2019 Jaguar I-PACE Review
zzdcar' Expert Review
byCarlos LagoCarlos Lago has worked in the automotive industry since 2008. Along with an extensive background in performance testing and evaluation, he has produced hundreds of car-related articles and videos.
What's new
The Jaguar I-Pace is a new vehiclePart of the first I-Pace generation introduced for 2019It may sound strange that the first luxury electric vehicle to truly challenge Tesla comes from the British, but that's exactly the job the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace aims to do. With 240 miles of range, a head-turning design and engaging road manners, it should be an intriguing pick for an EV.
Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below
2019 Jaguar I-PACE EV Insights
Trim:I-PACE EV400 SEV400 S 4dr Hatchback AWD (electric DD) - $69,500 MSRPEV400 SE 4dr Hatchback AWD (electric DD) - $75,850 MSRPEV400 HSE 4dr Hatchback AWD (electric DD) (Most Popular) - $80,500 MSRPEV400 First Edition 4dr Hatchback AWD (electric DD) - $85,900 MSRP
Estimated Range Based on Age
212 milesThe range for a used 2019 Jaguar I-PACE is estimated to be 212 miles because electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year, with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.
EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 212 miles.Electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.
Estimated range mapThis map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Rutland, North Dakota. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.Map display generated using: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © Recurrent contributors | Recurrent
from 58067
EV Battery Warranty
8 yrs or 100,000 milesThe federal government requires that EV batteries be warrantied for a minimum of eight years or 100,000 miles. The EV battery warranty includes replacement if your battery capacity drops below a certain percentage of the original capacity.
Estimated battery warranty remaining is 3 years or 30,000 miles for this car.Warranty remaining value is based on the vehicle year, and on driving 14,000 miles per year. Confirm exact warranty coverage for each vehicle with the dealers and the manufacturer before purchasing.
Charging at Home
13 hours
Total Charging Time (240V outlet)
SAE ComboStandard port for most electric models. Supports Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast charging.
Plug Type
EV Tax Credits & Rebates
No rebates available in 58067
Cost to Drive
$94/mo
I-PACE
vs
$164/mo
Car Avg.
Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota
Am I Ready for an EV?
EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work This typically means a 240V home installation, but you could also have a similar setup at your office or other places your car is already parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice unless you've got a plug-in hybrid, in which case overnight charging at home is feasible.
If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station With public charging infrastructure still in its infancy, the user experience can be maddeningly inconsistent. Tesla owners tend to rave about the reliability and speed of the company's proprietary Supercharger stations, but rival DC fast options have thus far been plagued by technical issues and overcrowding. It's an evolving landscape and our best advice is to do your research on the available options for the EV you want to buy.
Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,600 or more If your existing electrical service can handle the additional demands of EV charging, you may be able to add Level 2 charging at home for less than a grand, including installation. But your costs will multiply if you need to upgrade your electrical panel or add a dedicated circuit.
The I-Pace is big enough inside to seat four adults comfortably and it still provides the fun-to-drive nature you'd expect from Jaguar. Its 90-kWh battery pack powers two electric motors: one driving the front wheels, the other the rear. With a combined total of 394 horsepower, the I-Pace can do 0-60 mph in just 4.2 seconds. The immediacy of the power delivery means it feels even quicker during real-world driving.
Though it costs around the same as a base Tesla Model X, the I-Pace is smaller, only comes in a five-seat and single-battery configuration, and lacks access to Tesla's Supercharger network. On the upside, though, the I-Pace has regular rear doors instead of the Model X's gimmicky doors, and it doesn't oversell the promise of full self-driving capability.
Overall, we believe the new 2019 Jaguar I-Pace is worth a close look if you're ready to own and be proud of an electric vehicle.
zzdcar' Expert Rating
8.2 / 10It may sound strange that the first luxury electric vehicle to truly challenge Tesla comes from the British, but that's exactly the job the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace aims to do. With 240 miles of range, a head-turning design and engaging road manners, it should be an intriguing pick for an EV.
