Among the many premieres hitting the spotlights at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, the biggest news coming from the Jaguar booth is the arrival of the F-Pace, the carmaker’s first-ever SUV. The new model is expected to heavily complement Jaguar’s existing lineup beginning in 2016.

For those unsure about the "Pace" part of the name, they should be reminded that one of William Lyons’ maxims about the car brand he co-founded. He said that all Jaguar models had to have "grace, pace and space," something that the SUV adheres to. As expected, the SUV’s styling is heavily inspired by the C-X17 line of concept cars that were presented back in 2013. A big reason for that is the overwhelmingly positive response to the 2014 Jaguar C-X17 concept. Knowing it had a hit prototype on its hands, Jaguar continued down that path for the F-Pace.

The result is an SUV that prominently features Jag’s current design language and is complemented by a series of high-powered engines. The company hopes it will serve as a successful springboard as it enters the increasingly competitive SUV segment.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2019 Jaguar F-Pace.

2019 Jaguar F-Pace Update

Jaguar has made a mild refresh to the F-Pace for the 2019 model year. Highlighting the updates is a new Touch Pro 10-inch infotainment system as standard equipment. There’s a new frameless rearview mirror, illuminated tread plates, 10-way adjustable seats, and carbon fiber door finishes. 14-Way adjustable seats are available and include adjustable bolsters and slimmer seatbacks.

Jaguar has also divided its safety systems into three different packs. If you opt for the Park Pack, you get 360-degree parking aid, Park assist, and Rear Traffic Monitoring. The Drive Pack will offer up Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Assist, and High-Speed Emergency Braking. Finally, the Driver Assist Pack comes with a 360-Degree Surround Camera, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Steering Assist.

All gasoline-powered models now come with an 82-liter tank (an increase of 19 liters) as standard equipment, and they all get particulate filters to help cut back on emissions. Finally, the 2019 model year also brings about the F-Pace SVR, which now offers nearly 550 horsepower from a 5.0-liter V-8 – that’s good enough for a sprint to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds.

Exterior

Our rendering of the Jaguar F-Pace was pretty spot-on compared to the real deal, which is to say that Jaguar didn’t get too ambitious in giving the SUV a completely unique look. The headlights, for instance, carry the signature ‘J’ Blade design, which can also be found on the 2017 Jaguar XE and 2016 Jaguar XF. Even the gaping grille and the large air intakes were carried over from Jag’s lineup of sedans.

The side of the F-Pace isn’t spectacular by any means. With the exception of a pair of side gills that extend over the front doors, and an inverted crease in the bodywork that gives the SUV an agile stance, the side profile is about as clean and as unassuming as it’s going to get in the SUV segment.

Move to the back and it’s more of the same in the sense that Jaguar didn’t try to do anything spectacular or controversial with the design, opting again for something a little more consistent with its range of sedans.

Exterior Dimensions

Rendering Vs. Reality

Interior

The interior of the F-Pace also draws plenty of similarities from its sedan siblings as far as the focus on luxury and refinement are concerned. The luxurious feel is defined by the range of contemporary trim options available for the SUV. Depending on the trim, customers can choose from authentic metal finishes like meshed aluminum to more crafted veneers like Satin Grey Ash.

The SUV’s instrument panel is also similar to the ones found in the XE and XF sedans. It’s made up of two analogue dials and a central FT display as part of the standalone configuration. Potential owners do have the option of getting a larger 12.3-inch virtual instrument cluster that comes with four different visual themes, full-screen navigation, and crystal clear HD. Just below the large display are a series of buttons that are laid out cleanly, keeping the design of the entire center console tight and with minimal clutter.

Space is also a source of pride for the F-Pace as Jaguar made sure to have enough of it to comfortably seat five. The leather sports seats are designed with comfort and support in mind, with 14 different adjustments plus heating and cooling functions. Even with this kind of seating layout, the F-Pace still has room to accommodate 23.3 cubic feet of cargo space. Fold the rear seats flat and the space increases to an impressive 61.4 cubic feet.

Drivetrain

In the U.S., the Jaguar F-Pace will be powered by a 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 or a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder Ingenium diesel engine. The first wave of F-Pace models headed to the U.S. will only receive the supercharged V-6 with the diesel coming later on.

The V-6 is a familiar engine in the Jaguar lineup as it’s already being used in the F-Type. Jaguar’s offering two output variants for this engine, starting at 340 horsepower for the base model and 380 horsepower for the F-Pace S. Later in 2016, the 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel engine will arrive in the U.S., packing 180 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque.

All engine variants of the F-Pace are mated to an eight-speed ZF transmission that routes power to the SUV’s four wheels courtesy of Jag’s torque-on-demand all-wheel-drive system. This system sends engine torque to the rear axle under normal driving conditions. When the SUV needs more traction, the Jaguar Intelligent Driveline Dynamics kicks in to supply torque to the front axle.

