THE success of the Jaguar F-Pace is nothing short of astonishing.

In the first year of production the stylish SUV/crossover now accounts for nearly half of all Big Cats sold and helped push Jaguar sales past the half million mark for the first time.

With an SUV, you would think Jag would borrow the expertise of sister company Land Rover, but the aluminium bodied F-Pace is very much based on the luxury siblings the XF and XE saloons.

It looks stunning, features a range of engines including the excellent, Wolverhampton-built Ingenium 2.0-litre diesel driven here and is a serious rival to excellent SUV rivals like Porsche, BMW, Audi and Mercedes.

Like all Jags, it looks the part, with a sleek, yet muscular look, sitting on large alloy wheels, with LED headlamps and J-shaped daytime running lights, while the mesh grille incorporates aluminium panels that close to improve aerodynamics.

The sweeping lines to the rear end with a neat spoiler and eye catching rear light clusters.

Despite its sporty looks, it is a practical vehicle with enough load space for four full-size suitcases, or twenty pieces of carry-on hand luggage, says Jaguar.

The 40:20:40 split rear seats open up huge amounts of space when folded.

The front seats themselves have a raised ‘sports command' driving position and all occupants have plenty of head and legroom.

The platform for the F-Pace is based on the XE and XF saloons and with its lightweight aluminium architecture the SUV has inherited the brilliant handling characteristics to deliver an excellent driving experience.

Its nimble handling allows it to tackle most challenges twisting country lanes with confidence.

The double-wishbone front and integral rear link suspension gives better control at speed, while the eight-speed automatic model features the sporty F-TYPE's Configurable Dynamics, so you can set your own preferences for throttle, transmission and steering.

While its unlikely may the new Jag will be used offroad that often, the all wheel drive capability means it will cope with most 'soft' off road conditions.

It's not difficult to see why buyers are opting for the new two litre diesel version in so many numbers.

With a claimed fuel economy of just over 50mpg and CO2 emissions of 139g/km on this model, it is cheap to fuel, road tax is reasonable and for business users, benefit in kind taxation will be 29 per cent.

Reducing weight means lower fuel costs and with up 57.7mpg on the rear-wheel drive version, a range of up to 762 miles when fully fuelled is available. It is hugely refined, with little evidence of diesel clatter as it whisks the vehicle 60mph in just eight seconds. Torque is excellent, which is particularly useful on the motorway for that mid-range overtaking.

The plush interior, a riot of leather and bright trim finish features the very latest in high-tech gizmos.

Key points include Jag's signature rotary gear change which rises from the centre console, pulsing start button and ultra-stylish ambient lighting throughout the cabin.

The InControl Touch is an eight inch touchscreen computer connecting digital entertainment, navigation, climate and safety. It can link to phone for voice control and access to compatible mobile apps, and gives a rapid Wi-Fi hotspot.

Upgraded to InControl Touch Pro and you get swipe control, a 10.2-inch screen and 3D map viewing, plus 10GB of accessible memory for media storage.

Available in rear or four wheel drive, this version, the R-Sport, is just over £40,000, although the range starts at a shade over £35,000. Not in everyone's price range, but competitive in its segment and featuring many standard features.

That list could fill a book and offers everything you would expect from a luxury motor, plus some neat touches like the optional waterproof Activity Key fits to your wrist to wirelessly lock and unlock the vehicle, so you're never at risk of losing or damaging the real keys when you venture away from the vehicle.