ENTRY-LEVEL JAG’S ONE COOL CAT
Budget luxury mingles with fun
When I got word I was going to review a Jaguar, I was excited and intrigued by the opportunity to test out this historic British luxury car.
Jaguar first made sidecars for motorcycles in 1922 then quickly developed bodies for passenger cars. Ford acquired the company in 1990 and Land Rover in 2000. In 2008, the British lines were bought by Tata Motors, creating Jaguar Land Rover.
My tester was a 2018 EPace P250 AWD — with an MSRP of $44,300, the E-Pace was definitely an entry-level Jag. The extras on my version go for $54,190.
I was a bit disappointed to see that they traded the iconic Jaguar mid-stride hood ornament for a round emblem on the grill, but made up for it with the tear-shaped side windows, distinguished front end and tapered rear end. At night, approach lights attached to the side mirrors cast down an image of a mother and baby Jaguar to guide you to your luxury vehicle, a cool addition.
As I opened the solid doors, I was struck by the beautiful “Light Oyster” quilted leather seats that mirrored the leather trim on the doors and parts of the dashboard. There isn’t an option for wood trim, just an uninspiring ebony plastic trim that limited the luxury feeling.
I had fun adjusting the 18way Windsor seats trying to decide the perfect setup for my lumbar. With the seats so light and the expansive, panoramic fixed sunroof, this compact SUV felt airy and bright. Behind the leather steering wheel is a highdefinition display that can be configured to look like a retro speedometer and tachometer. The passenger center console grab bar gave it a bit of a race car feel.
The back seat was not particularly spacious but would work for a couple of kids. There’s a fold-down armrest and cup holder for the pipsqueaks, along with three 5-watt USB ports for charging electronic devices. The rear hatch can be powered for an extra Ben Franklin, but forget about throwing your golf clubs back there without putting down the back seat. It’s too narrow.
The infotainment touch screen includes navigation and comes standard with a Wi-Fi hotspot. The Meridian surround sound system was one of the best car stereos I’ve ever heard. The thunderous bass you could feel, and the crystal-clear treble left me wanting to crank it. The gear shift knob was tough to get used to because of the tricky shift-lock button that needed to be depressed when engaging into gear. While driving, I have a habit of resting my hand on the knob, which inadvertently knocked it into neutral. There are four drive modes, Comfort, Dynamic, Eco and Snow and Ice. The majority of the test drive I drove in Dynamic due to the increased throttle and steering response and aggressive transmission shifts. Surprisingly, this model did not include paddle shifters but I found that same fun sensation when using the shift lever.
The E-Pace’s 246-hp turbocharged, 2.0-liter inlinefour cylinder is the first Jaguar in history available only with four cylinders. The E-Pace had an impressive growl, and I yearned to redline as it sped quickly through the gears. Turbo lag was quite apparent, but it still got me from 0-60 in 6.7 seconds. I never came close to testing the maximum speed, which Jaguar says will top out at 143 mph. Steering was tight and braking was adequate, but I found the suspension noisy, especially on some of the bumpy back roads of New England. On the highway, the E-Pace cruised quietly and with little or no wind noise. EPA estimates 28 mpg on the highway and 21 in the city.
If you’ve always yearned for a brand-new Jaguar but can’t sell the family jewels to purchase one, the E-Pace should be considered. It’s a fun-driving English luxury crossover with the name and charisma you can trust.