The 2017 Jaguar F-Pace ranks 2 out of 14 Luxury Compact SUVs. Very few rivals can match the brand-new Jaguar F-Pace when it comes to space, dynamic driving performance, and the prestige that comes with a Jaguar badge. Although Jaguar doesn't like to call it an SUV – they call it a practical sports car and performance crossover – the F-Pace is the first SUV for the luxury brand. The British carmaker says the F-Pace was built to be functional enough as a daily driver, but fun to drive on the weekend. It is spectacularly successful in both arenas. The F-Pace also has one of the largest cargo holds in the class. Additionally, its Land Rover parentage (Jaguar and Land Rover are owned by the same company and share some components) helps its off-road cred, making the F-Pace surprisingly practical for a little trail-riding. Overall, the F-Pace is an excellent SUV.
Pros Sports-car-like performance Excellent traction on slippery or gravel roads Spacious interior and cargo room
Cons Subpar acceleration with diesel engine
The 2017 Jaguar F-Pace does an excellent job of putting just as much emphasis on sport as on utility. Jaguar Land Rover is in the business of building excellent SUVs, but until now, those SUVs were the exclusive province of Land Rover. Even with Range Rovers and Discoverys sitting across the showroom, there's plenty of room for more vehicles in the broad spectrum that grabs everything from the Buick Encore to the Benz G-Class. And if a sort of automotive purity test is invoked, well, Porsche's proven that no brand can really thrive in the U.S. without some kind of crossover SUV in its lineup. This is all a convoluted way of explaining how we got to the first Jaguar crossover SUV in history, and as luck would have it, one of the most satisfying luxury utility vehicles of all.
Pros The SUV Jaguar's always wanted Sleek aluminum body Wide-screen InControl Touch Pro Turbodiesel or supercharged six Nimble, skillful handling
Cons Firm ride degrades on 22s Rearview camera a $400 option on base model Cockpit can be a subdued, dark affair
If you're looking for a luxury SUV that stands out in a crowd, the striking new 2017 Jaguar F-Pace is hard to ignore. It's more than just a pretty face as it's also great to drive, surprisingly practical, competitively priced and can even venture off road. It's a new SUV you don't want to overlook.
pros Spacious backseat and cargo area for the segment Sharper and more engaging to drive than most Supercharged V6 power at a four-cylinder price Fuel-efficient diesel engine option Higher-than-usual ground clearance and surprising off-road capability.
cons Gasoline engine is considerably less efficient than similarly priced rivals You might find the ride too firm over broken pavement V6's boisterous exhaust may get tiresome in day-to-day driving.
The 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid ranks 9 out of 18 Compact SUVs. Starting at $29,030, the RAV4 Hybrid is one of the priciest SUVs in the class, but its abundance of standard features and excellent fuel economy help justify its cost. It comes standard with all-wheel drive plus a host of safety features that cost extra in most rivals, including pre-collision braking and adaptive cruise control. Competing SUVs equipped with similar features plus all-wheel drive quickly meet – or exceed – the cost of the RAV4 Hybrid.
Pros Good cargo space More standard features than rivals Exceptional fuel economy
Cons Lackluster cabin styling and materials
New for 2017 is a standard suite of safety systems that Toyota calls Safety Sense. Included are a forward collision warning system, lane departure warning and intervention, automatic high-beam control and adaptive cruise control.
Pros Fuel economy far surpasses that of traditional compact crossovers Small price premium over non-hybrid RAV4 Ample room in both rows and generous cargo capacity Delivers a composed, comfortable ride
Cons Synthetic brake feel isn't very reassuring Some interior controls feel a little flimsy You can't get real leather upholstery
As with many other Toyota models, the 2017 RAV4 now has a long list of active-safety equipment as standard on every model. What the company calls Toyota Safety Sense-P consists of forward-collision warning, lane-departure alert, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high-beam headlights.
Pros Practicality reigns supreme in the RAV4, as this crossover has a spacious and versatile interior that’s well packaged for carrying people and stuff. The rear seat boasts plentiful legroom and headroom, and it also reclines. The RAV4’s cargo area also has a low lift-over height, making it easy to hoist heavy or bulky items into the capacious 38-cubic-foot hold that grows to 73 cubic feet with the back seats folded flat into the floor. Those interested in the more efficient RAV4 hybrid won’t have to give up much room, since its battery pack takes up only two cubic feet of cargo space.
Cons With lifeless, vague steering and a soft suspension, the RAV4 isn’t much fun to drive, even for a small crossover. Neither the standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder nor the hybrid powertrain provides responsive acceleration, with the hybrid crawling from zero to 60 mph in 8.3 seconds and the RAV4 SE AWD taking 8.4 seconds. While the hybrid at least makes up for its relative sluggishness with an EPA-rated 32 mpg combined, the standard four-cylinder’s highest combined rating of 26 mpg falls short of quicker, better-to-drive competitors such as the 2016 Mazda CX-5 and its 29-mpg number.
