There’s been a lot of hype around the Jaguar I-Pace, it’s been winning the hearts of car journalists all around the world with some of them even calling it the best car that Jaguar sells today! It had a night to remember at the recent NY Auto Show where it won ‘Car Of The Year’, ‘Green Car Of The Year’ and ‘Design Of The Year’, the first time that one car has won three awards in one year!
So really, how good is the Jaguar I-Pace? Well, let me show you.
First Impressions
Firstly, it is a very good looking car. It tempts every passerby to glimpse at it and after we wrapped up filming, it only took a couple of minutes before we were approached by another EV owner inquiring about it. It is very pretty and certainly demands a presence on the road but you don’t look like a tool because unlike it’s counterparts from Tesla, this doesn’t look like a spaceship and it doesn’t have obnoxious falcon wing doors. It’s a car!
Racy on the Outside
Jaguar is a company with a rich racing heritage and a history of making properly fun cars so how would they approach the concept of designing an EV? Extremely well, I can say. The I-Pace cuts a slick figure on the road. It’s massive 20 inch wheels have carbon fibre woven into them. Now I know what you’ll be thinking, surely that sloping roofline must be eating into rear room and that’s what I was puzzled about as well. However against all odds, there’s lots of headroom for a person who’s six feet tall, plenty of legroom and getting in and out is easy too. There’s Jaguar badges everywhere because they know your eyes will be drawn to this car so they might as well stick as many roaring Jag badges as they can, it’s a rolling billboard for the company.
Stereotypical Jag on the Inside
The interior is just excellent. It’s rather similar to those of the Range Rovers but with a few subtle Jag touches here and there. There’s two touchscreens, the big one in the center literally controls everything from the ride height to the maps etc. However, between the two knobs there is another touchscreen which can be used to operate your phone and the climate control. The knobs are also digital so you can click it to change functions. Obviously there’s no gear lever because this is an EV and there’s also an electronic parking brake like most modern cars so you’ve got plenty of storage space in the middle, there’s even a special slot for your phone! It is 2019 after all. The Meridian sound system is superb, everything is soft to touch, the metallic switches are beautifully finished and the textures are gorgeous.
The Verdict
Having driven this around a track and on the road, I can clearly say the I-Pace drives the way a Jaguar should, it’s got the Jag factor. Sure it may roll a bit on the track but I’m just being pedantic, Jag have placed the batteries underneath the floor so the centre of mass is as low as it can be. Overall, it’s an excellent machine. Sublime to drive, luxurious and very pretty. You couldn’t ask for more and with 400hp on tap, you certainly won’t get bored of it anytime soon. An excellent car and a brilliant move for Jag, more of this please 🙂
The Jaguar I-Pace gets a 10/10 from me. It’s a faultless car and to the surprise of many, it doesn’t drive like an SUV at all!
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Words and pictures by Matthew D’souza
