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2017 Jaguar F-PACE: 10 Reasons Why It Will Be A Smashing Success

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Jaguar, the famed British automaker, has leapt into the crossover arena with its all-new 2017 F-PACE - a fresh-sheet design that showcases nearly a century of experience building and racing luxury sedans and sports cars.

It's no secret that today's crossover segment is thriving as consumers discover the advantages of driving a sport utility truck based on a car chassis. A tall ride height, plentiful utility, ruggedness, and all-weather capability used to require a trade-off in terms of comfort and driving dynamics, but no more. Today's best crossovers are every bit as luxurious and agile as their sedan counterparts.

Hoping to follow Porsche's success (its Cayenne crossover, introduced for 2004, has become its best-selling model), automakers who have traditionally overlooked the segment have recently introduced competitive models. These include the Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus, Maserati Levante, and the Jaguar F-PACE. Each brand is hoping to increase its market share (according to our team at Kelley Blue Book, Jaguar holds just one percent of today's luxury automotive marketplace).

We traveled all the way to Montenegro, a small Balkan country on the eastern side of the Adriatic Sea, to put the compact luxury crossover to the test. As expected of a developing country that borders Serbia, Albania, and Bosnia-Herzegovina, the paved roads were perilously twisty, the dirt trails were treacherous and challenging, yet the scenery was nothing short of spectacular. Overall, it was the perfect place to put the new F-PACE through its, um? paces.

The compact luxury crossover segment is chock-full of very strong and established players, but our initial impressions are that Jaguar has hit a home run with its new F-PACE. Here are 10 reasons why we feel that this all-new Brit is the vehicle that Jaguar needs to lead its sales charge over the next decade:

1. Gorgeous Styling: Say goodbye to boring crossovers that all appear to have emerged from the same mold, as Jaguar has raised the bar in the segment with an F-PACE that mirrors sleek styling cues from its stunning F-Type sports car. Ian Callum, Director of Design, has penned a striking ― and unmistakable ― silhouette with a raked windshield, short overhangs, and a muscular stance. Standard Jaguar-signature headlights and LED tail lamps, oversized wheels, and a bold mesh grille give the F-PACE a distinctive and aggressive appearance that differentiates it from the countless other mundane offerings on the road today.

2. Roomy Five-Passenger Accommodations: In defiance of styling that would suggest otherwise, the F-PACE is a true five-passenger crossover with generous room for a quartet of adults who are each six feet tall. Credit goes to its long wheelbase, which allows more legroom in the second row, and interior styling that maximizes space without compromising luxury or utility ― the engineers even pushed the outboard second-row passengers further apart, just to make room for the occasional fifth passenger. The second row of seats fold 40/20/40, and the large trunk offers class-leading cargo capacity (matching the volume of the larger BMW X5 with the seats up).

3. Lightweight Aluminum Architecture:Jaguar has been manufacturing its sedans and sports cars out of lightweight aluminum alloy for many years, making them one of the industry leaders in this aerospace-based technology. In addition to much better corrosion resistance, aluminum offers benefits in weight savings, lower emissions, improved fuel efficiency, increased crash safety, and improved driving dynamics as the alloy chassis is very rigid and strong. And, if environmental issues are a concern, it is interesting to note that the automaker is using a significant amount of recycled materials throughout its production.

4. Diesel And Gasoline Offerings, Plus Standard All-Wheel Drive: The automaker will offer three engine choices at launch that are guaranteed to satisfy the demands of many types of buyers. The standard ?20d' model will arrive with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel, rated at 180 horsepower (focus on its 318 pound-feet of torque, as that is the power measurement that provides the strong push during acceleration), which delivers plenty of power combined with impressive fuel efficiency ― hands-down, it's our top choice. Second on the list is the ?35t' that boasts a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 tuned to make 340 horsepower. The range-topping ?S' is fitted with a 380 horsepower version of the same engine, with a more powerful tune (and a host of other go-fast goodies). It will blast to 60 mph in about five seconds flat, which is quick enough to keep even racy sports car drivers on their toes. A sophisticated on-demand all-wheel drive system is standard, as is an eight-speed automatic transmission.

