Still a proper Jag

The F-type has formed a crucial part of Jaguar’s line-up for some time now, providing sports car looks and thrills to contrast with the more practical vehicles in the British manufacturer’s range, writes Jack Evans.

Traditionally powered by large, dynamic engines, it has now been fitted with a smaller, more efficient unit. The biggest change is that all-new engine. Despite its relatively low capacity, the four-cylinder, 2.0-litre unit still manages to churn out 295bhp and a genuinely impressive 400Nm of torque. The biggest benefit of having a small engine is economy, and the F-type is bang on the money in this respect, returning 39.2mpg on a combined cycle – a reduction of more than 16% compared with the V6-powered F-type. As usual, the four cylinder is available in either the Coupe or Convertible F-types.

The F-type has changed little. But you could be sat in pretty much any other F-type – until you start the engine, that is. Whereas you’d usually expect the low grumble of a V8 or the crackle of a V6, you’re greeted by a much throatier hum than you think you’d get from a four-cylinder. Boring it ain’t. Up and running, the F-type feels a touch sharper than those powered by either a V6 or V8. There’s no denying the F-type is a pretty looking thing. Even now, despite going on sale back in 2013, it still looks fresh on the road. Thanks to redesigned bumpers and new LED headlights, it looks fresher still, while our test car’s Ultra Blue paint colour really did make it an impressive car to look at. The interior features some of the harder plastics that drew criticism of the older car, but all in all, it’s a wellappointed, comfortable place to be. Tan leather seats such as those fitted to our test car do wonders at lifting the overall feel of the interior.

The inside of the F-type four-cylinder is much like that found in the standard F-type. That’s no bad thing, as its driver-focused nature suits the overall feel. Those slimmer sports seats offer plenty of support and look noticeably better than the older ones.