Yahoo Autos 2021 Jaguar F-Pace P400 Advances with Inline-Six Power
We were always fans of the sound and performance of Jaguar's compellingly strange supercharged V-6—the one that basically dropped a pair of three-cylinder heads atop what had originally been an eight-cylinder block—but we were less keen on the extra mass this over-large powerplant had to carry around. The Jaguar F-Pace was the last car using that rowdy V-6, and a substantial facelift for 2022 brings a range-topping straight-six that seems like a much more obvious fit for a Jaguar.
The entry level 246-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine will continue as before, but there is now a 3.0-liter six-cylinder above it. Employing both an electric supercharger and a twin-scroll turbocharger, the six will be available in 335- and 395-hp outputs, and we drove the more powerful of these—badged P400—in the United Kingdom.
The F-Pace was always a fine-looking ute, and Jaguar tightened up the design without doing anything to radically transform it. (Most of the work was done under the direction of former design boss Ian Callum before he left the company in 2019.) The F-Pace gets a slightly larger and reshaped grille and a tidier new hood, with slimmed-down headlights that incorporate twin curved daytime running lights on both sides. There is a new bumper at the back with trapezoidal exhaust finishers in place of the older car's conventional tailpipes and also new taillights inspired by those of the Jaguar I-Pace.
Changes in the cabin are more substantial and have had more effect—the F-Pace's interior was feeling old after nearly five years on the market. Now it gets a redesigned dashboard and center console, shaped to accommodate a substantial 11.4-inch curved glass touchscreen that sits in the center of the car. Other touch points have been upgraded, too, with a new steering wheel that includes haptic touch-sensitive switches and the arrival of classy Range Rover-style rotary heating and ventilation controls in place of the old car's black plastic buttons. Jaguar also replaced the original pop-up rotary shift knob with a more conventional selector. An eight-speed automatic is now the only transmission choice, not that the United States ever got the rarely ordered manual. Driving modes are now chosen by a smaller rotary knob that cycles between Dynamic, Comfort, Eco, and a low-traction setting dubbed Rain, Ice, Snow.
The arrival of Jaguar Land Rover's smart new Pivi Pro infotainment system is the most welcome interior upgrade. Besides looking much more contemporary than the old InControl Pro system, it is also simpler and far more intuitive to use, while supporting over-the-air updates. The cabin's materials feel noticeably plusher than before, and the uncluttered design makes it feel more spacious; accommodation is roomy in the front and acceptable in the rear. Heated seats and a 14-speaker sound system will be standard, and the cabin's air-ionization system (able to catch particulates down to just 2.5 microns in size) and active noise-cancellation system further work to isolate the F-Pace interior from the messy world outside. Jaguar claims the noise-reduction system can reduce overall interior sound levels by up to 4 decibels.
