For years, British automobiles held a certain allure, coupled with a notorious reputation for unreliability, often stemming from electrical quirks. As a car enthusiast with a hint of trepidation, the opportunity to test drive the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace presented itself – would it live up to the electric hype, and banish those lingering reliability concerns? This Jaguar I Pace Review dives into the details.
While modern British vehicles have largely shed their unreliable image, the concept of an all-electric Jaguar still felt like uncharted territory. Fortunately, my experience with recent Jaguar Land Rover models has been trouble-free, easing any initial worries. However, echoes of classic automotive cartoons depicting Lucas electrics with their infamous “off, flicker, dim” settings still lingered in the back of my mind.
Upon arriving in San Francisco, I collected a brand-new I-Pace from an airport parking facility. After adjusting the seat and mirrors, I set course for the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and beyond. My destination was Petaluma, home of the TWiT studios, where I was scheduled to film a video jaguar i pace review with Leo Laporte for The New Screen Savers.
It’s worth noting that while Jaguar had commenced I-Pace deliveries to US customers in October 2018, the press vehicle I tested was a pre-production model, running an older software version awaiting updates. While the Jaguar InTouch infotainment system generally functioned well, certain interface aspects felt somewhat unpolished. Android Auto was unavailable on this particular unit, and the on-screen keyboard for navigation input proved frustratingly sluggish. Despite these minor software hiccups, the navigation system itself performed admirably, successfully locating charging stations and even alerting me to upcoming red-light and speed cameras upon my return to San Francisco.
Within the vehicle settings menu, Jaguar provides drivers with customizable options for regenerative braking and creep modes. For those new to the realm of electric vehicles, the default settings offer a light regenerative braking feel, mimicking the engine braking experienced in traditional automatic transmission cars, along with a subtle forward creep when releasing the brake pedal from a standstill.
Navigating through typical Bay Area traffic, I immediately switched to my preferred EV settings: maximum regenerative braking and zero creep. This configuration effectively enables one-pedal driving in most everyday scenarios, only requiring the brake pedal for abrupt stops. As is common with new EVs, the initial moments of one-pedal driving can feel slightly abrupt as you adapt to the accelerator pedal’s sensitivity in relation to regenerative deceleration. However, I quickly became accustomed to modulating the pedal, achieving a smooth and effortless drive through San Francisco’s bustling streets.
Crossing the Golden Gate and heading north towards Petaluma, I veered west, embarking on a scenic drive through the countryside towards the picturesque Tomales Bay coastline. This is where the I-Pace truly demonstrated its dynamic prowess. Having previously driven the Tesla Model S, I was consistently impressed by its potent straight-line acceleration, courtesy of its dual electric motors. However, its overall driving dynamics left me somewhat wanting.
For my personal driving preferences, favoring winding rural roads over quarter-mile drag strips, a 0-60 mph time under 6-7 seconds is more than sufficient. This level of acceleration is ample for highway merging and most two-lane overtaking maneuvers. Anything quicker often feels like overkill, more about bragging rights than practical driving enjoyment. That being said, the Jaguar’s twin electric motors deliver a combined 394 horsepower and a substantial 512 lb-ft of torque, propelling it to 60 mph in approximately 4.5 seconds – performance figures comparable to the standard Tesla Model S 75D.
While the Model S can often feel somewhat heavy and cumbersome in corners, the Jaguar I-Pace exhibits remarkable agility and responsiveness. Despite its curb weight approaching 4,800 pounds, the I-Pace feels considerably lighter and more nimble on its tires. Speaking of tires, the I-Pace boasts substantial rubber. The base S trim is equipped with 18-inch wheels and 235/65R18 tires, while the SE and HSE trims upgrade to 20-inch wheels with 245/50R20 tires. My test vehicle featured the optional 22-inch alloy wheels, shod with 255/40R22 Pirelli P-Zero tires.
These striking 22-inch wheels, adorned with carbon fiber accents, undoubtedly enhance the I-Pace’s visual appeal. However, larger wheels paired with low-profile tires typically compromise ride quality, handling, and efficiency. While the Pirelli P-Zeros offer excellent grip, they undoubtedly contribute to increased rolling resistance. The roads I encountered en route to the coast were often less than perfectly smooth, yet despite the slim tire sidewalls and road imperfections, the Jaguar’s standard air suspension delivered a ride that was reasonably comfortable, though not quite luxuriously plush.
As with other modern electric vehicles, the I-Pace benefits from a low center of gravity, thanks to the substantial battery pack positioned beneath the floor. This configuration effectively minimizes body roll during cornering. With the selectable drive mode set to “Dynamic,” the steering feedback and weighting through the suede-wrapped steering wheel felt perfectly calibrated as I navigated the winding curves and rolling hills. While I generally prefer the lower profile of a traditional car over anything remotely resembling a crossover, this I-Pace seems to strike an exceptional balance between the two, arguably the best I’ve experienced to date.
In terms of market positioning, the I-Pace occupies a unique space, lacking a direct competitor at present. The Tesla Model X is significantly larger, exceeding the Jaguar in length by 14 inches and height by over five inches, and it’s also five inches wider. The upcoming Tesla Model Y is anticipated to be closer in size to the British EV. Even the BMW X6 stretches nine inches longer than the Jaguar and matches the Tesla’s height.
