2018 Jaguar F-PACE

MY2018 is the F-PACE's second year in the first generation (X761). It is a change year: the 2.0L Ingenium turbo four arrived as the 25t (247 hp) and 30t (296 hp), and the 25t became the volume trim. There was no SVR until MY2019.

The 25t's 2.0L turbo four makes 269 lb-ft, which is average for a base engine in a compact luxury SUV.

Jaguar's US claim for the 247-hp 25t is about 6.4 s to 60 mph, which is mid-pack for a base compact luxury SUV. The 30t and the V6 trims are quicker. Other sources quote 6.6–6.9 s for the 2.0T.

The volume 2.0L turbo four is adequate but coarse and noisy when pushed, and it trails BMW's and Mercedes' smoother base fours. The supercharged V6 is responsive and sounds good, and the diesel is gruff.

Every trim uses the ZF 8-speed automatic, which shifts smoothly and decisively. Reviewers note some low-speed hesitation and stop/start roughness, and early cars draw complaints about the rotary gear selector.

The first-generation F-PACE is rated to tow 2,400 kg when properly equipped, which is at the top of the compact luxury SUV class.

Every 2018 US F-PACE has AWD. The system is rear-biased with Intelligent Driveline Dynamics and offers Adaptive Surface Response and All-Surface Progress Control. There is no low range.

The F-PACE is built for pavement. It has about 8.4 in of ground clearance, terrain modes and hill descent control, but no skid plates, lockers or off-road trim.

The 2018 US F-PACE offered four engine tunes: the 20d diesel, the 25t and 30t turbo fours, and the 35t/S supercharged V6. That covers economy through performance, but there was no V8 (the SVR arrived for 2019) and no hybrid or PHEV.

The EPA rates the 2.0T AWD, the volume powertrain new for 2018, at 24 MPG combined, which is middling for a gas compact luxury SUV.

The EPA city rating for the 2.0T AWD is 22 MPG, which is average for the class.

The EPA highway rating for the 2.0T AWD is 27 MPG, which trails the best four-cylinder rivals.

A fuel tank of about 21.9 gal (83 L) and 24 MPG combined give roughly 525 miles per tank, which is long for the class.

Because it requires premium fuel and averages 24 MPG combined, the 2.0T has a high EPA annual fuel cost.

Every 2018 gas F-PACE requires premium unleaded. The only alternative is the 20d diesel, and diesel is no cheaper per mile in the US.

NHTSA never crash-tested the 2018 F-PACE, and every NCAP field is 'Not Rated'. No X761 model year carries NHTSA stars, so there is no result to carry forward.

IIHS has published no crashworthiness results for the F-PACE, so the 2018 model has no award and no overlap or side scores, unlike award-winning rivals such as the Q5, GLC and XC60. Euro NCAP and ANCAP both gave it five stars, which shows no structural concern and keeps it at the top of the 'untested' band.

For 2018, US cars have low-speed camera AEB, lane departure warning and a rear camera standard, and the volume Premium trim adds Blind Spot Monitor as standard. Lane keep assist and the driver condition monitor stayed optional until 2019, and adaptive cruise was a pack option, so two core aids were still missing from most cars.

Camera-based autonomous emergency braking with forward collision warning is standard, but it is the first-generation low-speed system. Radar-based high-speed AEB came only with the optional Drive Pack and the 19MY update. IIHS never rated the F-PACE's front crash prevention, so no day or night vehicle or pedestrian result supports a higher score.

In 2018 blind-spot monitoring with reverse traffic detection became standard on the volume Premium trim and on the R-Sport/S trims. It is alert-only; active Blind Spot Assist came with the optional Drive Pack.

Lane departure warning is standard, but lane keep assist was optional on the lower 2018 trims. It was standard on the S and became standard range-wide only in 2019. There was no lane-centering system yet; Adaptive Cruise with Steering Assist arrived with the 19MY update.

Adaptive cruise with Stop & Go and Queue Assist was an extra-cost pack on 2018 trims, with no steering assist available. Volume cars without the pack get conventional cruise only.

