Jaguar F-Pace P400 R-Dynamic SE 2021 UK first drive

Among all the fresh engine options added by Jaguar as part of the big mid-life facelift on the F-Pace, one of the newest of all looks set to figure quite small in the overall mix of the range.

Jaguar Land Rover’s clever, electric-supercharged, mild-hybrid 3.0-litre petrol ‘Ingenium’ straight six has been brought in to replace the car’s old supercharged ‘AJ-V6’ petrol units; but with an equally powerful, significantly torquier and faster-accelerating P400e plug-in hybrid option now available, too - as well as an updated V8-powered F-Pace SVR, a new D300 straight-six diesel and several cheaper four-cylinder options - you might wonder if this P400 derivative is one more than the F-Pace really needs.

Perhaps that was exactly why Jaguar chose to put journalists in the P400 last week for first impressions of the updated F-Pace, other than for certain practical reasons (the new SVR and P400e PHEV versions arrive slightly later this year). Or perhaps it was for strategic reasons; because increasing this car’s luxury appeal has been the cornerstone of Jaguar’s facelift effort here, with a widely enhanced cabin with plusher and glitzier materials, roomier storage areas and new digital instrumentation and infotainment systems resulting.

The P400 may be a 48-volt mild hybrid, but it doesn’t really drive like any kind of electrified option (the engine’s starter-generator only ever turns the crankshaft during engine restarts). Rather, it’s a car with a fulsome though not overwhelming performance level, and with plenty of richness, refinement and generally impressive drivability about its overall character. A car with distinguishing ride and handling sophistication, too - albeit one out of which you’ll do very well to get 30mpg however you drive it.

The engine makes the kind of power and torque that feels like plenty in this two-tonne family car, without ever feeling excessive. It revs cleanly, and with laudable flexibility and forcefulness. The soundtrack may not be quite as sweet or tuneful as the old AJ-V6’s but it’s certainly smooth and industrious. 

The car’s particularly keen throttle response can actually feel a touch contrived and over-sensitised in the more dynamic drive modes, when the electric supercharger is working to the max; the car surges forward a little too readily when you’re driving in ‘dynamic’ mode  and with ‘S’ mode selected on that new gear lever. There’s more intuitive drivability to find in the car’s other modes, though, and the eight-speed automatic gearbox suffers with only occasional moments of treacly hesitancy before kicking down. In mixed driving, 26mpg is the ballpark fuel economy that our test car returned.