Used Jaguar F-Type Convertible 2013-present review

Expectations were high when the Jaguar F-Type Convertible arrived in 2013. This sports car is, after all, the spiritual successor to the legendary E-Type.

Perhaps most important of all, then, is that it's a brilliantly proportioned piece of design. That's true of the convertible bodystyle we're concentrating on here and the Jaguar F-Type Coupé that followed a year later.

The F-Type is appealing on the inside, too, and aside from the slightly fiddly infotainment system, it barely puts a foot wrong. You get plenty of room for two tall adults, logically laid out controls, an excellent driving position and theatrical touches such as air vents that rise from the dash on electric motors.

On the downside, the boot is tiny, with barely enough room for a couple of overnight bags (especially if you choose a model with the optional spare wheel), and there's a lack of in-car storage too. This is not a car for grand touring.

As a sports car, though, the F-Type is considerably more convincing. With the roof up, it’s fairly quiet, while lowering it takes only 12 seconds and can be done at speeds of up to 30mph. Given how good Jaguar’s engines sound, you'll want it down as often as the weather allows.

From launch, the rear-wheel-drive F-Type's engine range kicked off with a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 producing either 335bhp or 375bhp. The latter is known as the S variant and comes with a limited-slip differential, adaptive suspension and a louder exhaust. The two models are capable of getting from 0-62mph in 5.1sec and 4.8sec respectively.

Alternatively, you can buy an F-Type with Jaguar’s supercharged 5.0-litre V8, which has a thumping 488bhp and can get from 0-62mph in just 4.3sec. That, mind you, is only if you can keep it pointing in a straight line, because in V8 guise the F-Type can be a real handful to drive.

On the plus side, the steering is accurate and reasonably communicative, and the eight-speed automatic gearbox is swift to respond. Not only that, but the F-Type also rides reasonably well for a sports car. It's not as sharp in terms of handling as a Porsche 718 Boxster or Porsche 911 but it's still great fun to drive.

Jaguar has added to the F-Type range as time has gone on, with four-wheel drive becoming standard for V8 models for 2015 (and optional on the V6 S) and a six-speed manual gearbox also being introduced. There’s even a more powerful four-wheel-drive F-Type SVR with 567bhp and a 0-62mph time of 3.5sec and, from 2017, an entry-level 2.0-litre petrol engine for those who prefer low running costs over outright performance.

Keeping things up-to-date, a refresh in 2017 was followed by another in 2020 to reinvigorate its styling, add some new tech inside and tweak the engine lineup. To that end, the 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine became the P300, and the P450 was the supercharged 5.0-litre V8 with 444bhp. The P575 – exclusive to the F-Type R – is a version of the same V8 engine, but with even more power.

If you're interested in finding a used Jaguar F-Type or any of the other sports cars mentioned here, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages.

A budget of around £28,000 to £30,000 will get you into an early F-Type Convertible.

As you’d expect, you get more car for your money if you opt for the lower-powered V6 rather than the V6 S, although the premium to upgrade is a reasonable £2000-£3000. The V8, meanwhile, starts from just under £35,000.

If you’d prefer an F-Type with four-wheel drive, you’ll be looking at spending at least £36,000 for a car built from 2015 onwards.

The SVR model is £70,000 and upwards. It's worth noting that convertible SVRs are rarer than their coupé counterparts on the used market.

For a 2021 or 2022 example, expect to spend upwards of £44,000.

Find a used Jaguar F-Type Convertible in the What Car? Classifieds here

MPG

In terms of fuel economy, you might just see 30mpg from the V6 versions if you’re gentle, but that’s still a good deal better than the V8, which struggles to do much more than 20mpg.

Road tax

When looking at an F-Type, it’s worth considering whether it was registered before or after 1 April 2017. That’s when rates of road tax changed, and it can make a difference to how much you’ll pay. Cars registered before that date will attract costs depending on its respective CO2 output, while cars registered after that date will attract a flat-rate fee of £165 per year (the same as all petrol cars). You'll also have to pay an additional fee of £355 per year for years two to five in luxury car tax.

Insurance and servicing

Services cost between £380 and £550 if no other work needs doing, although a lot of F-Types will still have the remainder of Jaguar’s optional five-year service plan left to run. Insurance groups are high.

When you buy a new F-Type Convertible, there’s a sizeable enough difference between the price of the standard V6 and the more powerful V6 S to make the former a better buy. That gap closes enough on the used car market to reverse the situation and make the V6 S the one to go for. Not only is it more powerful, but it also comes with desirable extras such as adaptive dampers, a switchable sports exhaust and leather seats.

We’d stick with rear-wheel drive and the entry-level trim rather than the more expensive R-Dynamic or Sport. It is, however, worth looking for a model with front parking sensors because it's difficult to judge where the F-Type’s long bonnet ends.

The manual gearbox is a little stiff to operate, so we’d strongly advise opting for the automatic for the best driving experience.

Our favourite Jaguar F-Type Convertible 3.0 V6 S 380 auto

As a new purchase, the Jaguar F-Type Convertible falls between the Porsche 718 Boxster and the Porsche 911 Convertible in terms of price. That's also the case with used examples of the same age.

However, due to the way the F-Type depreciates compared with its German rivals, used models are significantly closer to Boxster money than 911 money. That makes the F-Type seem like better value, even if it’s not ultimately as good to drive.

If you’re looking at an SVR model, you’d be crazy not to also consider the Audi R8 Spyder, which is a slightly more rounded car and just as exciting to drive.

Find a used Jaguar F-Type Convertible in the What Car? Classifieds here

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