IT WAS a bold move by Jaguar to not only take on the BMWs and Mercedes of this world, but also its sister brands, Land Rover/Range Rover when it launched the exciting new SUV, the F-Pace.

This is a market where its fellow Tata brand excels and it might seem strange that the corporate wallahs decided to give each other a bit of competition.

That said, there's always someone out there who doesn't want to follow the crowd. So when the neighbour gets a Land Rover Discovery or a Range Rover, it's not the done thing to be seen to be a copy cat and get the same.

Therefore, Jag's F-Pace is a highly suitable replacement, though it won't have all the off-road bells and whistles that are a mainstay of the Land Rover products.

Another selling point is that the Jag doesn't look anything like its Solihull half cousins. It is a bold design and, in many respects, a bit easier on the eye than its family rivals. Certainly, it's a bit more refined looking than the BMW X3/X5 or the Audi Q5/Q7.

It's firmly in the 'crossover' bracket and probably looks more like a jumped up estate than a full-blown 4 x 4 SUV.

The mainstay in the engine department is the latest Ingenium two-litre turbo diesel that is a doughty enough four-cylinder performer rated at 177bhp – unless you have also driven one with the latest three-litre six cylinder power plant. Its 295bhp really does make it the one your heart wants, while the head says stick with the two-litre.

There's even a 375bhp, three-litre supercharged petrol six-cylinder for those who really want performance and don't care about the fuel bills.

All have a truly excellent eight-speed auto gearbox shifting that power on the diesels to the 18-inch alloy wheels, with 'intelligent' 4 x 4 system. Several other wheel sizes are available and the three-litre I tested had 22-inchers to soak up the bumps.

While the entry model, with Prestige spec', is a rear-wheel-drive variant (why would anyone by a body shape like this and not have four-wheel-drive?) and costs from just more than £34k, you're more likely to opt for something like the R-Sport model I tested with the two-litre engine which starts at £40k or the top spec' S model as tested in the three-litre, which starts at a hefty £51k.

Fuel economy is such that had you told someone even ten years ago that you could average more than 50mpg in a vehicle of this size, then you would have been sectioned and locked up in darkened room somewhere never to be seen again.

However, the two-litre manages that with some ease, while even the three-litre gets pretty close to that too.

They are also pretty quick. The standard engine give a 0-62mph run in under nine seconds, while the mush more punchy three-litre will do the same run in under six. That's quite a distance.

Inside the cabin, it's a very clean design. There's no overpowering feeling of being in a jet fighter and much of the controls are all available in the clear and concise touchscreen on the dash.

Jaguar's InControl infotainment and sat-nav system is a joy to work and, if you are challenged in the use of electronic devices in the way I am, then you will appreciate that it's easy-peasy to set up your phone, for instance.

It even has its own WiFi hotspot on board, whatever that is, but it's the hotspot from the comfortable, heated and eight-way electrically adjustable leather seats that concerned me more!

There’s plenty of room up front but space for rear passengers is better for just two, even though it's technically a 'five-seater'. There's a useful 650 litres of boot space with the rear seats in place and that moves to 1740 litres with the rear seats folded. There are also handy tie-down points too.

One thing to watch out for is that a 'tyre repair kit' is standard, which is not ideal for a vehicle which may spend more time in rural areas than urban, so you will have to specify a spare wheel if that's your desire.

Safety features abound, though and all F-Pace models get emergency brake assist and autonomous emergency braking, which can detect pedestrians and give a warning before automatically applying the brakes. Cruise control with a speed limiter is also available, as is lane departure warning and trailer stability assist for towing.

The Jaguar F-Pace comes with a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty and you can purchase a five-year/50,000-mile service plan for £549.