New cub comes out to play
Corse, known as the rally of a thousand corners. We got to drive the R-Dynamic S P300 with its Ingenium four-cylinder petrol motor pushing out 220kW and 400Nm as well as the S D240 diesel offering 177kW and 500Nm. Both will be available in various trim levels from standard to HSE, but the range starts with the base 110kW diesel at R598,500 and rises to a heady R892,400.
Both versions we drove were comfortable with a good driving position, which felt familiar, a good thing when you are facing some of the most intense twisty roads on the planet. The steering is a little disappointing though, offering little communication with the driver in spite of being precise in its response to your inputs. The ride was a bit too firm over some of Corsica’s more scarred sections of tarmac, probably due mostly to the large wheels with lower profile rubber.
Heading into bends that have seen legendary rally drivers tap a rock and hit the mountain, or disappear down into deep ravines, makes you more aware of what the limits of the car and more importantly, the driver might be. The vast blind spots caused by the A-pillars and mirrors were an issue on occasion, as was the occasional all-wheel drive understeer. The E-Pace is heavier than its big brother, at just under two tonnes, around 200kg more than the F-Pace.
The weight was not an issue when it came to the handling, but it was when braking, with the two models we drove featuring overheating brakes, not something you want on Corsican rally roads. I did have to wait for the brakes to cool before hitting the bends hard again.
The biggest surprise though was that it was not the petrol model with its 200kW and synthesised exhaust sound entering the cabin that was the best to drive. The nine-speed gearbox was consistently unsure of itself as it tried to decide which gear, how much power and where it wanted to be. The situation was improved by driving not in dynamic mode, but in comfort mode, but it was the diesel that suited not just the car but the twisty roads the best. We could get the power down earlier and quicker, the gearbox responding more decisively making experiencing the incredible roads even more rewarding.
When the E-Pace arrives here next month, it will have to take on the latest Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes GLC and even its own Evoque sibling. In this world of compact SUVs, the EPace fails to really stand out, instead matching its rivals on style, quality and capability.
I could say it’s just another SUV, possibly even one that Jaguar has rushed a little to market, but I can’t because unlike its rivals this one has something else going for it, something the others don’t have — it’s a Jaguar and one which offers plenty more than just its cute looks.