JAGUAR'S F-Pace has been carrying all before it in the SUV class, winning many accolades along the way.

And it certainly looks the part out on the road - big and butch with the high driving position so beloved of many drivers today.

I recently spent a week with the 2.0-litre diesel and thoroughly enjoyed everything about it.

But a big slice of what sets it apart from the competition is the beautiful, up-market ambiance of the luxurious interior.

Sitting into the F-Pace is an occasion - something to be savoured - with leather upholstery and dark wood door cappings in the true English coachbuilding tradition that no-one else seems able to match.

I drove the R-Sport 20d with a two-litre diesel engine producing an excellent 180bhp. There are both lower and higher output versions of the same unit, plus a V6 diesel with 295bhp.

Of course, it wouldn't be a Jaguar without petrol alternatives and these are a 2.0-litre with 250bhp and a 3.0-litre V6 with no less than 374bhp.

While the 2.0-litre Ingenium engine is the smallest unit available, it needs make no excuses whatsoever.

Driving all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox, it always seems to be on song , giving very good acceleration from rest or when on the move and yet capable of excellent economy with low emissions.

It feels punchy and responsive throughout the rev range and the excellent gearbox always seems to match it perfectly.

The gearbox has five selectable driving modes - Normal, Eco, Sport, Manual and Ice and Snow, but the majority of owners will find that normal does everything they could possibly want.

Sport makes things a little more urgent and manual selection is by paddles fitted behind the steering wheel, but there always seemed to be enough in the Normal setting for me - and I'm not easy to please.

The ride is wonderful - apart from some bump-thump over potholes and drain covers from the huge 20 inch wheels and tyres.

Although even bigger wheels are available, I would give them a miss because they are not needed, they don't look any better and they spoil the ride.

Despite it being an SUV, this is a Jaguar and so good road holding and handing are a must. They are brilliant.

The steering is spot on and full of feel at all speeds and the grip and road holding are superb, with little roll to spoil the balance through fast corners.

My only slight complaint is that at cruising speed on the motorway in eighthgear, there is a low rumble from the engine. This is no more than slightly annoying, but neither is it really good enough for such an up market car.

The interior ambiance, as I have said, is unsurpassed by any of the Germans and my car came with very light tan leather upholstery and electrically adjusted and heated sports front seats.

R-Sport trim also includes sat nav, traction control, audio remote, climate, parking sensors and a camera, cruise, lane departure warning and a large touch screen that works beautifully to control almost everything.