CAT CALL

JAGUAR’S NEW F-PACE SUV IS ON THE PROWL IN PHILLY.

Jaguar’s new F-pace SUV is on the prowl in Philly.

A new jungle king has descended from the illustrious Jaguar pedigree. With the same glossy grit of its luxury lineage but for a broader spectrum of activities, the F-pace SUV is anything but a clunky roadster—it’s a sturdy, agile ride.

“The F-pace SUV really makes Jaguar an even bigger player in the very competitive luxury field,” says said Michael Smyth of Jaguar Main Line and Jaguar Willow Grove. “Jaguar certainly has the heritage… and now with this amazing new F-pace SUV, the brand is at the top of its game.”

And it looks good, too. Fitting the profile of a predator, the F-pace is fronted by sleek ripples on the hood like a clenched abdomen, opposite an aerodynamic rear profile. Inside the spacious cabin is stitched two-tone leather seating, with dash and door panels accented in brushed aluminum. The F-pace S First Edition, rolling at $70,000, emphasizes high impact--from a scorching metallic finish to swaggering 22-inch dark-finish alloy wheels. The standard model offers a 340-horsepower engine or optional 380-horsepower supercharged V-6, housed by a stiff but lightweight aluminum car foundation.

On the wooded back roads of the old Main Line, the F-pace is a stirring performer, with its sophisticated computer-controlled driving dynamics taking the edge off of tight turns and sweeping curves. I took an early-morning romp through the wide-open stretches of the Schuylkill River Drive loop to see what this car was capable of. The F-pace proved so inspiring, I took a second lap before daybreak. 325 E. Lancaster Ave., Wayne, 610-520-2000; jaguarmainline.com; 900 S. York Road, Willow Grove, 215-443-5900; jaguar willowgrove.com

“THE F-PACE SUV MAKES JAGUAR AN EVEN BIGGER PLAYER IN THE VERY COMPETITIVE LUXURY FIELD.” — MICHAEL SMYTH