• Auto123 reviews the 2022 Jaguar F-Pace SVR.
• The F-Pace SVR is powered by a V8 engine offering 550 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque.
• It takes only four seconds to go from 0 to 100 km/h.
• A limited edition "1988 Edition" is offered in 2023 to celebrate the brand's 1988 24-hour Le Mans victory.
For those who prefer driving a car to an SUV, the last 20 years have been a question of diminishing choices. The proliferation of SUVs is such that the car, as we know it, is slowly disappearing.
The format is unlikely to disappear completely, but it will be a shrunken segment serving a relatively small number of consumers.
The world is changing, the industry is changing, and both manufacturers and consumers have to adapt. For an automaker like Jaguar, which has defined itself by the creation of extraordinary cars, the challenge was - is - daunting. There were cries of outrage when the company launched its first SUV in 2017. Today, the F-Pace is the company's biggest breadwinner. Although, it must be said that there's not much else out there carrying the Jaguar badge.
The good news is that Jaguar, like BMW or Audi, for example, hasn't left its DNA behind even as it now offers more SUVs than cars.
Case in point, the Jaguar F-Pace SVR.
New for 2023
The Jaguar F-Pace SVR returns to the catalog in the same form for 2023 (note that the model we tested in late December was a 2022 vintage). But there is one addition to the menu, a special edition to mark the anniversary of the brand's 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans victory. The limited “1988 Edition” of the SVR (only 394 units are being produced) comes in an imposing purple color and wears a few decorative elements to emphasize its uniqueness, but it does not offer more performance.
Exterior
Jaguar has long mastered the art of automotive design. Since the early 2000s, its head of design has been the incomparable Ian Callum, who revolutionized the brand's style. The best example of that is the sporty F-Type, probably the most beautiful car on the market today.
Callum also headed the design team that came up with the F-Pace, which overtly borrows some of the elements of the F-Type; some of those features were accentuated and even exaggerated, such as the sharp headlights and lights, the vertical lines at the rear ends (of the SVR version), and the big grille.
The result of the good work put in by Jaguar’s designers results in an F-Pace that’s still relevant today, seven years after it was first introduced, and nearly ten years after it was designed.
I’ve been saying for years, in fact, that the F-Pace is one of the best-looking SUVs in the industry.
The SVR variant, meanqhile, adds some eye-catching design elements like larger air intakes, hood vents, side fender vents and a rear spoiler. The objective of these changes has a common goal; to increase aerodynamic downforce and reduce drag.
Strong points
- Beautiful design
Weak points
- Second-row space a little average
Interior
Over the decades, there have been two constants when it comes to Jaguar vehicles: questionable reliability and temperamental handling, but also extraordinary styling and beautifully designed interiors.
To wit, what you find in an F-Pace SVR is very appealing. The visual presentation is very seductive, from the data screen in front of the driver to the integration of the multimedia screens in the dashboard to the layout of the centre console. The quality of the materials is also high. This is an interior that exudes class and luxury.
The seats are not only nice, they hold you in place very well. The quilted leather adds to the richness of the presentation. As for space, it's excellent in the front and decent in the back. Further back, with second-row seats folded down, cargo space reaches 1,440 litres. That's average for the segment, but let's bet that buyers of this vehicle are more interested in what's under the hood than in cargo space. And it's not necessarily better elsewhere, whether it's the Alfa Romeo Stelvio or the Porsche Macan, for example.
Note a 40-20-40 configuration for the rear seats, which makes it easy to carry gear AND a third person.
Strong points
- Build quality
- Nice presentation
- A very complete offer
Weak points
- Abundance of tactile commmands
- Complex multimedia interface
Safety and technology
With an SUV that costs over $100,000, you have a right to expect lots of safety features and technology, and that’s what you get.
On the latter front, the nerve centre of the F-Pace is the Pivi Pro multimedia system that offers every connectivity option possible, including Amazon Alexa integration.
The powertrain
That said, the technology that impresses most with this model is under the hood. In fact, it's THE reason to buy an SVR version. Why else would you shell out $40,000 more than you would for a base model that will get you from point A to point B just as efficiently?
The secret is the supercharged 5.0L V8 that offers 550 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. It allows the car to go from 0-100 km/h in only 4.0 seconds, 0.3 seconds faster than the sporty F-Type R. The engine is married to an 8-speed automatic transmission, which is obviously equipped with steering wheel paddles for more control.
The drive
Behind the wheel, all this translates into constant adrenaline rushes. You can drive this F-Pace SVR very smoothly, but the sound of the engine, even at rest, is delinquent. When you ask the engine to show what it can do, there’s no flinch, instead there’s an aural symphony. The temptation is there to keep your foot on the gas with this SUV, because every acceleration has the same intoxicating effect.
What's most impressive is that the rest of the mechanics follow suit. The steering is predictable and cooperative, while the suspension elements do an excellent job of keeping the brute firmly planted on the ground.
Let's face it, you can really drive this SUV like a car. The experience is maybe not exactly the same, but it's pretty darn close.
I'll always choose a car over an SUV. But if I had to buy one, and cost was no issue, the Jaguar F-Pace SVR would be on my list.
The final word
All luxury manufacturers offer performance-oriented variants of their SUVs. The F-Pace SVR has no reason to blush face-to-face with its main rivals (X3 M, Audi SQ5, Porsche Macan GTS), but it doesn't have the reputation of those juggernauts. Its sales are consequently lower.
For buyers who like to drive something different, this in itself is interesting.
Looking ahead, the F-Pace is likely to be replaced by something electric in the next few years as Jaguar continues its gradual move away from the combustion engine.
A collector's SUV, this SVR variant? Yes, absolutely.
Here are a few of your questions about the 2022 Jaguar F-Pace SVR:
What is the 0-100 km/h time of the Jaguar F-Pace SVR?
The time is 4.0 seconds, which is very fast for an SUV.
What is the fuel consumption of the Jaguar F-Pace SVR?
In the city, Jaguar reports an average of 14.5 L/100 km, while on the highway, the rating is 11.0L/100 km. It varies a lot depending on the level of commitment you show behind the wheel.
How does the Jaguar F-Pace SVR compare to other performance SUVs in its segment?
It has nothing to envy them, but it's more than just performance-related numbers. It's all about feel in this class. The F-Pace SVR delivers a lot, let's put it that way.
Specifications sheet of 2022 Jaguar F-PACE P550 SVR
Conditions of the test drive
Winter 2023; temperatures between -5 and -15 Celsius; roads traveled, 75 percent roads and highways, 25 percent city; distance traveled, 400 km.
The competition
Audi SQ5
BMW X3 M
Porsche Macan GTS
