Compact luxury SUVs are stealing the spotlight in the car industry lately and fortunately, Jaguar knows this. The company unveiled its compact luxury SUV E-Pace, showcasing the beautiful masterpiece that has us all running for the dealership.
The British brand is back after winning the 2017 World Car of the Year for its first-ever crossover, the F-Pace. This time, Jaguar seeks to win yet another award while also intending to hit a best-selling high with the E-Pace. According to Forbes, Peter Lyon decided to put the car to the test and see if it holds the credentials to rise to the top of the podium. He recently tested the E-Pace R-Dynamic SE250 spec model in Japan.
Lyon says, “At first glance, the E-Pace looks like a smaller version of the F-Pace. It does have good proportions but it’s not quite as pretty as the F-Pace.”
According to Jaguar, the E-Pace exterior design was inspired by the Jaguar F-type sports car. The car is “characterized by the distinctive Jaguar grill, muscular proportions, short overhangs and powerful haunches that give the vehicle a bold and purposeful stance, instantly communicating its dynamic agility.”
Lyon went on to say that the car’s acceleration “is sufficient” however, the crossover’s pace is hampered by the car’s heavy weight. The curb weight of the E-Pace ranges from 4,035 to 4,175 pounds. The E-Pace is heavier than the F-Pace, which comes as a surprise since the F-Pace is a bigger car.
Although the weight is much heavier than Lyon expected, he says, “One aspect that impresses is its economy which hovers around 11.2 km/liter.” The car is powered exclusively by the 246HP turbocharged 4-cylinder gasoline Ingenium engine paired with the nine-speed ZF automatic transmission. The E-Pace is capable of going from zero to 60mph in nearly 7.2 seconds. Lyon also notes that the Jaguar’s engine does have a deep growl at full throttle. The car revs effortlessly to its 6500 redline while growling.
The E-Pace features a 4WD setup that has a default setting of 90% drive to the front and 10% channeled to the rears although he says, it “does not feel like a front-drive car. If rear traction is compromised it will channel more torque to the rears to maintain control. Steering is precise, progressive and neutral at the limit. In fact, the Jag handles less like an SUV and more like a sports car with its stiffly set suspension, although ride quality is slightly compromised, especially when cruising over rough surfaces.”
Seems odd to encounter compromised ride quality since Jaguar primarily focused on the safety of the car. According to Jaguar, the E-Pace “ endured hell and high water” to ensure that the vehicle preformed as designed “varying road surfaces and adverse weather conditions.”
Overall, Lyon believes the E-Pace will not live up to the award-winning F-Pace, but the car does provide rivals a run for their money. “The baby Jag does deliver with its appealing lines and enthralling driving dynamics, and it cleverly hides its overweight. It may just lose out to the X2 and XC40 in pace but in terms of street cred and desirability, it holds its own paws down.”
