Named the E-Pace, you would be forgiven for thinking that this Jaguar SUV is powered by electricity, it is however powered by fossil fuel and starts from £29,080.
The E-Pace places its emphasis firmly on the modern luxury. Whatever your style, a wide range of colour choices and premium materials let you create a car but that’s every bit as individual as you are.
With three trim levels on offer from Jaguar, choosing your vehicle could not be more simple and with a plethora of spec and tech on board as standard, the E-Pace is sure to provide everything you need for modern day motoring.
Starting simply with ‘E-Pace’, you get automatic LED headlights, twin exhaust tailpipes, heated door mirrors, automatic windscreen wipers, boot spoiler, heated windscreen and heated washer jets. 17-inch 10 spoke alloy wheels come as standard.
Inside features heated front seats and a leather steering wheel, dual climate control, centre console with armrest and analogue dials with central TFT display. A 10-inch infotainment hub dominates the dash and offers Bluetooth connectivity, voice control, dynamic volume control and DAB radio.
Driver assistance is aplenty with hill launch assist, JaguarDrive control, dynamic stability control, cruise control, driver condition monitor, lane keep assist along with front and rear parking aids with rear camera.
An ‘R-Dynamic’ model starts from £30,470 and adds satin chrome body details as well as body coloured door cladding and front fog lights with R-Dynamic badges both inside and outside of the vehicle and on automatic models gearshift paddles.
Finally and from £40,050, the ‘E-Pace Chequered Flag’ adds signature daytime running lights, electric open close tailgate, fixed panoramic roof, keyless entry and black exterior pack along with Chequered Flag badges. 19-inch 5 spoke satin dark grey alloy wheels feature on this model whilst inside is treated to an interactive driver display, connect pro pack and smartphone pack.
10-way electric front seats and pro services with Wi-Fi hotspot finish off the interior. Driver assistance includes all surface progress control, torque vectoring by braking and low traction launch along with traffic sign recognition and adaptive speed limiter.
When it comes to choosing your engine there is quite a bit more choice, depending on trim level, you can opt for a 2 litre 4-cylinder 150PS turbocharged diesel mated to a manual gearbox and front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive, with an automatic all-wheel-drive being an option.
Next up is the same diesel, this time with 180PS and with all-wheel-drive only, can be chosen with either an automatic or manual gearbox. Finally, a 240PS diesel engine is available for those who like a bit of power but wish to retain a frugal set up, this engine is paired to an all-wheel-drive automatic drive-train.
A nice selection of well-powered turbocharged petrol engines are available, all of which are 2 litre 4-cylinder and mated to an all-wheel-drive automatic drive-train and start with 200PS with an attractive looking 250PS version being available, whilst the range topping engine offers 300PS.
The model tested pictured thanks to Donnelly Group is an R-Dynamic ‘S’ which means it’s features and accessory pack on top of the basic dynamic spec allowing 18-inch alloy wheels and some minor styling changes.
Finished in Caesium Blue, this E-Pace most certainly looks the part and I feel that its rich vibrant colour is perhaps the only one to choose when ordering. A black pack of lifeshine warranty sit nicely alongside rear privacy glass and a fixed panoramic roof option.
Inside this model tested is a choice you will either love or hate. For me, it’s a choice I adore, that choice being the Windsor Leather Eclipse upholstery which is wrapped around multi-way heated electric memory front seats and heated rear seating.
The E-Pace is a great alternative to the likes of the more expensive Range Rover Evoque or the Mercedes-Benz GLA which is a little more affordable, on paper at least.
Priced with all its options in the region of £44,000, the model tested provided comfort and a great all-round driving experience, for something more spacious you can always up for the larger Jaguar F-Pace and for a better driving experience, there is always the Jaguar I-Pace, the latter of which I will write about in the coming days.
Fact File for model tested:
Make : Jaguar
Model : E-Pace
Trim : R-Dynamic S
Engine : 2.0 turbocharged diesel
Gearbox : 8-speed automatic
Cost Circa : £44,000
Words & Photos: GRAHAM BAALHAM-CURRY
[images must not be used in any way without prior written consent of the photographer]
