Our Verdict
What's New
- The Jaguar I-PACE is a brand new vehicle from Jaguar. It’s an all-electric, high performance SUV that should be able to transport people in style without burning a drop of gasoline. The I-PACE has exceptionally good looks, comfortable seating for five people and all-wheel drive. Unlike virtually every electric vehicle other than a Tesla, the I-PACE features a usable range. For the most part, this means that in excess of 200 miles, owners should be able to use it for a long commute with room for the occasional impromptu errand after work.
Pros & Cons
- Sharp styling
- Fast and sharp handling
- Pushes the boundaries for a traditional brand
- Slower than competition
- Less range than Tesla Model S
- High price
REVIEW
2019 Jaguar I-Pace: Stylish But Range-Limited
After more than a decade, Tesla is still the torchbearer in the electric vehicle movement. The Paolo Alto, California-based automaker continues to set the bar when it comes to EV range and performance and offers the coolest set of driver-assist technologies on the road today. As it pivots, so does the rest of the automotive industry. And finally, it has competition in the luxury segment.
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The Jaguar I-Pace was created to steal market share from the upstart American car company and its polarizing CEO, Elon Musk. It is a decent effort in that regard. But after testing one during a New England winter, it’s ultimately no better than EVs that cost half the price in terms of range and recharge time.
The I-Pace is beautiful, though. You’ll notice details and glam baked into every curve. It is part sedan and part crossover, with a raised ride height (adjustable via the standard air suspension), a sleek greenhouse and a tall hatch. As such, it’s practical for four people with 25 cubic feet of cargo behind the rear seats. But the I-Pace is also about theater. The door handles are flush and retract when unlocking the car. An air duct on the hood mimics the Formula 1-inspired aerodynamics you’ll find on a Ferrari. And the interior is pure concept car, with a massive glass roof and screens upon screens (including in the climate control knobs). Color combinations are rad, too.
Our example was white over 20-inch black rims with a red, black and cream interior. Quality and luxury appointments elevate the Jaguar over any Tesla. It’s posh inside. From the moment you see the I-Pace to the first stint behind the wheel, it feels like you’ve zapped into the future and everyone else is falling back.
Acceleration is strong. Two electric motors, one on each axle for all-wheel drive, combine for 394 horsepower and 512 foot-pounds of torque. Not only is this speed addictive and super easy to attain, but the I-Pace also manages to feel light and nimble despite weighing close to two-and-a-half tons. The steering feel is precise, and the utility vehicle begs you to attack corners, regardless of if the road is wet and cold like it was when I drove. There is no downside to electric performance when engineers tune a car this well.
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But there are too many practical downsides that ultimately drag this Jaguar into the dirt. First, the vehicle consumes more energy per mile than most EVs. It uses a resistive heating system with filaments like you’ll find on a home’s electric baseboard heating to keep passengers warm. It zaps more power from the battery when it’s cold, instead of using a more efficient heat pump like Hyundai and Kia use on EVs that cost half as much as a well equipped I-Pace.
Second, the advertised range—an EPA-estimated 234 miles—doesn’t hold up in real-world scenarios.
And finally, charging time is horrendous. Fast-charge stations for every EV that’s not a Tesla can be slow, finicky to operate and often located in inconvenient locations. There are very few non-Tesla chargers that run at this Jaguar’s maximum 100-kW input. So, you’ll be waiting hours—and hours more—if you try making a 300-mile round trip as I did.
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Starting with the car on a full charge and the heat on, we could only do 160 miles on the best day. A Kia Niro EV that costs $40,000 delivered this range in similar conditions. That kind of trip shouldn’t defeat a luxury car—or any car, for that matter. But the I-Pace isn’t ready for anything but short distances. It can’t be your only car, which is a shame because it’s so fun to drive.
When it rains, it pours. The electronics are also unreliable. The infotainment looks great until the screen quits, or the backup camera freezes, or the climate control knobs revert to Celsius or any number of glitches that occurred randomly time during my evaluation. How about the navigation directing me to Tesla Supercharger stations that the car can’t use?
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Considering the speed at which it takes a Tesla to fast-charge, the warp-speed acceleration of a Tesla, and Tesla’s range of more than 300 miles. There really is no comparison. The I-Pace is a solid effort. But in all fairness, Jaguar needs to bring more to the table if it’s going to feel like a finished product.
Warranty
5 Years/60,000 Miles
5 Years/60,000 Miles
6 Years/Unlimited Miles
5 Years/60,000 Miles
5 Years/60,000 Miles
Specs & Safety
Jaguar I-PACE Specification
Jaguar I-PACE Safety
NHTSA: Not Rated