The 2018 F-PACE offers no hands-free highway driving system; its most advanced aid is optional adaptive cruise without steering support.

On the pre-facelift 2018 car, xenon headlights were standard on most trims, with adaptive full-LED units and auto high beam optional or reserved for upper trims; range-wide LED arrived with the 2021 facelift. IIHS never tested the F-PACE's headlights, so beam performance is unverified.

Forward sightlines are reasonable, but the sloping roofline and thick D-pillars create rear-quarter blind zones. On 2018 volume trims those are covered by the standard rear camera and parking sensors plus the newly standard blind-spot monitor; the surround camera was a pack option.

Lower LATCH anchors are fitted in both outboard rear seats, with top tethers on all three seatbacks. The rear bench and door openings are about average for the class: two child seats fit comfortably, three across is tight, and the anchors sit in the seat bight, so some digging is needed.

Two-row, five-seat cabin on every 2018 F-PACE trim; no third row was ever offered on the X761.

Front headroom is on the tight side for the class, partly because the panoramic roof is standard on most US trims.

Front legroom is modest on paper versus compact-luxury rivals.

Second-row headroom is adequate for adults under the panoramic roof.

The 113.1-in wheelbase gives the F-PACE one of the roomier rear seats in the compact-luxury class.

No third row is offered on any 2018 F-PACE, so it scores in the bottom band.

33.5 cu ft behind the rear seats was best-in-class for compact luxury SUVs in 2018.

Folded capacity is competitive for the class, though the seatbacks do not fold fully flat.

The 40:20:40 rear seat and big cargo bay are useful, but bin and console storage are ordinary and there is no wireless charging pad or household outlet.

Power front seats are standard and reviewers call the cabin comfortable, but the volume Premium trim has basic seats; 14-/20-way seats are higher-trim upgrades.

The ride is sporty and firm, especially on big wheels; adaptive dampers are an option on most trims rather than standard.

Wind and road noise are well controlled at a cruise, but the 2.0T four gets coarse when worked; active road-noise cancellation came only in 2021.

Dual-zone climate is standard, but heated seats and steering wheel sit in option packages on the volume trims; ventilated seats and four-zone climate are upper-trim options.

For 2018 the new 247-hp 25t turbo four became the entry F-PACE at $42,065, undercutting the 2017 gas base 35t by more than $1,300. The $995 destination charge is added on top.

The 25t Prestige pairs the volume turbo four with leather and navigation and was the typical dealer-stock configuration. It listed at $49,125 plus $995 destination, and option packs commonly added a few thousand dollars.

CarEdge projects about $5,500 in 5-year F-PACE maintenance, and a repair allowance is added for JLR's below-average reliability on the pre-facelift car. EliteCare covered scheduled service for 5 years/60k miles, so an original owner paid well below this out of pocket.

iSeeCars measures a 59.9% five-year value loss for the 2018 F-PACE, so it keeps about 40% of MSRP. That is well below the roughly 51% retention of the average compact luxury SUV.

The EliteCare 5yr/60k new-vehicle limited warranty applied to the 2018 F-PACE. It beats the 4yr/50k terms of the German rivals.

Jaguar offers no separate, longer powertrain warranty. The powertrain is covered under the 5yr/60k limited warranty.

MY2018 EliteCare bundles 5yr/60k complimentary scheduled maintenance with 5yr/60k 24/7 roadside assistance. That is among the richest included-ownership packages in the class, ahead of BMW's 3yr/36k and well ahead of Audi and Mercedes. Wear items are excluded.

$50,120 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (40% retained, or about $20,048) leaves about $30,072 in depreciation. Add the projected $6,500 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $36,572 in total.

2018 is the second model year of the first-generation F-PACE (X761) and the first with the Ingenium 2.0T gas four (25t/30t). Consumer Reports has too few survey responses to rate it, so the prediction rests on Jaguar's weak brand standing and owner complaints. Those complaints center on infotainment and electrical faults, and the year carried over the launch-year instrument-cluster defect.