Trim tested
Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the Jaguar I-Pace HSE.
Scorecard
Overall | 8.2 / 10 |
Driving | 8.0 |
Comfort | 8.5 |
Interior | 8.0 |
Utility | 8.0 |
Technology | 8.5 |
Driving
8.0The electric Jag is quick if you ask it to be, and it steers and handles with poise and control. But its performance score is let down by an unrefined braking action that feels like an on-off toggle with no finesse. More than anything, the touchy brakes underscore that Jaguar is still a neophyte EV maker.
Acceleration
9.0This electric Jag is deceptive. Around town, it certainly feels responsive and eager, but it also feels composed and timid when you're driving casually. That's why our measured test-track acceleration time of just 4.2 seconds to 60 mph was such an eye-opener. It's quick when you need it to be and restrained when you don't.
Braking
6.5Lift-throttle regenerative braking, the staple of daily EV driving, is not as strong as we'd like and won't stop the car completely. When you do use the brake pedal, you get a springy, toggle-like response that makes it hard to be smooth in stop-and-go traffic, parking lots and other situations where you might dab the brakes. They do work reliably in a panic stop, as our 122-foot test result suggests.
Steering
8.0We found the Jag's steering to be accurate and direct without being darty. Steering effort might be a bit high at parking-lot speeds, but it feels nicely weighted when underway. As a bonus, the steering wheel is sized well and feels good in your hands.
Handling
8.0The I-Pace feels quite willing and able if you push it through corners, but it also feels sedate and composed if you just drive it normally. There's not much body roll, and it copes well when driven through uneven corners.
Drivability
8.0As with most other EVs, the Jag accelerates very smoothly. Lift-throttle regen is easy to modulate, too, but it does not persist to a full stop. That means you have to use the wonky brake pedal, which interrupts the smoothness and torpedos your Uber-driver star rating.
Off-road
7.5This EV can tackle dirt roads as well as any crossover SUV might, which is another way of saying the all-wheel-drive system is best suited to handling inclement weather and unexpected puddles. The optional air suspension does offer a high-riding mode, but let's try to keep things in perspective: It just snowed, the plow hasn't been by, but you can rise above the fray and get where you're going.
Comfort
8.5Comfort is the I-Pace's strong suit but not in a soggy or squishy way. It feels controlled, composed, quiet and supportive. The climate control system offers a lot of flexibility, but the temperature stability software needs more polish. We have lingering suspicions about how that massive all-glass roof will affect cooling in summer, but that's only a guess because our test occurred in January.
Seat comfort
8.5Our HSE had racy-looking seats that didn't look comfortable, but it turned out that they were quite well-shaped and supportive. Our impression didn't change after a longish two-hour drive either. The back seat is also nicely shaped and comfortable. This Jag is a really compelling two-couple car.
Ride comfort
9.0The ride is impressively smooth but without excess buoyancy or float. The air suspension system and 20-inch wheels and tires prove to be nicely calibrated to absorb the small stuff, but they also allow the body to "breathe" over larger humps and swales without losing its composure.
Noise & vibration
9.0The I-Pace is commendably quiet. There's not much road noise, and there's no engine noise, of course. We detected a tiny whiff of wind noise around the mirrors, but it was easy to tune out.
Climate control
7.5The four-zone climate system is easy to use, and the heated and ventilated seats are independently adjustable for the seat bottom, back or both. The cabin gets warm in a hurry, but the temperature regulation for the automatic setting and air conditioning isn't consistent; it can get cooler and warmer than the set temp. Also, we tested this Jag in January, so we can't comment on how the all-glass roof will affect things during the summer in, say, Phoenix.
Interior
8.0This accommodating interior is attractive, comfortable, spacious and low-stress. There are small fiddly deficiencies here and there, but most people will not be bothered by them. Our only real technical complaint involves the lag time in the backup camera image.
