Jaguar E-Pace - TopCarNews

Jaguar E-Pace (2017 – present) | Expert Rating [hide]

Summary

The Jaguar E-Pace is a compact SUV/crossover, and the first model in this sector from Jaguar. It shares its underpinnings with the Land Rover Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque.

Unlike most Jaguar models and its Land Rover siblings, the E-Pace is built in Austria so it doesn’t qualify for our “Best of British” badge.

The E-Pace has received mixed reviews from the UK motoring media. Titles that are more performance-oriented have given it better scores than those that are more consumer-oriented. It has received praise for its driving dynamics and styling, but has been criticised for its high price relative to rivals and lacklustre performance from entry-level engines.

Reliability has also been sub-par. In a 2021 reliability survey, What Car? rated the E-Pace as the (equal) eighth-worst new car on sale.

A facelifted E-Pace was announced in late October 2020, which brought mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, and improved in-car technology. The first arrived in showrooms by Christmas 2020.

As of December 2021, the Jaguar E-Pace has an Expert Rating of 61% based on 22 reviews. That puts it in the bottom half of the premium small SUV sector, and a long way behind the best in class.

Key specifications

Body style: Mid-sized saloonEngines: petrol, diesel
Price: From £30,210 on-road

Launched: Summer 2015Last updated: Spring 2019
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

Media reviews

Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

The Car Expert

“It’s let down somewhat by a choppy low-speed ride and some low-rent interior materials, but on the whole, it’s a product which will undoubtedly appeal to many people.”
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Auto Express

Model reviewed: (range review)Score: 8 / 10“We think you don’t need to go higher than S trim to get a decent E-Pace, though, as these come well equipped and dip below the £40,000 barrier, while the D180 will provide a good balance between performance and economy.”
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Auto Trader

Model reviewed: Range overviewScore: 7 / 10“A plug-in hybrid option and improved infotainment give the updated E-Pace a boost but Jaguar’s compact SUV still struggles to make its voice heard.”
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Autocar

Model reviewed: P300e 2021Score: 8 / 10“The Jaguar E-Pace P300e is a really interesting addition to the small SUV PHEV ranks, not because it does anything radically different, but because it’s a bit more interesting to drive than most rivals.”
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Model reviewed: P300e 2021Score: 7 / 10“The Jaguar E-Pace is hamstrung by its heavy underpinnings and, in D180 guise, has particularly lacklustre performance.”
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Business Car

Model reviewed: 1.5-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid P300E R-Dynamic SScore: 8 / 10“The Jaguar E-Pace P300E feels rather more agile on the road than a typical medium SUV too, although it’s perhaps helped by the low-mounted battery contributing to a more neutral gait when being hustled along a country lane.”
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Carbuyer

Model reviewed: (range review)Score: 8 / 10“The Jaguar E-Pace is a stylish SUV but it doesn’t lead the field in any particular area”
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Carwow

Model reviewed: Range overviewScore: 6 / 10“The Jaguar E-Pace is a smart-looking SUV but it isn’t all that great to drive, the cabin looks plain and its interior quality feels below par in some areas.”
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Company Car Today

Model reviewed: 1.5-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid P300e R-Dynamic S“Expansive update including the BiK friendly PHEV, but the plug-in looks expensive against premium-brand rivals.”
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Daily Mail

“Mainly front wheel drive, it’ll pump power to the rear wheels when needed to boost grip on tight corners, muddy tracks or assault courses.”
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Daily Mirror

Model reviewed: 2.0-litre petrol automatic First Edition“It is a crowded market place but this cheeky little upstart is sure to steal sales.”
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Evo

Model reviewed: P300 HSEScore: 6 / 10“Jaguar has played it safe with the E-Pace. The engine and interior feel are below average, the comfort and handling slightly above. The lack of distinction is understandable, given it will almost certainly become the brand’s biggest seller and therefore needs to appeal to most of the people most of the time, but Jaguar has developed a fairly unremarkable car as a result.”
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Honest John

Model reviewed: (range review)“The Jaguar E-Pace is not without flaws then, but it does look stunning. And since Jaguar is seeking the young and style-conscious consumer, then the E-Pace will probably prove to be just as successful as the F-Pace, even if it isn’t quite as good to drive as we were hoping.”
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Model reviewed: Range overviewScore: 6 / 10“The Jaguar E-Pace is far from perfect. You might be tempted to live with its issues to drive a car that looks as good as it does, as well as make a statement by not being a generic premium Audi, BMW or Mercedes-Benz SUV. But the Volvo XC40 also looks brilliant and does the whole ‘not German’ thing a little more convincingly.”
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Parkers

Model reviewed: Range reviewScore: 7.2 / 10“Compact SUV is a good looker, but disappointing elsewhere”
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The Sun

Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel automatic“The new Jaguar E-Pace is a red-blooded machine, with a sheen sporty look, ideal for families”
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The Sunday Times

Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel automatic D240 S AWDScore: 6 / 10“Perfectly decent and guaranteed to sell. Just don’t expect to fall in love.”
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The Telegraph

Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel manual D150 SScore: 6 / 10“While far from the perfect compact SUV, there’s still plenty to like about the Jaguar E-Pace. If you’re sold on the styling and prepared to sacrifice the comfort and interior polish of its rivals for a sportier feel, it deserves a place on your shortlist.”
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Model reviewed: (range review)Score: 6 / 10“Great to look at and to sit in, and to drive like a lunatic, but the Jaguar E-Pace falls down on the simple test of negotiating typical UK roads comfortably without feeling like someone left the delivery blocks in the suspension. If you want a mid-sized SUV for family duties, there are better compromises around. “
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Top Gear

Model reviewed: Range overviewScore: 8 / 10“Jaguar’s little crossover aims to storm a competitive set with F-Type inspired looks inside and out, and an engaging drive.”
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What Car?

Model reviewed: (range review)Score: 6 / 10“Great to look at and well equipped, but rivals are better to drive, plusher inside and cheaper to buy.”
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Which?

Model reviewed: Range overview“The Jaguar E-Pace is a stylish and sporty entrant into the premium crossover market. It has plenty of driver appeal for an SUV, but the overall quality and driving experience can’t quite match the best in class. Few rival models are as agile and entertaining to drive, though.”
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Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall rating: 5 stars
Date tested: November 2017

86%

ADULT OCCUPANT

87%

CHILD OCCUPANT

77%

VULNERABLE ROAD USERS

72%

SAFETY ASSIST

Read full Euro NCAP review

Eco rating

Independent emissions and efficiency ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

The Jaguar E-Pace has not been lab tested by Green NCAP. This is a new initiative, launched in 2018 as a sister organisation to Euro NCAP. As yet, very few new cars have been tested for environmental impact by Green NCAP, and inevitably the testing programme was halted in early 2020 by the coronavirus pandemic.

If the E-Pace is selected for assessment, we will publish the results here.

Awards

Trophies, prizes and awards that the Jaguar E-Pace has received

2017

Top Gear Magazine Awards – Best Crossover

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