Jaguar and sister brand Land Rover have sat in the bottom third of US dependability rankings for years. Jaguar ranked near the bottom of J.D. Power's VDS in the 2020 and 2021 studies, which surveyed owners of 2017-2018 vehicles, a window that includes this model year.

Three NHTSA campaigns cover the 2018 F-PACE. Two address the same blank-instrument-cluster defect, which took a second campaign to fully cover. The third is a fire-risk fuel-rail end-cap leak on every 2018 JLR 2.0L gas engine, which hits the new volume 25t/30t trims directly. It is a typical count, but the repeat cluster fix and a powertrain fire recall in the 2.0T's first year keep the score in the low 60s.

For 2018 the volume trims moved to the brand-new Ingenium 2.0T gas four (25t 247 hp, 30t 296 hp). It launched with a fuel-rail fire recall, and owners report water-pump and coolant leaks, oil consumption and timing-chain stretch. The 35t/S keep the older supercharged 3.0 V6 (AJ126), which has a better long-run record. All trims use the well-proven ZF 8HP automatic.

This is the pre-2021 cabin. Reviewers called its design attractive but its materials a step behind German rivals at the price, citing hard plastics on the lower dash and doors and switchgear that feels low-rent. The 10-inch Touch Pro screen was optional, and the base 8-inch InControl Touch felt dated.

As an early-production year, the 2018 still shows inconsistent quality control. Owners report trim rattles, electrical gremlins, infotainment reboots and the blank-cluster fault. It sits slightly better than the 2017 launch year but behind German and Japanese rivals.

Jaguar's US network is small, roughly 150 retailers mostly shared with Land Rover, and concentrated in metro areas. That leaves large service gaps in rural and interior regions.

Parts are expensive and mostly bought from dealers, with thin aftermarket support. Common out-of-warranty failures, such as the infotainment unit and Ingenium cooling components, cost well into four figures to fix.

In the US for 2018 the volume trims came with the 8-inch InControl Touch screen. The 10-inch Touch Pro became standard across the range only for 2019.

The standard 8-inch InControl Touch has dated graphics and slow responses. The optional Touch Pro is quicker but still menu-heavy.

Neither Apple CarPlay nor Android Auto, wired or wireless, was offered on the 2018 F-PACE.

Navigation is SD-card based and optional on Premium trims (standard from Prestige), and voice control is basic. With no CarPlay or Android Auto, the native system is the only option.

An 11-speaker Meridian system is standard and a 17-speaker Meridian surround setup is optional, which is strong for the class.

The standard cluster is analog dials with a central TFT. The 12.3-inch Interactive Driver Display comes only in the Technology Pack on Prestige and up.

There were no meaningful over-the-air updates; maps updated by SD card or at the dealer. OTA arrived with Pivi Pro in 2021.

InControl Remote & Protect, with lock/unlock, locate and remote start/climate, is included free for five years, but it has no phone-as-key and reviewers call the app basic.

There are a few USB-A and 12V ports up front, with rear ports by option, a Wi-Fi hotspot only as an option, and no wireless charging pad.

Proximity entry, push-button start, app remote start and a power tailgate are standard. A gesture tailgate and the wearable Activity Key are optional, but there is no phone-as-key.

A rear camera and parking sensors are fitted on the volume trims. The 360-degree surround camera and Park Assist are option-pack items, and rear visibility is poor.

A laser head-up display is available, but only in option packages, and it is standard only on Portfolio.

Generous rear legroom, a best-in-class 33.5 cu ft cargo bay and a standard power tailgate suit family duty, though the rear doors and aperture are only average.

There are no NHTSA or IIHS ratings for 2018, and blind-spot, adaptive cruise and surround camera cost extra on the trims families buy. Euro NCAP gives five stars.

Ample luggage space and an adult-friendly rear seat help, but rear amenities are thin: rear USB, four-zone climate and heated rear seats are all options.

The ZF 8-speed shifts crisply and the 247-hp base engine has adequate pace, but stop/start and low-speed tip-in are less polished than German rivals, and Stop & Go adaptive cruise is optional.

