Consumer Reports New Cars – November 2019

Jaguar

I-Pace

THE JAGUAR I-PACE is the first
in a new crop of luxury
EVs from traditional auto-
makers, including Audi
(see page 16), BMW, Mercedes-
Benz, and Porsche.
Thanks to its low center
of gravity and quick steering,
the I-Pace is agile and
eager to take corners like
a sports car. Like all EVs,
its acceleration is smooth
and instant, but the I-Pace
is quicker than most:
We clocked it at 4.3 seconds
in our 0 to 60 mph test,
which puts it in sports car
territory. But the firm
ride may be a surprise to
those who expect a
cushier cruise from a Jaguar.
The I-Pace is elegant and
modern inside. It feels like
a conventional car built by
a luxury car company,
and its quiet cabin feels well-
crafted. We found the
roomy front seats to be com-
fortable and supportive
even on long drives, and
the rear seat is livable.
But the fussy infotainment
system and touch-screen
climate controls prove clunky
to operate.
Although it might look like
an SUV in pictures, the I-Pace
is more like a tall hatchback.
The driver has a commanding
view of the road in front,
but the sloping roofline blocks
visibility to the rear and
sides. There isn’t much room
for cargo, either.
An EPA-rated 234-mile
range gives the I-Pace fewer
miles per charge than a Tesla
Model S or X, let alone the

less expensive Chevrolet

Bolt or Hyundai Kona EV. We

observed that cold weather

and frequent stops can cut

that range dramatically.

The Jaguar’s massive

90-kWh battery takes about

13 hours to charge from

nearly empty using a 240-volt

charger. Although 100-kW

DC fast chargers may be hard

to find, they can give the

I-Pace a 50 percent charge in

just a half-hour.

Standard advanced safety

features include FCW and

low-speed AEB, but it’s disap-

pointing that BSW and high-

speed AEB are optional.

BEST VERSION TO GET

The SE comes

with high-speed

AEB, plus BSW

and adaptive

cruise control.

BSW is a must

with the I-Pace’s

poor visibility.

Only the HSE

gets a driver’s seat

with four-way

lumbar support.

V I TAL STATS

OVERALL

SCORE

ROAD-TEST

SCORE

Price as tested

$86,840

Trim line HSE

Drivetrain 394-hp

dual electric

motors; 1-speed

direct drive; AWD

Range 234 miles

Reasons to Buy

Instant

acceleration

Agile and sporty

handling

Luxurious interior

Reasons to Skip

Shorter range

than other EVs

Poor visibility and

no standard BSW

Fussy and

slow infotainment

system

01 20 03 40 50

WORSE BETTER

58 76

CR.ORG/CARS NEW CARS 33