Performance numbers vary depending on the engine. The 180-horsepower diesel is understandably the slowest of the lot as its 0-to-60-mph sprint time clocks in at 8.1 seconds and its top speed only reaches 129 mph. The two supercharged V-6 variants can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 5.4 and 5.1 seconds, respectively, with top speeds of 155 mph.

Drivetrain Specifications

Prices

The Jaguar F-Pace is expected to go on sale sometime in late 2016. Fortunately, fears of the F-Pace being overpriced were unfounded as the SUV starts at $40,990 for the 2.0-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder. That’s a little cheaper than the $42,100 price tag of the BMW X3 xDrive28d, the only diesel variant in the X3 lineup.

The lower end of the two 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 retails for $42,390, while the more powerful version costs $56,700. The latter price is where the F-Pace might have trouble finding practical buyers since the range-topping X3 xDrive35i is $10,000 cheaper than the Jag.

Model Lineup

Options

Competition

2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC

Set to be introduced a bit earlier than the Jaguar F-Pace and essentially being a second generation of the GLK, the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC is also based on a modular sedan architecture that uses plenty of aluminum parts. Using bits and pieces from the latest 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the GLC will be the only SUV in its segment to also offer an electronically controlled pneumatic suspension as an option, along with an assortment of four, six and even eight-cylinder engines.

Its C-Class connection will allow it to also feature a head-up display system and a near-identical center console that should prove to be a class above in quality compared with the one from the Jaguar F-Pace. Despite its aluminum-intensive architecture, the overall weight should be a tad higher than on the Jaguar, as will its pricing range.

Read our full review here.

2015 BMW X3

With a mid-cycle facelift having been introduced back in 2014, the current-generation BMW X3 will be one of the oldest vehicles from the F-Pace rivals bin, but that doesn't mean that it will be obsolete by the time that the Jag hits dealerships. Based on the same platform as the current 3 Series and with an M-Performance or even the full-blown M variant on the way, the BMW X3 shouldn't feel too much like an old geezer compared with the F-Pace.

The compact BMW SUV comes with a wide array of engines and similar pricing to the Mercedes-Benz GLK and future GLC, with its only major downside probably being its less-than-stellar interior, which shares many parts with the 3 Series. Another downside will probably be its higher weight than both the GLC and the Jaguar F-Pace.

Read our full review here..

Conclusion

Considering that the F-Pace will be Jaguar's first-ever foray into the realm of crossover SUVs, plenty of more traditional customers will probably give it a pass, with most sales going to clients that probably never even considered a Jaguar before. This is actually the main reason for the carmaker giving it the go-ahead, despite the fact that it will probably cannibalize some Land Rover sales.

With more and more carmakers jumping on the crossover and SUV bandwagons, it was only a matter of time before Jaguar did the same. Personally, Jaguar made a smart move in keeping the F-Pace's design close to that of its sedan siblings. There was really no sense in reinventing the wheel in that regard, and combined with the variety of power options available, the F-Pace looks like it's going to be a player in the SUV segment.

Updated History

Updated 05/04/2018: Jaguar has updated the F-Pace for the 2019 model year to bring in some mild improvements, new technology, and a new way to purchase safety systems. Check it out in our special update section below.

Updated 11/20/2015: The new Jaguar F-Pace made its North American debut at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show. Check the picture gallery for a new set of images we took during the unveiling.

Updated 09/23/2015: Thanks to Jaguar's new online configurator we can now offer you full pricing details for the entire F-Pace lineup. Also, do not forget to check our new images we took at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Find them in the "Pictures" tab.

Updated 09/21/2015: We've added a series of new images we took at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Find the new images in the "Pictures" tab.

Updated 09/04/2015: Jaguar dropped the first official image of the new F-Pace SUV and confirmed the official debut will be made on September 15 at 4:30 A.M. EDT at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Sales for the U.S. market will begin in the spring of 2016.

Updated 08/26/2015: Jaguar has released more details about the upcoming F-Pace, including a more revealing official spyshot. The crossover will be officially unveiled on September 15, at the 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show.

Updated 07/29/2015: Jaguar unveiled a new video showing the upcoming F-Pace testing in temperatures varying from -40°F to +120°F. Enjoy!

Updated 07/01/2015: Jaguar will showcase an F-Pace prototype during the 2015 Tour de France as a support vehicle for Team Sky rider Chris Froome.

Updated 06/23/2015: Jaguar dropped a first teaser video for its upcoming F-Pace SUV, meaning of course that the official debut is getting closer.

Updated 02/11/2015: Based on the recent spy shots we've created a series of rendering for the future F-Pace which will help you make an idea on how Jaguar's first SUV will look like. Check them out after the jump.

Renderings

As you probably expected when created our renderings we took inspiration from both the concept car unveiled in 2014 and the latest spy shots.

Spy Shots

April 27, 2015 - Jaguar F-Type spied inside and out

April 15, 2015 - Jaguar F-Type testing at Nurburgring

February 5, 2015 - Jaguar F-Type Caught Testing In The Snow