SUVs: Jaguar F-Pace vs Alfa Romeo Stelvio

Jaguar and Alfa Romeo are going to be doing battle with each other quite a bit in the immediate future. They’re both trying to capture buyers looking for classic good looks and an involving drive. And of course they both need to try and match or trump the Germans on premium image and quality.

There’s a surprising stat linking Jaguar and Alfa: they both sold around 66,000 cars in Europe in 2016. Their respective entries into the ‘engaging SUV’ market could play a big part in establishing a sales gap between the two marques.

As a bit of background, we’ve already pitted a Giulia 2.2-litre diesel saloon against an XE 2.0d. The Alfa won on driver appeal but lost out as an overall ‘premium’ product. What will happen in this SUV comparison?

Here we’ve got the first F-Pace to inherit the new high-powered four-cylinder Ingenium 25d diesel engine that didn’t really knock us sideways in the new Land Rover Velar. Very much competing with that is the cheaper, lighter and potentially quicker Stelvio 2.2-litre diesel.

The shorter-than-you-expected Stelvio has a charismatic look about it. A curvaceous roof line and angled rear screen make the F-Pace look quite conventional, big and square – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. We actually preferred the Jaguar’s styling, though neither car elicits a ‘wow’.

The Jaguar’s sense of ‘bigness’ is reinforced when you climb inside, even though the Alfa Romeo’s better packaging means it’s competitive on measured space. An owner needing to carry grown-up humans might prefer the F-Pace’s comfier back seats and bigger boot. Stelvio back-seaters sit lower and with more bent knees.

In isolation, there’s nothing wrong with Alfa Romeo’s front cabin materials and switchgear, but the F-Pace is a lot nearer to the German opposition in terms of quality. It is a genuine premium alternative rather than one you might buy out of patriotism. It’s still a bit behind the Audi Q5 or Mercedes GLC on richness and solidity, but the leather is soft, the mouldings nicely finished, and the switchgear well-crafted and sturdy. The infotainment is easy to operate and there’s an element of warmth that you don’t always get in a German car.

Alfas have had stylish cabins since the year dot. The Stelvio’s front seats are very comfy, the controls well situated and the instruments clear, but it’s a good way off the Jaguar in terms of material quality. Everything feels cheaper, even the leather.

The Alfa’s 2.1-litre engine sounds a bit more clattery than the Jag’s at idle, but it settles down to a more civilised state than the Jaguar in mixed cruising. Overall we prefer the surprisingly torquey and more responsive 207bhp Italian engine to the 235bhp Ingenium, which lags behind in performance, flexibility and refinement. The Alfa is clearly quicker on the road, more eager in the mid-range and less hesitant generally than the F-Pace.

Drive them both hard though and you’ll be suitably impressed by the mix of handling, grip and balance that’s more than good enough to let you skim along public roads at unlikely speeds. Neither car spoils the driving experience with unwarranted electronic intrusions.