This a big step for Jaguar, its first off-roader, and the car that will become its biggest seller worldwide, though in the UK the compact executive XE will still outsell it due to that sector's importance here.

But even in the UK, the F-pace will sit at the same volume level as the XF executive saloon, with 40% heading into the fleet sector thanks to emissions that start at 129g/km for the 180hp 2.0-litre diesel rear-wheel drive manual model, going up by 5g/km each with the auto gearbox and four-wheel drive.

The 180hp diesel, Jaguar's new Ingenium engine built at its Wolverhampton plant and already in the XE and XF - as well as the Range Rover Evoque and Discovery Sport - will be the most popular unit, with 3.0-litre petrol (209g/km) and diesel (159g/km) models completing the line-up.

It's a relief to find refinement of the 180hp diesel is much better in the F-pace than in the XE in particular, where it is one of the car's big weaknesses. Only under extreme duress does it become coarse, and though the 300hp 3.0-litre diesel is a monster of an engine by comparison, and very very rapid, the smaller unit certainly doesn't disgrace itself.

Read the full review here.