Jaguar F-Type review - Reliability and safety

Initial teething troubles with the F-Type seemed to relate to the electronics, but a series of software updates has gradually ironed these out, and you shouldn’t have any problems if you decide to take the plunge.

Jaguar has amassed huge experience building aluminium chassis, and both the four-cylinder and V8 engines incorporate elements from the company's other models, so they certainly aren’t unknown quantities.

Not enough owners rated their cars for the F-Type to be included in our Driver Power satisfaction survey. However, Jaguar finished an encouraging sixth out of 29 manufacturers.

Safety is clearly at the top of the Jaguar agenda, and as the F-Type only seats two people, there's room for a pair of fixed rollover hoops in the roadster. It's also said to be the most rigid open-top car Jaguar has ever made.

Two-stage stability control is standard across the range, ensuring that even inexperienced drivers won't be caught out by the powerful rear-wheel-drive F-Types in adverse conditions. The P300 adds an open differential with torque vectoring for even better grip, and the V8 models go one better with an advanced electronically controlled diff. The torque-on-demand four-wheel-drive system on AWD cars works brilliantly to flatter drivers and provide secure access to all that power.

Stopping power isn't a problem, either: the V8 models feature the largest brake discs ever fitted to a production Jaguar. As with luxury items, though, some of the advanced active safety kit on the F-Type is optional: this includes the blind-spot warning system and rear-traffic monitor.

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Warranty

Jaguars come with a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty as standard, but you can pay to extend it for up to five years’ cover. The picture is pretty similar across the board in the premium sector.

Servicing

You can get a three-year service plan, or a five-year, high-mileage scheme at extra cost, which are likely to be more cost-effective than paying separately each time your car requires a service.