Ease of use
8.0The I-Pace is much easier to use than expected. The controls make sense, and they're nicely arrayed. The audio system takes a bit more initial attention than it should, but the logically placed fixed controls help sort it out. The biggest issue with any of the touchscreen controls is response lag time, which is sometimes longer than we'd like.
Getting in/getting out
8.5The big doors and an optimal seat height make for easy access. There's lots of foot clearance on the way in, and the sills aren't too high either. Cars with the air suspension have an extra-low kneeling curb height if you need it. We didn't. The roofline is low, but we hardly noticed.
Driving position
8.0It's easy to find a seat position that offers a good view out, and the instruments are clear and legible. Our test car had a head-up display, which made glancing at the main instruments almost moot. The tilt-and-telescoping steering column offers enough range, but its operation is manual, which is slightly odd at this price level.
Roominess
7.5There's pretty good legroom all around. You could have tall people in all four seats if you wanted. And headroom is nothing short of amazing thanks to the all-glass roof, which is thinner than one made of metal. But rear toe room can be tight if the driver has the seat adjusted all the way down.
Visibility
7.0There is useful visibility to the front and sides. The rear view is a bit pinched by a narrow window, and there's a noticeable blind spot when you look over your shoulder. The Jag has a great 360-degree camera system, but we did notice the backup camera's image lags behind reality. You could touch something while the image still shows a gap. Oops.
Quality
8.0The I-Pace is modern and well-built inside. The controls have a nice heft to them, and the design hides the seams between the various parts quite well. There's a bit more piano black than we like, but that's nitpicking.
Utility
8.0The I-Pace electric SUV delivers a good dose of everyday utility. The back seat is compatible with most any child safety seat, and the cabin has a useful amount of storage for odds and ends. The cargo area is easy to load, but the load deck's narrowness limits the available volume. But the compartment is uncommonly deep, and folding the rear seats opens up a good deal of space.
Small-item storage
8.0The I-Pace's console box is deeper than it first appears, and the cupholders are well-placed. Unusual storage in front of the shifter buttons makes a good place for phones and knickknacks. The door pockets are pretty big. But the hard-backed front seats lack storage pockets for rear passengers. But they get a fold-down cupholder armrest and decent-size door pockets.
Cargo space
7.5The cargo area is nicely trimmed, but it is not humongous. The space is somewhat narrow because the usual open spaces above and around the rear tires are walled off, but the cargo area still amounts to 25.3 cubic feet. The cargo floor behind the rear seats isn't terribly long, but the volume is vertically deep. And the rear seats fold down to reveal a good amount of room. There is a front trunk, but it is tiny.
Child safety seat accommodation
8.5There's plenty of space for seats of all sizes, although the bulkiest rear-facing ones are best placed behind a front passenger who won't want to slide the seat all the way back. Lower anchors and top tethers alike are easy to find and access.
Technology
8.5The Jaguar I-Pace stands apart from other Jaguar products of recent vintage. Its audio and navigation system is modern and easy to use, and the interface lacks much of the lag that plagued its predecessors. The HSE trim comes with an all-encompassing suite of intuitive driver aid systems.
Audio & navigation
9.0Wow - a full-width Apple CarPlay display! And the native navigation maps can be configured to show in the instrument cluster. It's really nice on both counts. The audio system sounds rich. And though the interface requires some steps, you can program a "wild card" button on the steering wheel to step through the modes readily.
Smartphone integration
8.5There are two data USBs up front, with four more power-only ports sprinkled throughout the cabin. The data ports support a standard USB smartphone connection and more advanced control via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Bluetooth streaming audio works well too. It's faster to boot up than other Jaguar products but still exhibits a faint whiff of lag.
Driver aids
8.0Our HSE test car came standard with a comprehensive bundle of driver aids, including low- and high-speed emergency braking, lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, a driver drowsiness monitor, head-up display and other such systems. It all worked quite well, although our test sample — a preproduction prototype — did overreact to an admittedly unusual pavement change at our test track.
