It hugs you exceptionally well but is also very comfortable when you drive it daily. They feel and look like racing seats, indicating what the SVR trim can do. The front seats have plenty of legroom and headroom for taller adults. The seating position is also sporty for the driver, you don’t feel like you are sitting on top of it, which gives you the sportier feeling you expect from this type of vehicle.

The rear seats offer a decent amount of legroom, and a limited amount of headroom due to the flowy design and sloping roofline that makes the F-Pace look sportier. However, it is still livable even if you are a tall adult. You can easily install a front-facing child seat with no issues, you may need to move the front passenger seat a little forward for a rear-facing child seat. Either way, the rear passengers get typical creature comforts in this segment, heated seats, air vents, and USB ports for electronic devices.

Regardless of the trim, the F-Pace, in general, shines when it comes to the overall cargo space. It offers 32.1 cubic feet (908 litres) of cargo space behind the rear seats. With the second row folded down, the total cargo space increases to 70.4 cubic feet (1993 litres), which is slightly more than mid-size luxury entries, let alone compact luxury SUVs. The seats fold down easily to a flat position, and 40/20/40 split folding rear seats give extra practicality for families.

The Drive

The F-Pace comes with several different drivetrain options including a plug-in hybrid version, but the star of the show is the Supercharged 5.0 litre V8 engine that pushes 550 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. The engine can take the F-Pace SVR from 0 to 100 in less than 4 seconds, which is quite impressive for an SUV. The muscular V8 is paired with an eight-speed torque-converted automatic transmission that sends power to all wheels.

The numbers are impressive, but the experience is even better. The V8 engine and exhaust note are what make the F-Pace SVR special. The British carmaker shows Americans how to make a V8 engine with the right engine note, and tons of torque anywhere you want. The F-Pace SVR is the drama queen of its segment. As of 2024, there are no other compact luxury SUVs with a V8 engine, which puts the F-Pace SVR in a unique spot. Unlike others, it offers a memorable experience in a family-oriented SUV.

Of course, the engine is not the only reason why it offers a memorable experience, there is more than that. When you start hustling it through the corners, the F-Pace SVR offers sharp handling characteristics but with a very forgiving suspension tune. It is not as firm as the other entries like the BMW X3M Competition, which makes the SVR a better choice for daily driving.

The F-Pace SVR is not as engaging to drive as the F-Type R we reviewed last year, but it is the better choice on a public road. Jaguar didn’t need to stiffen the suspension to control the mass like some other entries in this segment. It absorbs the road imperfections fairly well, but you still feel the stiffness of the chassis. The all-season tires do not offer the best traction, but the chassis gives you accurate feedback so you understand what the car is doing at the limit and can rotate the car with more throttle input.

Even though it is the sportier mode, it still comes with off-road settings and hill descent control, those are the premium features that we usually see in dedicated off-roaders. Land Rover’s off-road heritage trickled down to Jaguar, which is unusual for sportier luxury SUVs. On pavement, the F-Pace SVR sends most of its power to the rear wheels first, something you expect from a rear-wheel biased AWD system with a longitudinally placed engine. Based on the driving mode you choose, it can send more power to the front wheels to provide a more neutral feel.

The Verdict

There is fierce competition in the performance-oriented compact luxury SUV market, especially when there are several best sellers and heavy hitters like the Porsche Macan and the BMW X3M. All things considered, the F-Pace SVR is the right choice for a very specific audience, it is for car enthusiasts who want to have a nice balance of savageness with refinement in a compact SUV format, which can also be the ultimate one-car solution. What makes the F-Pace stand out against the competition is the brutal V8 engine, it is a dying breed we are going to miss.

Engine	5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission & Drivetrain	8-speed automatic & all-wheel-drive
Max power (combined)	550 hp @ 6500 rpm
Max torque (combined)	516 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm
0-100 km/h	3.9 sec
Curb Weight	4809 lbs – 2181 kg
Fuel Economy (observed)	15.1 MPG – 15.5 L/100 km
Price (as tested)	$107,450 CAD
Website:	www.jaguar.ca