Alfa Romeo Stelvio vs Jaguar F-PACE

There was a time when the notion of a Jaguar SUV would cause much harrumphing and the displacement of monocles. The stalwart British automaker has traditionally been known for sports cars and fast-yet-luxurious sedans, but market trends demanded an SUV. So the 2022 Jaguar F-Pace tries to channel the spirit of previous Jags into a high-riding utility vehicle package.

The Jaguar F-Pace arrived for the 2016 model year as Jaguar’s first SUV (it’s since been joined by the smaller E-Pace and all-electric I-Pace). It thus introduced Jaguar’s “Pace” naming convention for SUVs, derived from the brand’s old marketing tagline “grace, pace, and space.” That’s fitting because, to succeed and keep star-crossed Jag alive, the F-Pace needs all three.

This crossover SUV has done wonders for Jaguar’s bottom line, but it still faces tough competition from rivals like the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, and Volvo XC60, as well as the newcomer Genesis GV70. To help distinguish it from the wares of sibling brand Land Rover, the F-Pace focuses more on sporty driving dynamics than off-road capability.

Following a major update for the 2021 model year, the F-Pace rolls into 2022 essentially unchanged. The F-Pace lineup includes a base four-cylinder powertrain (in P250 and P250 S configurations), a V6 mild-hybrid powertrain, (available in the F-Pace P340 S and P400 R-Dynamic S variants) and the V8-powered Jaguar F-Pace SVR performance model. We tested a mid-level F-Pace P340 S model.

Since 2018, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio has tugged hearts with its sinewy design and serious performance. With gutsy turbocharged engines, the Stelvio delivers effortless speed, impeccable steering, and an immediacy to its handling that other luxury SUVs can't deliver. Unfortunately, the Stelvio suffers from poor resale value, which directly correlates to Alfa Romeo’s reputation for poor reliability. For 2024, the Stelvio receives a mild refresh and a new Competizione trim level. We tried one in Michigan to discover the subtle changes.

Verdict: With any Alfa, trying one is usually better than buying one. Service issues aside, the Stelvio is the only SUV that always feels connected to the driver, undoubtedly thanks to a lack of extemporaneous software blocking that sensation.