Jaguar E-Pace Review

Performance4/5

All the five E-Pace engines on offer are two litre models. Both the petrol versions are fitted with an automatic gearbox and four wheel drive as standard; and both are pretty quick to get going. The least powerful of the two, the P250, has 250 bhp and can get from 0–60 mph in 6.6 seconds; whilst it's more powerful partner, the P300, boasts 296 bhp and can do the same sprint in 5.9 seconds. The three diesels, the D150, D180 and D240 will, respectively, take you from 0-60 mph in a claimed 9.9 seconds, 8.7 seconds or 7.0 seconds. The E-Pace is a big, heavy car to move around and, really, the best engine for doing this with real ease is the top of the range P300 petrol version.

Handling4/5

The E-Pace is a bit of a mixed bag in terms of its handling.  When on 20 inch alloys, the ride may be a bit firm for some, but on the smaller wheels which come as standard across much of the range, things are a lot more smooth. On twisty roads, the car turns into bends with ease, maintaining its balance and good grip at all times; and on those roads its steering, which can seem a little heavy while driving around town, feels reassuringly weighty. It's not the most agile of cars but it is one of the more enjoyable small SUVs around to drive. There is little intrusive engine noise, although there is some wind noise around the wing mirrors and a small amount of road noise - but none of this is much of an assault on the ears.

Exterior4/5

The standard size, 17 inch, wheel looks a bit lost within the E-Pace wheel arches where the 21 inch versions look more at home.  This is a striking looking car; it's styling, in particular the roofline and side swage, reflects the look of the F-Type sports car rather than the F-Pace as you might expect. The large grille at the front lies between chamfered corners and long horizontal headlights. At the back, there are large sleek LED lights with a chicane graphic.

Interior4/5

Perched up comfortably high in the electrically (and easily) adjusted front seat, the E-Pace driver will have a clear view of the road ahead and out of the side windows. It's not so good at the back, but the standard reversing camera and front and rear sensors go some way towards getting around this issue. The use of black plastic inside the cabin doesn't do a lot to create a classy looking interior, but neither would it be described as cheap looking – far from it, in fact. Others do it better though – the X1 and Volvo XC40 for instance. All versions of the car come with a 10 inch touchscreen infotainment system, called Touch Pro. It looks good, but the system is slow; and disappointingly it lacks Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The dashboard is laid out in a user-friendly way, and simple to use rotary dials are fitted to control many of the systems. Like the exterior, the interior of the E-Pace has been inspired by the F-Type; this is illustrated by the inclusion of such features as the grab rail and sloping dash,  in both models.

Equipment4.5/5

There are a couple of decisions to be made when choosing your E-Pace. The first question is whether you want to go for the standard E-Pace or the R-Dynamic with its sporty style, front fog lights, twin tailpipes and satin chrome side vents.  Once that choice has been made, you then have three equipment packs to select from – namely the S, SE or HSE. All three of these versions include dual zone climate control, cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, and LED headlight. The S trim pack adds leather seats and a more upmarket infotainment system. If you go for the SE or HSE packs, you will get bigger wheels, a wi-fi hotspot, multi way adjustment on the front seats, upgraded upholstery and gesture control for the boot lid. Safety features increase as you go up through the trim levels, The exclusively red-painted First Edition will be available in D180 and P250 form just for the first year that the E-Pace is on sale.

Safety5/5

In late 2017, the E-Pace was awarded five stars in its NCAP rating; and buyers can be confident in the fact that it is one of the safest cars in its class. It is packed with safety features, as one would expect from a family car from this manufacturer – with high tech systems such as emergency braking, lane keep assist, front and rear parking sensors, rear view camera, driver condition monitor and power operated child locks included. An additional Drive Pack is available for the lower trim levels and comes as standard further up the range – this consists of blind spot assist, adaptive cruise control with queue assist and high-speed emergency braking. Reliability is still a bit of an unknown quantity at this early stage of the E-Pace's life – Jaguar do not come out top in reliability surveys, although Jaguar owners do tend to love their cars and come back for more.

Buying & Owning4/5

The E-Pace will set you back more than many of its rivals, such as the BMW X1 or the VolvoXC40 – but on the plus side, it is likely to hold its value more. Neither is it the most economical amongst its peers, offering only average performance figures. The most frugal version is the D150, the entry level front-wheel drive diesel engine; it claims 60.1 mpg and 124g/km CO2 emissions on 17 inch wheels. The two petrol engines, on the other hand, can only manage 36.7 mpg with 174 g/km; and the P300 returns just 35.3 mpg and 181g/km. Road tax will be £140.00, although the more expensive models may cost you a £310.00 surcharge – so if this is to be avoided, you will need to keep the purchase cost, including spending on optional extras, below the £40,000 threshold.

Reviewed by cars2buy