Jaguar F-Type Coupe review

How pricey the F-Type seems depends on what you compare it with. It looks decidedly dear next to the equivalent Porsche 718 Cayman, which, despite being faster and better to drive, costs thousands of pounds less.

There are versions of the F-Type that are considerably cheaper than the BMW 8 Series and Porsche 911, though. Whichever way you slice it, you need deep pockets for the range-topping R, which sneaks towards the price territory of the Audi R8 supercar.

Unsurprisingly, insurance and road tax costs will be high on any F-Type and it will depreciate far faster than a Porsche. The four-cylinder model is easily the best for fuel economy and company car tax, but it still isn’t what you’d call cheap to run.

It still sits in the top 37% benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax bracket, while you’ll be very lucky to see 30mpg. Unsurprisingly, the V8 cars are even thirstier.

The entry-level P300 F-Type is quite well equipped, with LED headlights, 18in alloys, a sports exhaust, cruise control and the 10.0in infotainment system. You can also choose the P300 engine with R-Dynamic trim, which adds some extra styling touches, along with 19in wheels.

The P450 engine is available only as an R-Dynamic model, gaining a limited-slip differential for better traction and 20in wheels, while the P575 F-Type R stands at the top of the range, with a more distinctive bodykit and fully electrically adjustable seats.

Other options include keyless entry (standard on R), heated seats and a heated windscreen, and you’ll probably also want to spend extra on the extended leather upgrade for the interior and aluminium gearshift paddles.

We don’t have any reliability data for the F-Type itself, but Jaguar as a manufacturer finished towards the bottom in the 2020 What Car? Reliability Survey. The standard three-year/unlimited-mileage warranty and three years’ roadside assistance should provide some peace of mind, though, and both can be extended at an extra cost.

The F-Type hasn’t been crash tested by the safety experts at Euro NCAP, but it comes with the safety equipment you’d hope for. Like most rivals, the F-Type has stability control, four airbags and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

However, its active bonnet is an unusual feature; it pops up to cushion the impact in a collision with a pedestrian. It also has lane-keeping assistance, driver condition monitoring to warn of signs of tiredness, traffic sign recognition and automatic emergency braking. Blindspot monitoring is part of an optional package.

The F-Type is comparatively good at keeping out thieves. It scored five out of five for guarding against being stolen and four out of five for resisting being broken into in Thatcham Research’s security tests.

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