5. On-Road Prowess: Jaguar applied decades of road racing experience when engineering the driving dynamics of its new F-PACE. Sharing basic suspension design with its F-TYPE sports car, the F-PACE features a double-wishbone front suspension and an integral link rear suspension using aluminum castings and forgings to improve responsiveness (lightweight components are able to more accurately follow undulations on the road). Configurable Dynamics and Adaptive Dynamics ― settings that allow the driver to adjust transmission, steering, throttle, and damper settings to the driving environment - are also offered on the F-PACE. Torque vectoring, which helps guide the vehicle through corners, is standard, and a selection of large wheel/tire packages are on the options list to further enhance handling. Demonstrating its sporty attributes, we pointed the F-PACE down Montenegro's Cetinje-Kotor Road, which is one of the most famous (and dangerous) hairpin roads in the world. We were dazzled with its driving dynamics, but our passenger was left more than a bit woozy.

6. Off-Road Prowess: It's no secret that Jaguar and Land Rover share more than just a bit of DNA (Jaguar is the luxury marquee of Jaguar Land Rover, a British car manufacturer headquartered in England). That said, Jaguar engineers consulted with their acclaimed off-road colleagues to develop All Surface Progress Control (ASPC) ― an innovative low-speed cruise control that automatically sends a measured amount of torque to each wheel to improve grip in challenging conditions. Rather than wait for a tire to lose traction, and then react to it with reduced power, Jaguar's ASPC proactively works to prevent wheel spin from occurring in the first place. The system works automatically - all the driver has to do is steer the vehicle over its desired route. During our stay in Montenegro, we challenged the F-PACE to climb a steep ski run laden with loose rocks, which it did effortlessly.

7. Lightning-Fast Infotainment: Jaguar is offering its F-PACE with InControl Touch Pro, its most advanced infotainment system ever. The system, developed in-house, utilizes a quad-core processor, a high-speed 60GB solid-state drive - faster and more reliable than a traditional spinning hard drive - and an ultra-fast Ethernet network that delivers lightning-fast responses. The result is a 10.2-inch touchscreen that reacts instantly to the touch, with swipe and pinch technology that mirrors that of today's most advanced phones and tablets. We used it all day long without ever finding ourselves frustrated with a lack of response. And if you are the type who enjoys listening to tunes, the F-PACE offers a 17-speaker audio system designed by Meridian that boasts 825-watts of surround sound.

8. Wearable Activity Key: Owners with active lifestyles will appreciate Jaguar's new Activity Key that allows hands-free access to the vehicle without having the physical key in personal possession. With the key fob locked safely within the cabin of the F-PACE, an encoded rubber bracelet with a radio transmitter (it looks very similar to a Fitbit exercise band) is touched to the ?Jaguar? script on the rear tailgate to unlock the vehicle. The bracelet is lightweight, waterproof, and robust ― wearable technology ― that allows owners to enjoy their favorite activities unencumbered by metal or plastic keys. Jaguar presented our Activity Key to us sunk in a bucket of water, demonstrating its durability.

9. Standard Jaguar EliteCare: Jaguar has made great strides in terms of improved build quality and reliability over the years, but those who still question the brand will be comforted by its comprehensive EliteCare program for all F-PACE owners. The comprehensive package includes a standard 5-year/60,000-mile warranty, complimentary scheduled maintenance, and complimentary roadside assistance 24 hours a day. Further piece of mind is provided with Jaguar InControl Remote and Protect, which is a smartphone app that allows owners to remotely check fuel levels, record trips, ensure the vehicle is locked, and find the vehicle in a crowded parking lot.

10. Attractive Base Price: A premium brand such as Jaguar is often associated with a lofty sticker price ― but not this time. The standard F-PACE 20d AWD rolls into U.S. showrooms with a base sticker price of $40,990 - aligning it aggressively against competitive imported luxury crossovers such as the Audi Q5, Infiniti QX50, and Mercedes-Benz GLC. Shoppers will be pleasantly surprised to realize that the talented and luxurious F-PACE cleanly undercuts the pricing of the BMW X4, Lexus RX, and the Porsche Macan, which all cost thousands more.
 


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