The Jaguar I‑PACE doesn’t have an engine, what it does have is a 90kWh lithium-ion battery (with around 85kWh of usable energy). This drives two electric motors and is currently the only size battery available. The I‑PACE feels exceedingly quick, with 396bhp and 696 Nm of torque available, from a standstill it can get to 100 km/h in just 4.8 seconds.
| BHP 120 | Electric / Auto |
| 0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds | Road Tax €200 |
Price: €80,380.00 As Spec’d €83,680.00 | Boot space 544 – 1,453 litres |
The I‑PACE is four-wheel-drive with 396bhp and an official range of up to 470 kms (415 kms is more realistic based on our experience). The I‑PACE can be charged at up to 100kW but 50kW chargers are more commonly available and take around 90 minutes to get the battery to 80%.
It really impresses on a twisty road with poise and responsive handling, along with Audi’s e-tron GT, it beats most other widely available EV’s for fun. It gives driving enthusiasts the hope that electric doesn’t mean a mundane A-B. The I‑PACE weighs over two tonnes and impressively for an SUV it feels more like a sports car to drive. The steering quickly weights up in corners, giving you plenty of feedback and therefore enjoyment. The I‑PACE stays flat and poised during quick changes of direction and this in part is due to the suspension which is similar to that of the Jaguar F-Type.
The regenerative braking ability means you don’t need to use the brakes as much, which feels soft when you first press the pedal and then strangely firm up. The point of all this is to harvest the kinetic energy and place it all back into the battery. It’s intuitive, and once you get used to braking like this, it’s possible to drive the I‑PACE with just one pedal most of the time. Personally, using regenerative braking constantly leaves a slightly sea-sick feeling, if you take your foot off the pedal too quickly. Sometimes it’s possible to learn to very gently adjust the level of braking and luckily it’s not too heavy on the I‑PACE.
The Touch Pro Duo infotainment system is accessed via a 10-inch infotainment touchscreen on the dashboard and a smaller five-inch screen beneath it in the centre console. This new system was first seen in the latest Land Rover Defender. It can occasionally feel tricky when adjusting settings, there are several layers of menus to trawl through and there’s no haptic feedback. The brand’s latest Pivi Pro infotainment allows you to connect two phones over Bluetooth at the same time, and the sat nav shows the nearest charging stations and the costs involved. It also gets a configurable multifunction steering wheel with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Smart Settings use AI to learn your preferences for climate control, seat position, radio stations etc. If you use smart charging you can pre-set when the car begins and ends charging during the cheapest hours.
The top-spec model cabins are swathed in leather, polished wood and aluminium trim. The driving position is excellent, the amount of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel mean you can get the seat quite low if you so choose, with the steering wheel up high and close to your chest for that race-like feel. The cabin is bright and airy, there’s a real sense of space inside, and with an optional panoramic roof, it’s even more so. The interior has a total of three 12V sockets and six USB ports, as well as storage trays under the rear seats. There’s plenty of headroom, and no transmission tunnel means the middle rear seat is more comfortable than it is in conventional cars.
The I‑PACE has from 557 litres up to 1,453 litres of boot space with the rear seats folded down. With the rear seats out of the way, the boot is totally flat, making it easy to slide in long or awkward objects. The ‘frunk’ space under the bonnet has around 27-litres of space which is big enough to store the charging cables.
The I‑PACE looks fantastic with eye-catching design, road presence and the proportions are superb. The squat, muscular stance and short overhangs give it an appealing and athletic look. The flat floor and lack of engine means the Jaguar I‑PACE is surprisingly practical and crammed with handy storage solutions. It’s bigger than it first appears and shares a very similar footprint to an Audi Q5 in terms of size. The I‑PACE has a long wheelbase of 2,990mm, which means they’ve created plenty of space for passengers inside.
Jaguar easily matches the I‑PACE’s beautifully designed exterior with a suave and refined cabin that boasts a gorgeous dashboard and ample passenger space. While the front seats are nicely bolstered, they’re not the most comfortable on prolonged trips, the bumpy design is a little unforgiving. It features all the creature comforts you could want including four-zone climate control, a head-up display, heated front and rear seats, various choices of leather upholstery, and so much more. Its cubby storage is highlighted by a versatile floating console that features a useful bin under the armrest and a tray below it.
The driver-assistance tech includes automatic high-beams, blind-spot monitoring,a 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control and steering assist. You can increase the range on a cold day by drawing energy from the mains while the car is plugged in. The InControl Remote app ensures the most efficiency by remotely heating or cooling the interior before you set off.
While it’s slow to charge when you don’t have a fast charger to hand, the 2022 I‑PACE proves that EVs can be excellent and luxurious fun. The sensation of weight is always present, this is especially true when regenerating energy but the battery pack and AWD capability provides a low centre of gravity that gives the electrified Jag an extra dose of agility and stability.