There once was a time when I believed with every ounce of my being that the concept of a performance sport-utility vehicle was total blasphemy. Now that I’m in my thirties and there’s a vast array of these machines to choose from, my beliefs have done a full one-eighty flip. This is the 2022 Jaguar F-Pace SVR, and it is a total delight. The “SV” means that this F-Pace has been tuned by the Special Vehicles division of Jaguar, and the “R” at the end means it packs the most performance available from this model.
The F-Pace isn’t in a class of its own either, with just about every European luxury automaker offering a serious performance crossover. Mercedes offers the GLC 63 S, Alfa Romeo has their Stelvio Quadrifoglio, and Porsche offers the glorious Macan Turbo. The Jaguar tops the horsepower war of this segment, which isn’t an easy feat considering just about every player offers a number higher than 500.
The Mercedes-AMG also offers a V8, while other players here offer boosted six-cylinders. Jaguar, despite their plethora of announcements that they will be transitioning to electrification, offers their simply sensational 5.0-liter supercharged V8. With 550 horsepower at 6,500RPM and 516 lb-ft. of torque at 3,500RPM, the F-Pace SVR can pull off a 0-100km/h sprint in four seconds flat. Considering it weighs nearly 4,800 pounds, that’s an impressive number. An eight-speed automatic sends power to all four wheels, and is quite good at what it’s required to do.
The F-Pace offers a dramatic soundtrack on acceleration with a crescendo of breathtaking noises, and just in case you don’t want the noise all of the time, a button to turn down the performance exhaust and drive around like a sane human being. The futuristic spaceship sounds that the Porsche Taycan makes are neat, but when this supercharged V8 has gone extinct, we’ll miss every bit of it.
What’s equally impressive is how the F-Pace SVR carries itself. It’s fairly softly sprung considering the performance it boasts, and as a result is a much more compliant daily driver than both the Mercedes-AMG and the BMW. It’s smooth and comfortable over bumps, and there’s virtually no float at highway speeds. Despite the shorter wheelbase and taller ride height, the F-Pace feels like a larger Jaguar sedan and definitely doesn’t transmit its weight to the driver’s fingertips.
Fuel efficiency isn’t nearly as bad as it could be either, considering the supercharged V8 under the hood. We observed 12.1L/100km over roughly 500 kilometers of driving. This included a good amount of city commuting with liberal enjoyment of the performance exhaust. The massive 83-liter tank helps the F-Pace have decent range before refueling is required.
Inside, the full F-Pace line got a massive refresh for 2021. The dated infotainment system is gone and has been replaced with a large 11.4-inch touchscreen housing the new Pivi interface. It offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the native system is slow to respond and had some glitches over our test period. Jaguar says it can be updated over the air, which means we’re sure to see improvements over the next little bit. The digital instrument cluster is also crystal clear even in direct sunlight, though we’d like to see some more customization available.
Interior quality is simply sublime all around. The F-Pace has a decent amount of interior space for four adults, though taller passengers may grumble about rear headroom. Up front, we found ourselves more comfortable than in the smaller Macan and Stelvio, and the Jag’s 962-liters of cargo space is also one of the larger capacities in the class. Naturally, the rear seats will fold down should you want to expand this space. Our tester had a fairly monotonous all-black interior, but Jaguar does offer a number of lovely colours to spice up the cabin.
Canadian pricing starts at $96,250 for the F-Pace SVR, obviously coming with the aforementioned powertrain. Ours was equipped with performance seats for $1,050, a Hot Climate Pack for $1,300, 22-inch forged wheels for $1,300, Meridian sound system for $600, and a few other options. The most apparent would be the SVO Yellow Ultra Metallic Paint at $6,100, which we expect the vast majority of buyers to skip out on. As tested, this SVR came in at $109,800 before taxes and fees.
Which performance sport-utility to buy comes down to a matter of preference, but as far as we’re concerned, there are three top contenders. The Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S is just as good on a technical level as this SVR, but being a Jaguar, the F-Pace has more drama and theater to it. If performance and handling is your forte and you could do with less space inside, the Porsche Macan Turbo is worth a look.
Since Jaguar has boldly claimed that they’ll be going all electric after 2025, the supercharged V8’s days are numbered. If you’re looking to get a “regular” F-Pace with one of the smaller engines, doing some research to carefully evaluate its competitors might be worth your time. If the 2022 Jaguar F-Pace SVR appeals to you from a performance standpoint, and you’re attracted to the symphony that exudes from the tailpipes, this is probably the crossover for you.