Voice control
7.5The built-in controls are adequate and work the way most systems do these days. There's also the ability to push through to Siri or Google to access voice commands on your paired smartphone.
Which I-PACE does zzdcar recommend?
All I-Paces are identical when it comes to the configuration of the battery, motors and number of seats. As such, deciding which one is right for you depends on the features you want. We think the HSE provides the elements you'd expect from a luxury vehicle, whether it's an electric vehicle or not. In addition to the safety features that come on lower levels, the HSE adds comfort upgrades such as a powerful surround-sound audio system and upgraded front seats with heating and ventilation. The adaptive suspension and head-up display are useful add-ons as well.
2019 Jaguar I-PACE models
The 2019 Jaguar I-Pace is available in three main trim levels: S, SE and HSE. The S is decently equipped, but the SE has more of the features you'll likely expect on a Jaguar. Really, though, we imagine most shoppers will find the HSE's additional comfort, safety and prestige upgrades appetizing. There's also a limited First Edition trim for 2019. It's essentially an HSE equipped with a few optional features.
All trims come equipped with a 90-kWh battery pack and two electric motors. One motor drives the front wheels and the other drives the rears. Total system output is 394 horsepower and 512 pound-feet of torque.
From the outside, the base S offers 18-inch wheels, an adjustable air suspension, LED head- and taillights, a panoramic fixed sunroof, automatic windshield wipers, heated side mirrors, and a manual liftgate. Inside you'll find simulated leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, 60/40-split folding rear seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and dual-zone climate control.
Standard technology features include keyless entry and push-button start, a 380-watt stereo and three digital displays. For entertainment, the 10-inch center screen hosts navigation, Bluetooth, HD and satellite radio. Phone integration options include Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi hotspot and six USB ports. On the safety front, you get low-speed collision mitigation, lane keeping assist, an automated parking system (both parallel and perpendicular) and parking sensors. Driving features include variable ride height and two tools for driving in slippery surfaces: Low Friction Launch and All Surface Progress Control. The former gets you moving from a stop, and the latter acts like a low-speed cruise control.
Moving up to the SE grants 20-inch wheels, auto-dimming and power-folding side mirrors, upgraded LED headlights with daytime-running lights and auto high-beam assist, and a power liftgate. The interior gains leather upholstery as well as driver and front passenger memory settings. Additional standard safety features include blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and high-speed collision mitigation.
The HSE dons a different style of 20-inch wheels, and the liftgate can be open or shut by swinging your foot under the rear bumper. The interior upgrades consist of improved leather quality, a 15-speaker stereo, upgraded front seats with heating and ventilation, and heated rear seats. There's a top-view camera to make parking easier, and the adaptive cruise control gains steering assist, which helps keep the I-Pace in its lane.
Think of the limited First Edition as an HSE with a few options. It rides on yet another style of 20-inch wheel and offers adaptive suspension and a feature called Adaptive Surface Response, which monitors road quality and adjusts the vehicle for different amounts of traction. Other features include a heated windshield and washer jets, upgraded interior trimming and extended leather, a microfiber-suede headliner, adjustable ambient interior lighting, four-zone climate control, and a head-up display.
The options and packages for all I-Pace trim levels largely consist of improvements to comfort features and interior materials, such as heating for the steering wheel and seats and additional microfiber-suede (if not already included). Most safety and driving-related features, such as the adaptive suspension and head-up display, can be optioned on any trim level where it's not already standard.
2019 I-PACE Highlights
Trim: EV400 SEV400 SEEV400 HSEEV400 First EditionEV400 S
Base MSRP | $69,500 |
---|---|
EV Tax Credits & Rebates | Not available |
Engine Type | Electric |
EPA Electric Range | 234 miles |
Cost to Drive | $94/month |
Total Charging Time (240V) | 13.0 hours |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 25.3 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | all wheel drive |
Warranty | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
EV Battery Warranty | 8 years / 100,000 miles |
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