THE first plug-in hybrid models from Jaguar are on the way in the shape of PHEV variants of its top-selling E-Pace and F-Pace SUVs.

And as the company is expanding its line up of electrified vehicles the British car maker is also releasing an upgraded F-Pace SVR flagship with more power coming from its V8 engine.

The new models are arriving as Jaguar gives both its SUVs a makeover which sees new looks inside and out and more technology on board.

The E-Pace PHEV will be priced from £45,995 while the larger F-Pace starts from £56,050.

The two line ups will top out at £50,860 for the E-Pace in R-Dynamic HSE specification and £64,490 for a similarly specified F-Pace.

Both are potent performers with the F-Pace P400e developing 404ps from its 2.0-litre electrified powertrain while the E-Pace P300e uses a smaller three-cylinder 1.5-litre engine developing a healthy 309ps.

Zero emission range is up to 34 miles and the cars have theoretical fuel returns of up to 149mpg for the F-Pace and 134mpg for the E-Pace. Emissions are rated at 44g/km for the E-Pace and 49g/km for the F-Pace.

Recharging up to 80 per cent capacity can be done in around 30 minutes from a fast charger while the F-Pace has a 0 to 60 acceleration times of five seconds with a top speed of 149mph.

The smaller E-Pace is rated at 6.1 seconds with a maximum of 134mph and both handle with considerable aplomb.

Compared to the non-PHEVs versions the two have slightly smaller boots but that is the only real difference.

However, the real world fuel economy is very different to the official claims and over a 40 mile route in the F-Pace we saw an average of 34.8mpg recorded on the car's trip computer with a drive mainly in hybrid mode - one of three modes to get the best out of the powertrain.

There are also settings for pure electric operation and a ‘save' mode for storing battery energy until it is needed.

The same set up is available on the E-Pace yet on a shorter route and with clever use of the drive modes we managed to return a credible 103.9 to the gallon over 25 miles - a case of horses for courses but one which showed the potential of its 147kW powertrain.

Both plugi-in models are four-wheel-drive with the rear wheels driven electrically and that gives the pair excellent grip in poor conditions with plenty of torque available especially in the F-Pace with its bigger engine.

Noise levels inside are well suppressed and Jaguar's new-look interior is much superior to that of its previous generation SUVs.

Jaguar's Pivi Pro infotainment system is fitted as standard with an 11.4-inch display standing out from the dash while there is also a new digitised instrument panel as well as a head-up display.

Options include the likes of JLR's ClearSight camera set up which gives a display of what is happening behind the vehicle in the rearview mirror while both come with paddle shifters for manual use of the standard eight-speed automatic transmission.

Other changes inside include a redesigned gear selector which now has a more conventional lever as opposed to a rotary control while smarter trim features in the dash and door cappings.

Outside there is a slimmer design to the light clusters, larger front air scoops and a new look to the grille - all adding up to a much more assertive road presence.

The same is true of the flagship F-Pace SVR which also comes with louvred air vents on the top of the bonnet to help its 550ps V8 engine breath.

At £77,595 it is a true range leader in a line up which starts from just over £40,000 and the SVR has blistering credentials with a top speed of 178mph and a 0 to 60 acceleration of just 3.8 seconds = supercar performance from an SUV.

Fuel consumption is an official 23.1mpg with emissions of 275g/km and on our run we saw an average not too far from that at 20.3 to the gallon.

The SVR is a sublime performer and special graphics in the instrumentation show what the car is up to while the soundtrack from the exhaust is one to savour - and one which will be missed under Jaguar's plans to be fully electric within the next few years.

For the time being the SVR demonstrates that Jaguar still is a force to be reckoned with in the performance sector while the arrival of the plug-in SUVs shows its electric potential as it gears up to launch its new generation of pure EV models.