Used Jaguar F-Pace review and buying guide (2016 to 2024): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Jaguar F-Pace should you buy?

The safer F-Pace is one with oil changes every 10,000 miles on record, and on a 2016 to 2019 2.0 Ingenium diesel that record matters most. It's the same engine that thinned its oil with fuel in Land Rover SUVs when particulate filter cleaning cycles were cut short, and that thinned oil is what wears the rear timing chain early. There's no F-Pace case of it on file, so treat it as a risk to rule out rather than a known failing.

Engine and use decide this car more than its year does. A 2.0 diesel that's covered long motorway runs with frequent oil changes is a far better bet than one that's spent its life on short town hops. The 3.0 V6 diesel has no known fault on file for the F-Pace, but that isn't a clean bill: one 2017 car's turbo failed at 25,000 miles, and another threw AdBlue quality warnings three times in three years.

Very little is on record for F-Paces built from 2020 up to the end of sales in 2024, and a thin record isn't a clean one. The newest car on record is a 2019 car sold as a 2020 model that started whirring between 1,700 and 2,300rpm at four months old, which the dealer blamed on balancer shafts that weren't hardened enough. Check a later car as thoroughly as an early one.

Which F-Pace engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

The 2.0 Ingenium diesel (20d, D150 to D240) is the engine that needs the most proof, because it uses a rear-mounted timing chain that can stretch and fail if its oil gets diluted by failed particulate filter burns. That's based on what the engine's done in Land Rovers, not on F-Pace failures. Don't trust the long official service gaps: the oil wants changing every 10,000 miles, and a car that's mostly done short journeys is the one to avoid.

There's also a whirr to listen for: one 240PS twin-turbo 2.0 diesel needed a new balancer shaft at 7,000 miles to stop a noise that rose and fell with engine speed. There's a recall on 2016 to 2018 cars with this engine because their CO2 output could vary and go over the permitted limit, so ask for proof it's been done. One 2016 2.0 diesel had its clutch and dual-mass flywheel fail at 64,000 miles.

The 3.0 V6 diesel isn't covered by a known fault here, but it's not trouble-free on the evidence: owners have reported a turbo failure with Restricted Performance showing on the dash, and repeated AdBlue warnings. JLR swapped the aluminium half-shaft bracket for a steel one to cure a driveline vibration on this engine, so ask whether that's been fitted. The 25t petrol has no known fault on file either, though one 2017 car had a knocky engine at slow manoeuvring speeds.

Gearbox evidence is thin and all single cars. One owner's 2.5t has the ZF8 automatic rather than the ZF9 fitted to some other JLR SUVs, and one 2017 F-Pace S developed intermittent faults switching between automatic and manual modes. On the six-speed manual, one owner struggled to change gear at two months old, and another's car cut all its electrics when stop-start kicked in at the lights.

What should you check when viewing a used F-Pace?

Arrange to see it started from cold after it's stood overnight, and listen for a short clatter from the back of the engine on a 2.0 diesel, which points at the rear timing chain. On the drive, note any whirr that rises and falls with the revs, as balancer shafts have been replaced for exactly that. An early oil change reminder on the dash is another warning sign on the diesel.

Paperwork should show oil changes every 10,000 miles on a 2.0 diesel, whatever the official schedule said, plus proof the CO2 emissions recall was done on a 2016 to 2018 car. Ask the seller what kind of driving it's done. A car sold new in February 2016 could have had water get into its engine control unit wiring through a production mistake, so ask whether that was dealt with.

Try the reversing camera several times, since several reports describe it failing on and off, and not because of a dirty lens. Check the DAB radio holds a signal, run the infotainment through its menus and ask if the software's been updated. Run the air conditioning for a few minutes: one owner's blower kept cutting out, and another's condenser was leaking.

Look at the brake discs, inside faces included, because reports on 2016 cars describe badly corroded discs at two to three years old, and one 2018 car had a judder from a high spot on a front disc. Listen for noise from the steering rack, check the bonnet shuts and lines up properly, and look at the driver's seat bolster piping for wear, as one car needed three new covers.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

What does a used Jaguar F-Pace cost to run?

What do F-Pace owners like about them?

It handles far better than something this big and heavy has any right to, and the taut suspension keeps it tidy through bends. At motorway speeds there's very little wind or road roar getting into the cabin, which makes it a relaxed car for covering long distances. One 2.5t petrol owner loves how hard it accelerates.

The boot's a big, practical space whose broad opening has just a low lip to lift things past, so you're not heaving heavy bags over a high sill. That same owner, who swapped from a Discovery Sport, says the F-Pace doesn't hesitate pulling away the way that car did, and they're far happier with it.

• A new software update, 17c or 3.5, was released in late February to resolve most Incontrol Touch Pro entertainment system issues.
• The F-Pace 2.5t offers super acceleration, taught suspension, and quiet motorway cruising with no rattles or hesitation from a stop.
• The F-Pace corners incredibly well for a vehicle of its size and bulk, demonstrating impressive handling capabilities.
• Minimal wind or road noise at higher speeds makes the F-Pace an excellent vehicle for extended journeys, enhancing passenger comfort.
• The F-Pace features a huge boot with a wide opening and only a small lip, making loading and unloading easy.