24 MPG combined on premium fuel is below average for a four-cylinder compact luxury SUV.

It has a long 113-in wheelbase, a 38.9-ft turning circle and poor rearward visibility. The surround camera and Park Assist are options.

A 5,290-lb tow rating and a large cargo bay are strong for a compact luxury SUV, though the base 2.0T works hard near the limit.

This is a luxury-oriented cabin from a brand with below-average reliability, which makes it a poor fit for hard work duty.

Work provisions are few: cargo rails, tie-downs and accessory hitch/racks only, with no household outlet.

It is a quiet, comfortable highway cruiser, but the 2018 gas models keep the smaller tank (about 400 miles of range), and lane-centering steering assist did not arrive until 2019.

Standard AWD, a 5,290-lb tow rating, the waterproof Activity Key and the optional Adaptive Surface Response suit light trail and gravel use. Ground clearance is modest and there are no off-road trims.

A big 33.5 cu ft bay, 40:20:40 split seats for skis, a power tailgate and accessory roof bars and hitch make it flexible, with 63.5 cu ft folded.

It is one of the sharpest-handling compact luxury SUVs of its era, with a rear-biased AWD and an aluminum-intensive chassis. Adaptive dampers are optional below the S.

Reviewers consistently praise the electric steering as well weighted and precise for an SUV.

Stopping distances are competitive with a firm pedal; the S gets larger front brakes.

The new 247-hp Ingenium 2.0T paired with the ZF 8-speed is responsive, but it is less refined than rivals' fours and stop/start is abrupt.

The four-cylinder sounds coarse when pushed, while the supercharged V6 on S and 35t trims is praised for its sound.

The turning circle is average to slightly wide for the class, a product of the long 113.1-in wheelbase.

It has a good, sporty seating position and a rotary shifter, but rear three-quarter visibility is poor, front legroom is modest, and the 8-inch system's touch-heavy controls are a stretch.

It is one of the most engaging compact luxury SUVs to drive, especially with the V6, though the volume 25t is less charismatic. The SVR did not reach the US until 2019.

Every 2018 US F-PACE has AWD and the ZF 8-speed. The new base 25t holds back leather, navigation and the 10-inch InControl Touch Pro for the Premium/Prestige trims and option packs, and most driver aids are optional. That is roughly par with a base X3 or GLC, in a cabin that feels less rich than theirs.

The new 25t cut the entry price to $42,065, in line with German four-cylinder rivals, and 5 years of free scheduled maintenance helps the case. The coarse four, weaker cabin materials, laggy infotainment and roughly 60% five-year depreciation keep it at fair value rather than a bargain.

2018 widened the lineup to four engines (20d diesel, 247-hp 25t, 296-hp 30t, 340-hp 35t) plus the 380-hp S. Premium, Prestige, R-Sport and Portfolio grades make a well-spaced $42k–$63k ladder. There is no SVR yet (it arrived for 2019), and no RWD or hybrid.

US sales fell about a third in 2018, to roughly 13,000 from the 2017 peak of 19,200, even though the F-PACE stayed Jaguar's best-seller. That is a fraction of X3, GLC, Q5, NX or RX volume, on a declining trajectory.

Jaguar's British-luxury and design cachet, together with the F-PACE's World Car of the Year win, give it real appeal. A thin US dealer network, a weak reliability reputation and poor resale keep the brand behind BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Lexus and Porsche in shopper consideration.

With volume down a third from the launch peak and plentiful dealer stock, 2018 F-PACEs commonly carried JLR loyalty/conquest cash, subvented leases and sizable dealer discounts. They were among the more negotiable luxury SUVs of the period.

2018 is the second US model year of the X761 that launched for 2017. It is still a new-generation model on JLR's aluminium architecture, and it gained the new Ingenium turbo fours this year. Buyers faced no near-term redesign risk; the facelift came late in 2020.

The F-PACE carried its 2017 World Car of the Year and World Car Design of the Year titles into 2018, and reviewers kept praising its styling, handling, cargo space and supercharged V6. The new base four drew criticism as unrefined, alongside the plasticky cabin and laggy infotainment, and it rarely beat the X3 or GLC in comparisons.