The 2017 F-Pace showed up at my place recently; it’s Jaguar’s first-ever SUV.

To drive it was exciting, and the experience reinforced my belief that Jaguar’s planners from the United Kingdom in recent years have focused in on our relatively small state of Colorado.

For years, those imported, rear-drive Jag sedans were slush-sliders when it came to winter time in the Rockies, then three years ago, lo and behold, Jaguar surprised the automotive world by unveiling all-wheel-drive systems for the XJ and XF sedans.

In warmups to that 2013 unveiling in New York, David Pryor, Jag’s director of marketing, called us, seeking assurance that luxury car drivers from Colorado would be made aware of the new player in four-wheel circles. Of course he called, for Colorado leads the nation in demand for all-wheel-drive equipped luxury sedans; New York is second.

“A dealer you know, Jack TerHar, was among those who had pushed us for some time to develop all-wheel drive for our large luxury sedans,” Pryor told me. And since then, Colorado’s three Jaguar dealerships – Sill-TerHar Motors in Broomfield, Stevinson Imports in Littleton, and Red Noland Auto Group in Colorado Springs – have benefited from AWD sedans in their showrooms.

The British focused once again on Colorado this summer, choosing luxurious Aspen for a national unveiling of the new F-Pace and the XE compact sports sedan. The introduction of those two expands Jaguar’s lineup to five models for the first time in its 80-year history.

As I crawled into the driver’s side of the new F-Pace last week, the spaciousness claimed in promotional material from Jaguar didn’t seem to measure up. It was a bit tight. It reminded me that the F-Pace is a luxury compact, not a midsizer or full-sizer. For other qualities, the F-Pace will compete very adequately with such outstanding luxury compacts as the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Porsche Macan.

Within only a few miles from my driveway, I realized what an excellent performer the UK engineers have put together. The F-Pace sounds like a sports car, it drives like a sports car.

The performance comes from a 340-horsepower, 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 engine tied to an 8-speed automatic transmission with dial shifter. In routine driving, engine torque is sent to the rear axle; for greater traction, particularly in inclement weather, torque is routed to all four wheels in its AWD system. “The F-Pace is an all-weather Jaguar sports car, life-proofed for five people and their belongings,” said Ian Callum, director of design for Jaguar. Dynamic, normal and eco modes lend throttle response and shifting characteristics to the likes of the driver.

The F-Pace rides on a relatively long 113-inch wheelbase. Its cargo space of 33.5 cubic feet is among the roomiest in the luxury compact class, and its tailgate can be automatically opened by swinging a foot beneath the rear of the vehicle.

Soft leather seating, heated and cooled in front and heated in the rear, and a large sunroof are interior highlights. The rear seats recline electrically. Confusing on first drive are memory driver seat controls positioned where power window switches normally are placed (the window switches are far forward on the window sill). Open a front door after dark and on the ground below is cast a circle of light with Jaguar emblem.

Overall fuel-mileage average was 22.2; the F-Pace EPA estimate is only 18/23.

The Jaguar F-Pace Prestige model carried a base price of $50,100 and increased to $56,195 with addition of automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitor, the heated and cooled seats and satellite radio.

Among standard equipment are rearview camera, heated steering wheel, stop/start system, navigation and Continental CrossContract Sport 255/55R19 tires.

The F-Pace is built in Soliihull, England.