Examining this latest creation from Ian Callum and his design team, it’s evident that his statements about the car’s innovative design hold true. While incorporating familiar Jaguar design elements like the grille, front and rear lighting, and a side glass profile reminiscent of the XF, they’ve truly leveraged the EV architecture to create something genuinely new. Unlike forthcoming premium EVs from German manufacturers and even Tesla, the I-Pace forgoes the elongated hood traditionally required to house an internal combustion engine. The wheels are pushed to the extreme corners, granting the Jaguar a wheelbase one inch longer than the Model X, despite its considerably shorter overall body length.
The hip point, or seating height, is noticeably elevated compared to a Jaguar sedan, but not excessively so. Overall, the I-Pace is instantly recognizable as a Jaguar through its curves and detailing, yet it simultaneously embodies something entirely distinct. While classifying it as a crossover may aid in marketing it to contemporary consumers, it truly feels more like a slightly elevated, sporty hatchback – a categorization I find highly appealing. If I were in the market for one, however, I might forgo the $4,400 carbon fiber appearance package, which, while visually appealing, offers no functional benefit.
Another area where the Jaguar diverges significantly from Tesla is the cabin experience. Tesla EVs, while never truly “affordable” (excluding the still-elusive $35,000 Model 3), and with Model S and X transaction prices averaging over $100,000, have often been criticized for lacking a genuinely luxurious interior ambiance. Aside from the prominent central touchscreen, their interiors can feel somewhat budget-oriented compared to rivals from Mercedes-Benz or BMW.
The I-Pace cabin unequivocally embodies modern Jaguar luxury. My test vehicle featured optional premium textile coverings on the sport seats, although leather upholstery is available as a no-cost alternative. The seats themselves offer a wide range of adjustments and proved to be both comfortable and supportive during several hours behind the wheel. A panoramic glass roof comes standard on all I-Pace trim levels. Unlike the Model X, the I-Pace retains a conventional windshield header, rather than extending the windshield rearward behind the front seats. This design choice allows for traditional and functional sun visors, integrated garage door remote buttons, and even a dedicated sunglasses storage compartment. One minor drawback of the I-Pace’s high rear deck profile is a somewhat restricted vertical field of view directly to the rear. A camera-based rear-view mirror system would be a beneficial addition to enhance rear visibility.
I reiterate my long-held opinion that Tesla’s reliance on an all-touchscreen interface is far from ideal. This sentiment extends to most touchscreen-centric systems in automobiles. They demand excessive cognitive load to operate while driving. The Jaguar, in contrast, incorporates the familiar 10-inch upper touchscreen found in many current Jaguar Land Rover models, complemented by a lower 5.5-inch display dedicated to climate controls. Crucially, it retains a physical rotary volume knob – a welcome and essential feature in any proper car – along with two rotary knobs for temperature adjustment. Similar to the Range Rover Velar, these temperature knobs feature integrated small color displays indicating the temperature setting. Apart from the previously mentioned virtual keyboard sluggishness, the remainder of the infotainment interface performs adequately. The most frequently used functions are readily accessible and the system generally operates smoothly enough.
The I-Pace also offers an optional multi-color heads-up display (HUD) that remains clearly visible, albeit slightly dimmed, even when wearing polarized sunglasses. The HUD projects essential information such as speed, turn signals, and navigation prompts, along with alerts from driver-assistance systems like blind-spot monitoring and lane-keeping assist.
A recurring concern voiced by reviewers of the I-Pace, and one I must echo, is its range. It boasts an EPA-rated range of 234 miles, which under normal circumstances, I would deem perfectly acceptable for the vast majority of drivers. The Chevrolet Bolt achieves 238 miles, and the Hyundai Kona EV extends to 258 miles, ranges I find quite satisfactory. However, these significantly more affordable vehicles utilize 60 kWh and 64 kWh batteries respectively, both employing cells supplied by LG Chem – the same supplier as Jaguar. Yet, the I-Pace packs a substantial 90 kWh battery pack. The previous 90 kWh Tesla Model S, for comparison, could achieve 294 miles of range.
Is Jaguar adopting a conservative approach to battery utilization, maintaining a significant reserve capacity? Or are the motors or power electronics inherently less efficient? At this stage, I lack definitive answers and further investigation is warranted. During my time with the I-Pace, I didn’t fully deplete the battery, but based on my usage patterns, I estimate a real-world range of slightly under 200 miles. This figure is partly attributable to spirited driving on those back roads and partly to the energy demands of those wide Pirelli tires. I utilized both an EVGo and a ChargePoint DC fast charger in Petaluma, and both successfully charged the I-Pace at their respective 50 kW maximum output levels. At newer charging stations, such as those being deployed by Electrify America, capable of up to 350 kW charging, the I-Pace can draw electrons at up to 100 kW, replenishing 80% battery capacity in approximately 40 minutes – slightly slower than the 120 kW peak charging rate offered by Tesla Superchargers (at least when the station isn’t experiencing peak demand).
The 2019 Jaguar I-Pace starts at $69,500 before factoring in the federal tax credit. As Jaguar’s inaugural EV, this incentive should remain available for the foreseeable future (or until legislative changes eliminate it). My HSE test vehicle, generously equipped with options including the carbon fiber package and 22-inch wheels, reached a total price just shy of $94,000, including delivery charges. Considering that the core mechanical components remain consistent even in the base model, judicious selection from the options list can result in a more attainable final price. Regardless of one’s opinions on Tesla and its often-unpredictable CEO, we can acknowledge their role in inspiring established brands like Jaguar to develop compelling, luxurious electric vehicles such as the I-Pace.
