EVEN before the F-PACE was in dealerships Jaguar was taking orders from all over the globe and the company certainly got it right with its first SUV.

Demand for the stunning F-PACE is still very strong and although it was launched back in April - there is still a six-month waiting list for certain models.

That's not a big surprise as its blend of bold looks, performance, space, practicality and luxury combine to make it a really desirable package.

I first drove the F-PACE back in April of this year and was blown away by the newcomer. I particularly liked the V6 diesel model which packed real punch and delivered decent economy.

I have just had the opportunity to drive the most popular engine in the range - the 180ps 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel - in R-Sport all-wheel-drive form.

It may be the least powerful engine to slot into the F-PACE but it is still a lively performer and can take the big Jag to 60mph in 8.2 seconds before going on to its 129mph top speed.

The F-PACE feels very car like to drive as it shares some of its hidden parts with the XE and XF saloons and uses bags of its lightweight aluminium in its construction. The result is that it is considerably lighter than its large dimensions would suggest and is surprisingly agile.

As you would expect the AWD offers bags of grip and you can have great fun with it on twisting roads as there is little body roll. The steering is quick and accurate and the big SUV feels and handles like a much smaller vehicle.

It is a fine motorway cruiser and while it was never designed to compete with its Land Rover cousins, it is quite capable off road. It easily coped with a variety of rough and muddy tracks during its launch and I doubt if many owners will want to tackle anything more demanding.

The eight-speed automatic gearbox changes smoothly and is best left to do the job but if you want some fun you can use the steering wheel-mounted paddles to take charge.

Jaguar claims a combined figure of 53.3mpg for this model but expect to get about 45mpg in real conditions with emissions of 139g/km.

This car came with 20-inch alloys, gloss roof rails, twin tailpipes, a distinctive black mesh grille, xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, front and rear fog lights, privacy glass, the R-Sport body kit and a fixed panoramic sunroof.

The F-PACE beats all its rivals for cabin space and there is bags of standard equipment. The finish is excellent and it is easy to select a good driving position thanks to the heated electrically controlled seats.

There is an eight-inch touchscreen, with sat nav, climate control, DAB radio and you can connect all your own devices quite easily.

The F-PACE features all the latest safety features including dynamic stability control and traction control, emergency brake assist, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition with intelligent speed limiter, autonomous emergency braking, trailer stability control, six airbags and much more and with all-wheel-drive you won't have any problems coping with our winter weather.

It might be a luxury vehicle but the F-PACE is also very practical. It offers excellent levels of comfort for five adults with a boot that can swallow 650 litres of luggage and if you need more you can drop the 40:20:40 split rear seats to create up to 1,740 litres of space.

The tailgate opens and closes electronically and there are also numerous storage areas inside the cabin as well as cup holders and a place to store your sunglasses.