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It was inevitable that Jaguar would enter the market with a mid-size crossover and in 2016 it happened and the Jaguar F Pace X761 entered the ring. And what style!

In a style that would be approved by the fashion police without doubt. I don't need to explain much more because the Jaguar F Pace X761 is a popular presence on the streets and some of them even make it to the national news, unfortunately. But let's get back to history, because in 2016 we can say that we had the last good year. It was the first year in history when more people accessed the internet from a smartphone than from a desktop/laptop and it was also the year Pokemon Go was launched and with that I think I kicked you in the nostalgia jimmies. In fact, I think there is no need to talk about the Jaguar F Pace anymore and continue with the global peace which Pokemon Go was. And to stop there, because in 2016 Harambe was killed and since then everything has gone downhill and I don't believe in coincidences.

But let's stick with 2016 because it was a phenomenal year. Pokemon Go, Jaguar F Pace, Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Leonardo DiCaprio wins his first Oscar. Okay, I'll stick with the F Pace.

Jaguar, much like Alfa Romeo, felt that there was room in the market for mid-range and premium crossovers, especially after the crazy success of the second-generation X3 and after Lexus entered the market in 2014 with their NX. Until then, it was a very underexploited segment, because it was believed that people who buy premium crossovers usually buy something more expensive and bigger, but forget that there is a market for something like that, and premium manufacturers armed themselves and prepared for a royal rumble. And the British from Tata were preparing the Jaguar Land Rover offensive with the F Pace that was launched in 2016 and the Velar that was launched a year later.

Like the rest of the cars in this class (X3, NX, Velar, Stelvio, Q5), the Jaguar F Pace X761 is not built for off-roading and is for asphalt enthusiasts, because the kind of person who buys this kind of car will never do off-roading. His/her idea of ​​off-roading is to cross a puddle and drive on the occasional field. At least you don't have problems with shoveling in the winter. So why complicate yourself with a ladder-type chassis, transfer cases, differentials, when the person just wants the high driving position and wants to be able to climb curbs, anytime, anywhere and no matter how high the curb is.

Why should I buy an F Pace and not something else?

Let's be realistic, most will buy it for how it looks and because it's a Jaaaaaaagggg. Most owners have no idea what engine their car worth tens of thousands of euros has. But as an actual car? Well, being their first cross-over/SUV, Jaguar took all the existing technology and didn't adapt it in any particular way. We have the same very expensive and complicated suspension from the Jaguar XE with which it shares the platform but which also offers top-class sporting abilities, but the main party piece is in the engine bay. If you want between 350 and 400 horsepower, you only have the Audi SQ5 (354 horsepower) as an alternative. If you want over 500 horsepower in this class, the only alternative is the Alfa Romeo Stelvio with the 2.9 V6 Ferrari engine that develops 520 horsepower. And the most powerful F Pace and Velar? 550 horsepower. So, maybe on the lower end of the spectrum, the Jaguar F Pace X761 doesn't convince you much to buy it, but if you're looking for a crossover with over 300 horsepower, then the F Pace and Velar are your only realistic options.

Jaguar F Pace X761 Engines

Petrol

• 2.0 Turbo Ingenium AJ200 of 250 horsepower – Out with the original Ford engines and welcome Jaguar Land Rover engines. And in the case of the 2.0 Turbo Ingenium you can really welcome it because it is a surprisingly reliable engine.


• 3.0 V6 AJ126 Supercharged 340 and 380 horsepower – Another very reliable engine that is worth your money. Unfortunately it is an older generation engine because Jaguar did not have the money to design a new one, but in the case of the AJ126 that is a good thing. It is essentially a derivative of the 5 liter V8 engine, with 2 cylinders removed. The interesting part is that they did not change the rest of the components, which are designed to withstand the heat of the 5.0 V8 version so it will be alot sturdier with "just" 340 horsepower.


• 5.0 V8 AJ133 Supercharged with 550 horsepower – Grab your sword and fight the horde, because the monstrous 5.0 supercharged V8 still lives under the hood of the Jaguar F Pace SVR. Launched in 2009 as a continuation of the engine used on the Aston Marin V8 Vantage, this engine punishes its components more than Scruff McGruff punishes crime. The problems are generally on the overheating side because the water pump and pipes can't handle the heat. And there's also the timing belt that fails faster than it should, but when you can afford this kind of engine, running costs are no longer relevant.

Diesel

• 2.0D Ingenium AJ200D of 163, 180 and 240 horsepower – Unfortunately the most mainstream engine is also the weakest in terms of reliability and that's why Jaguar Land Rover have a bad reputation. Rocker shaft, the timing belt, the pistons and I'm sure I forgot some stuff along the way. Why is all this happening? Because Jaguar Land Rover and almost all manufacturers offer very long maintenance intervals and the oil should be changed every 30,000 km. If you don't want to end up with a cracked engine block or a seized engine, change the oil every 6.000 miles / 10,000 kms or every second startup and you'll be fine.


• 3.0D AJD-V6 / D17 300 horsepower – It's a shame that this engine is D17 and not D12 to sing "My Band". It's just a D17 unit sourced from PSA, the engine previously used on the Range Rover Sport and which also has problems with the oil pump failing, after which the timing and/or the crankshaft fail. Here the cause is that the oil pump is not changed preventively and the wrong grade oil is also used, because Jaguar Land Rover recommends one oil standard for the engine and PSA recommends another standard. Go with the French because it's their engine. Or avoid it altogether. Your choice.

Hybrid

2.0 Turbo AJ200 Hybrid 404 horsepower – Yes, this engine is really 404 because it is not found on the F Pace. And it is understandable, because this engine does not find its meaning in life on the F Pace body when you also have the normal non-hybrid version at your disposal. Yes, for Range Rover it is an interesting discussion between the P400e and the 3.0 diesel, but here it really does not make sense. It has no specific problems, but it does not make sense either. Like the 1.8 naturally aspirated engine on the Audi A6 C5.

Jaguar F Pace X761 Reliability Issues

• It's a Jaguar, so there must also be a complementary moment about electrical gremlins, from the radio losing signal to the Bluetooth not connecting to the electric tailgate failing.


• The discs rust quickly because the kind of driver who has an F Pace doesn't need to brake because the rest of the traffic will move aside. I could go on and on about F Pace drivers who don't tend to brake but I can't make fun of that.


• It's a car you buy for it's looks, so the space in the back is more limited than the budget for this online septic tank. And to further ensure that the poor won't get their dirty buttocks on your seats and carpets, the doors weigh 6 tons. It might be a deterrent for moms of hyperactive crotch goblins because you they have the physical strength to open them, which is a pretty big omission for Jaguar considering that a good chunk of the customer base is made up of moms of hyperactive crotch goblins.

Jaguar F Pace X761 Verdict

Oddly enough, it's a reliable car, at least by the standards we've come to expect from Jaguar and Land Rover. And as long as you avoid the 2.0 diesel engine that fractures its engine and the car's reputation the same way I fractured my leg when I fell into the ditch near the Screwdriver, then you have a car that looks good and runs well. In fact, if you want a crossover with over 300 horsepower, the Jaguar F Pace X761 is one of the few cars that fits the bill, along with its Velar sibling. But you're buying it for the looks anyway.

Which engines do I recommend? For petrol power, the 2 litre turbo engine with 250 horsepower is all you need, and as for diesel, I don't recommend anything because they both have massive issues.