Jag v Porsche. Game on.

It’s pretty much that simple. The F-Pace is a premium SUV that’s going to sell mainly with JLR’s 2.0d Ingenium engine beneath its bonnet. But here we have it with the supercharged 3.0-litre V6 from the F-Type, which distributes 375bhp among all four wheels.

So that’s a good powertrain, and the vehicle’s underpinnings bear a strong resemblance to those of the XE. And that’s good, too.

This all adds up to a serious rival for the Porsche Macan. Which you’d assume is just what Jag wanted it to be.

How serious? Well, to do what most buyers will and put the utility before the sport, let’s start in the cabin. It’s a little bigger than the Macan’s, and the space is used well to provide ample seating for five six-footers and a good big load bay for their bags (all 650 litres’ worth of them).

It’s not the best in terms of perceived quality, however, despite the presence of an excellent multimedia suite. You’re up against some class acts at this money, and there are better finished interiors out there. Not that Jag’s is by any means bad, but it doesn’t reach the same standard as the established opposition and on a brand new model that’s a stumble.

No sign of it putting a foot wrong on the road, though. A structure that’s 80% aluminium combines great rigidity with light weight, and the result is a beautifully fluent set of manners as you guide it through corners. It’s always comfortable, it handles its own weight with composure and as well as steering with verve, it pulls with vigour.

Praise be to the supercharged engine for that. It’s a lively as it is refined, and thanks to a perfectly chosen set of ratios in the 8-speed auto box it pulls without let up. The AWD system is tuned to keep most of the effort going to the back wheels for as long as you remain on tarmac, too, so it has the eager feel of a sports car as you put the power down.

To return to the utility side of things for a moment, in this form the F-Pace can pull a 2.4-tonne trailer. About right for a load of turnips or a mini digger, then.

Neither the F-Pace nor the Macan are likely to be seen hauling such a load. They’re here to be seen looking sleek and svelte, and to be enjoyed with a healthy dose of right foot and a sinuous A-road in their sights.

Which will triumph in that setting? Whichever, it will come down to fine margins. And what a duel it promises to be.

Jag v Porsche. Game on.

Jaguar F-Pace 3.0 Supercharged AWD

On sale: Now

Price: £51,450

Engine: V6, 2995cc, supercharged petrol

Power: 375bhp at 6500rpm

Torque: 320lb ft at 4500rpm

Gearbox: 8-spd automatic

Kerb weight: 1861kg

Top speed: 155mph (limited)

0-60mph: 5.1sec

Economy: 31.7mpg (combined)

CO2/tax band: 209g/km, 36%