Jaguar F-Pace Portfolio 2.0D AWD (Prices from £43,830)

The Northern Echo:

WHAT IS IT:

JAGUAR'S foray into the baffling world of the SUV - can they make your choice a simple one?

ON THE ROAD:

THE F-Pace was far from the first cab off the rank in this hotly contested sector but patience, they say, is a virtue. So while its rivals were scrapping it out to become top dog, Jaguar was on the sidelines honing its entry.

What they come up with is a car that has great road presence, but the driving characteristics of something much sleeker, hence the cat on the badge and not the words Land Rover. As Jaguar put it, this is not just an SUV it's a 'performance SUV' and 70 international awards would suggest they are getting something right.

There's a raft of engines to choose from. From the sensible 2.0 diesel that we got to test to the slightly bonkers 542bhp 5.0 litre supercharged V8 F-Pace SVR.

Our car didn't set the pulse racing on that scale, but it was no slouch either, being capable of nought to 60mph in 8.2 seconds and a top speed of 129mph.

Changes courtesy of an eight-speed automatic gearbox were smooth and accurate and combined with a comfortable ride it made for a fuss free and refined journey north of the border.

ON THE INSIDE:

YOU get a good view out of the F-Pace as a driver, despite its size, and it's not hard to judge where the end of the bonnet is. The view out of the rear isn't as good, but cameras are there to help with any blind spots.

The luxury leather seats were extremely comfortable and offered a great degree of adjustment.

Our car had the optional 10ins dual view touchscreen fitted which was fairly straightforward to use and contained much of the information you require.

Overall, the standard of equipment and fitting is very good without feeling overly plush.

WHAT DO YOU GET:

STANDARD specification on our car includes 19ins alloys, fixed panoramic roof with satin chrome roof rails, satin chrome radiator grille surround and side power vents, Xenon headlights with LED Blade daytime running lights, auto-dimming power fold heated door mirrors, perforated Windsor Leather luxury seats, 10-way electric front seats, Meridian sound system, rear view camera, All Wheel Drive (AWD), single-sided twin tailpipes, Hill Launch Assist, Jaguar Drive Control, power steering speed proportional steering, electric parking brake (EPB), LED tail lights, electric front and rear windows, rain sensing wipers, powered tailgate, interior mood lighting, heated front seats, 2-Zone climate control, DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity and streaming, analogue dials with 5ins full colour TFT display, Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Lane Departure Warning, Jaguar Smart Key System with keyless start, keyless entry.

HOW PRACTICAL IS IT?

IT'S big when compared with a lot of other cars on the road, but the F-Pace is not out of its comfort zone in an urban setting.

A decent turning circle and intuitive steering makes manoeuvring rather less of a headache than you might think. A tight-looking space on an Edinburgh street looked a bit of a stretch, but with nowhere else to park I gave it a go and was pleasantly surprised, thanks in no small part, I will admit, to Jaguar's optional Parking Assist Pack and surround camera.

Space in the front is generous and even with three children in the rear there was enough room to make that long journey a possibility.

We used every litre of the 650-litre boot, but it swallowed everything we needed for a week away without the need to take up any additional cabin space.

RUNNING COSTS:

JAGUAR say it should be possible to get 53.3mpg on the combined cycle. I managed 41.4mpg. CO2 emissions on our test car are 139g/km.

VERDICT:

A GREAT blend of driveability and practicality

ALTERNATIVES:

BMW X3, Audi Q5