Jaguar E-Pace. The son of the big Jaguar
At the end of 2020, the manufacturer introduced a restyled version of the first generation SUV into the market.
The Jaguar E-Pace is a premium subcompact crossover produced by the British automaker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) since 2017. It can be both front- and all-wheel drive. You could buy the first generation of Jaguar E-Pace in a 5-door SUV body in Israel in 2020.
In a practical world where the demand for the SUV segment is constantly growing, Jaguar took up the challenge and created its first crossover, the Jaguar F-Pace. This brought the Jaguar brand a commercial success, which meant that a continuation was bound to follow. This is how the compact crossover Jaguar E-Pace appeared. ‘This car is aimed at a new category of customers, which is likely to include young families. We expect that 80% of E-Pace buyers will be non-Jaguar owners, ” - said Finbar McFall, Director of Marketing and Product for Jaguar Land Rover.
First generation
The presentation of the novelty took place on July 13, 2017 at a special event in London. The exterior of the car was developed by the chief designer of the Jaguar company Ian Callum and it became a miniature copy of the Jaguar F-Pace. But, not quite so! It turned out a kind of little kitten, a baby of a large Jaguar. The Jaguar E-Pace will be the brand’s first vehicle to be produced at Magna Steyr’s assembly facility in Graz, Austria. The same plant also produces the electric Jaguar I-Pace.
The Jaguar E-Pace is based on the Land Rover Evoque platform, all elements of which are adapted to the Jaguar’s engineering philosophy. There are a specially mounted subframe and McPherson suspension with ingeniously designed aluminum steering knuckles and increased camber to eliminate understeer and provide precise steering at the front. At the rear, there is the Integral Link aluminum multi-link suspension already familiar from the XE, XF, and F-Pace, mounted on a rigid steel subframe. Its advantages are compactness, independent operation of the elements in the longitudinal and transverse directions, which provides both precise control and smooth running. The design of the front and rear suspension uses more rigid silent-blocks and anti-roll bars, which largely prevents roll, but not to the detriment of dynamics.
The use of a large number of aluminum suspension components has significantly reduced unsprung weight. The body shop representatives did a good job too: the hood, roof, and trunk lid of the E-Pace are also made of aluminum, which is minus 31 kg compared to steel, which allowed not only to reduce the total weight of the car but also to lower its center of gravity.
Exterior
Any Jaguar must have an irresistible appearance and sporty genes. And Jaguar E-Pace is no exception! That’s why the history of creating a luxury crossover begins with design. It brings together novelty, sport, and brand features inspired by the image of the F-Type. A recognizable radiator grille designed in the style of the brand. And the grilles in the lower part, without any decoration, are an extremely functional solution. Vertical optics is “a la F-Type”. Of course, because the gaze of a baby jaguar should be expressive! And following this image, the developers added a funny feature: in the corner of the windshield there is a silhouette of a cute family, a female jaguar and her little cub. As they say, the girls from the Jaguar Land Rover department of finishing materials cae up with this idea. By the way, the front optics of the British crossover are LED, even in the standard version. And for an extra payment, branded daytime running lights can be enmbedded in it.
The Jaguar E-Pace is one of the prettiest cars in the class, targeting a new customer category that will include young families. The company expects that 80% of E-Pace buyers will be those who have not previously owned a Jaguar.
The profile of the car turned out to be especially expressive: a smooth arc of the front pillar, the logical continuation of which was the falling line passing over the side windows. The embossings on the doors in harmony with the profile of the rear bumper create a uniform line for the car. And also, there are big wheel arches and big wheels. The E-Pace is the first car in the segment with optional 21‑inch alloy wheels. The rear of the car is also sporty. There is narrow glass, striking tailgate profile, LED strokes of narrow taillights, a roof spoiler, a diffuser with integrated exhaust pipes.
In general, summing up my impressions of the appearance of the E-Pace, we can say that this is one of the most beautiful cars in the class. Everything is harmonious in it, almost. And, in my opinion, it managed to surpass even the incredibly beautiful Jaguar F-Pace in this.
Interior
The interior is designed in a sporty style. The front console is slightly turned towards the driver. The highest quality materials have been used in the interior. In place of the instrument panel, there is a 12.3-inch LCD that performs its function. And there are five USB ports, four 12-volt sockets, a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot with the ability to connect up to eight devices.
The interior is very spacious, which is the undoubted merit of the layout specialists. With a car length of 4395 mm, the wheelbase is 2681 mm, small front and rear overhangs (882 and 832 mm, respectively), the transverse arrangement of the engine, the original configuration of the rear suspension - this made it possible to increase the volume of the cabin. There is enough space in the cabin for four adults. The legroom for the rear passengers is 892 mm, the height in the rear seat area is 970 mm. In general, two average passengers will be quite comfortable here.
Much attention has been paid to the optimal use of space: from space indoor niches to a transformer compartment with a volume of more than 8 liters, located between the front seats. And the declared volume of the trunk is very impressive - 577 liters. The developers of Jaguar Land Rover say that 577 liters is an ‘absolute’ volume - this means the space from the floor to the ceiling of the luggage compartment, it is possible that the ‘underground’ 93 liters were also taken into account.
