A Week With: 2022 Jaguar F-Pace R Dynamic S

“This is the most comfortable test car we’ve had in years,” said my wife, adding, “I love the interior. Is it fast?”

I responded with a quick acceleration on a straight stretch of the beachfront highway we were touring. The 2022 Jaguar F-Pace leapt ahead with a satisfying snarl. “I’ll bet it’s expensive,” she said — correctly. 

My spouse is the perfect touchstone for a sports-luxury vehicle. She knows Jaguar is a premium brand with a legendary sports car history, but apart from that her judgment on the F-Pace is based on what it is, not on brand image. 

Overview

Launched in 2016, the F-Pace was Jaguar’s first-ever SUV. The compact crossover is the product of the brand’s corporate partnership with Land Rover, sharing engine technology, chassis platform, and a production line with the Range Rover Velar. More importantly, the F-Pace became Jaguar’s best-selling model in its debut year and has maintained that position ever since. 

As a compact crossover, the Jaguar F-Pace hits the sweet spot of the American automobile market, where more than two-thirds of buyers prefer smaller SUVs. Jaguar offers the F-Pace buyer a choice of three engines: a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder, a turbocharged and supercharged 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder with mild hybrid assist, or a fire-breathing 5.0-liter V-8. 

Our test vehicle was the mid-trim R Dynamic S, equipped with the 3.0-liter mild hybrid engine, an 8-speed automatic transmission, and Jaguar Land Rover’s torque-on-demand all-wheel-drive system.   

Exterior

The F-Pace received a light touch-up for the 2021 model year, and that continues this year. What you see from the outside is a pretty standard crossover profile. Noted designer Ian Callum penned the F-Pace, but form follows function, and that rule keeps all crossovers within a fairly limited range of body shapes. 

Still, Jaguar’s brand DNA is evident in the flowing lines and rounded, feline curve of the fenders. Contrasted with the squared-off lines of the Velar, the F-Pace is definitely a Jaguar, not an adapted Land Rover. One point to praise is that Jaguar has refused the temptation to enlarge the grille to garish proportions. The F-Pace is not a love-it-or-hate-it design; it’s easy on every set of eyes. 

Interior

As mentioned, the F-Pace is quite comfortable. I’m a fairly large man, so I definitely feel the bolsters on the optional performance seats, priced at $2,925. If I was buying an F-Pace, I’d probably omit those in favor of standard seats and save some money, but thinner buyers (such as my wife) may really enjoy them. Do test-fit both seating options before selecting an F-Pace. 

Rear seat space is good. You could easily take four 6-foot-tall people in this SUV, and the center armrest in back is wide enough for both rear passengers to use at once. 

Generally speaking, the F-Pace interior is laid out logically and well. The 11.4-inch touchscreen system is easy to use, and actual dials for the climate control make life easy. The leather touch surfaces of the R Dynamic trim are satisfying in a way that’s easy to take for granted, but you’d notice if they were missing. 

Powertrain

The F-Pace R Dynamic S comes with Jag’s Ingenium 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder engine, plussed up with a supercharger, turbocharger and a mild hybrid electric motor. The idea is the electric motor helps get you started, then the supercharger delivers low-end torque, and the turbocharger maintains high-end horsepower.

It’s a complicated system, but it yields 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. From a perceived power standpoint, the F-Pace can be a little sluggish starting from zero, but then it really kicks in at about 10 mph. Starting smoothly is a learned process. 

Jaguar outfits every 2022 F-Pace with an 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Testing in the height of summer it’s hard to assess the AWD system’s capabilities, but in prior launch testing with an off-pavement component, the F-Pace has been remarkably capable compared to other luxury crossovers. 

For the record, the F-Pace is EPA-estimated to return 20 mpg in city driving, 26 mpg on the highway, and 22 mpg combined. I’m not certain anyone’s really going to tow a trailer with an F-Pace, but if you did it will haul up to 5,291 pounds, which is more than most compact and many midsize crossovers.

Safety and Technology

Jaguar is firmly in the luxury SUV zone when it comes to advanced safety and driver assistance features. In addition to the safety features included with any new vehicle, standard features at the R Dynamic trim level include a surround-view camera system, front & rear parking assist alarms, blind spot monitors with assist, rear cross traffic monitor, lane keeping assist, and a driver condition monitor. 

Two especially praiseworthy standard features are the clear exit monitor, which alerts you to vehicles approaching from behind if you try to open any door, and traffic sign recognition with an adaptive speed limiter to keep you from unintentional speeding. Those are both nice to have and Jaguar offers them as part of the package. 

Optional safety and assistance features on our test vehicle included a head-up display ($1,010) and adaptive cruise control ($1,325). This is where I’d chide Jaguar a bit, noting that even the base model Toyota Corolla comes with standard adaptive cruise these days, so what’s up with that extra line item? 

On the dashboard, the 11.4-inch touchscreen is large enough to read comfortably without dominating the cabin, and Jaguar’s user interface is intuitive and easy to use. Full marks. 

Driving Impressions

The day that Jaguar delivers a car that’s not enjoyable to drive, you can stick a fork the company. Today is not that day, however, because the F-Pace is as tight and well-mannered as any crossover on the market. If you’re used to other brands, you might find yourself using a bit too much steering input at first, because the Jaguar responds to its wheel immediately and crisply. 

Once moving, the F-Pace makes good use of its gears and available engine power, giving you plenty of muscle to pass or accelerate up a hill. The suspension is both taut and supple, as a Jaguar should be, and delivers excellent road-holding without trading off excessive road noise. In all, this is an SUV you can drive every day in comfort or take off on a brisk tour through the hills. 

2022 Jaguar F-Pace R Dynamic S specifications

Wrap Up

Inclusive of all required fees, a base F-Pace with 247 horsepower will cost you $53,675. Upgrading to the F-Pace S with the same engine costs you $57,275. Bumping up to the R Dynamic S trim starts at $66,475, and the top SVR trim with 550 horsepower hits your bank account for $90,775. 

With that range in the trim walk, it’s no surprise that Jaguar gave us the R Dynamic S iteration for evaluation. This is the best value trim, balancing performance and luxury against price. There’s almost no point in buying the base model, and buyers on some kind of budget should stretch for the S trim. But really, if you’re counting dollar bills, you’re probably not shopping for an F-Pace anyway, right? 

One last thing to note: by the time you find the bottom line on the sticker, the R Dynamic S we tested was optioned up to $82,245. From there the SVR is within sight and bears serious consideration. However much you plan to spend, a test drive in the 2022 Jaguar F-Pace is worth the investment of your time and attention. 

2022 Jaguar F-Pace R Dynamic S ­— Frequently Asked Questions