Remember the days when a Jaguar was either a gloriously fast roadster or an iconoclastic luxury saloon beloved of rather raffish company directors? Get real, sunshine: this is the 21st century and every landlord’s favourite car brand is now more likely to be an SUV or, even more on-trend, an all-electric SUV.
Enter the Jaguar I-Pace, a stunning-looking zero-emissions car that has taken its class by storm since 2018. In fact, Jaguar was the first established luxury car brand to design its own electric vehicle from scratch. It then charged into a marketplace seemingly dominated at that stage by Tesla and it has come out the other side triumphant: the I-Pace has won fans for its styling, SUV practicality and long-range capability.
Under its floor is a huge battery pack that drives all four wheels via two electric motors – one at the front and one at the back. That 90kWh battery gives the car exceptional performance and an official range of 292 miles, superior to most of its closest competitors.
Click here to buy your next used I-Pace from Autocar
As for trims, even the entry-level S spec features lots of luxuries, including keyless entry, dual-zone climate control and ambient interior lighting. Upgrading to SE gets you bigger wheels, adaptive cruise control and additional safety kit. Range-topping HSE cars also have heated rear seats and matrix LED headlights.
On the road, the I-Pace can, despite its svelte looks, feel a little heavy, which is no surprise because, at nearly 2.2 tonnes, it is actually a little heavy. However, it handles well and goes like an express train when you put your foot down. It is quiet, too, and even rides well, although sharp irregularities can catch out an I-Pace riding on the bigger, 20in wheels.
Inside, it’s even more impressive. The driving position is low for an SUV and the seats offer plenty of support. All I-Paces get a slick 12.3in digital display, which lets the driver decide exactly what information they want to see directly in front of them. They also get a partly touch-sensitive panel, lower on the centre console, which is used to control the secondary systems, including the climate control.
The infotainment touchscreen looks great, too, and the use of plush materials in all the right places lends the Jag an air of real quality. Space is plentiful, with room for two lanky individuals to sit behind two equally tall people. Boot space is reasonable and there’s a much smaller, additional boot at the front of the car, where you might expect to find a conventional engine.
