Launch Drive: Can the E-Pace sink its teeth into the SA market?
Jaguar holds it’s new cub up proudly for all to see. But is this the future king of arguably, the most important segment in motoring? We take the new pup for an urban drive to see if the cub’s bite is as big as its roar.
The compact SUV/Crossover segment is the fastest growing segment in the world. Lexus just launched the UX, Volvos XC40 arrives later this year and so does X2. And let’s not forget the other models already on sale.
All eyes are on E-Pace
Jaguar Experience
On the launch, I managed to drive the flagship P300 221kW petrol model and D240 177kW Diesel variant. The P300 is brisk but doesn’t feel as violently fast as say a DSG Tiguan TSI. On paper, the claimed 6.5s sprint to 100km/h is 0.1 seconds faster. Refinement by design? Possibly. It’s still a Jag after all. Speaking of refinement, the diesel is just that. 500Nm is available low down and fuel consumption is claimed at 6.2l/100. The diesels suspension felt slightly softer where the P300 version feels sporty but a bit to firm for my tastes, especially with the handsome 20″ or 21” wheels. Interior feels familiar Jaguar boasting all the tech and more from its siblings including some new touches. The lane assist function is brand new and features a function that steers the car back into your initial lane if a car is detected in the blind spot. Unnerving at first but works well and could be a lifesaver if a car sneaks up alongside undetected. The adaptive cruise control is good and fairly smooth. Ergonomics are great and thankfully, the window mechanism buttons are placed low, and not on the usual spot atop the door sills.
Why all the fuss?
The E-Pace has caused quite a stir in the market, but why? Well, it’s the first car in this segment to offer 21” wheels as an option, can tow up to 1800kg, is strikingly good to look at and as mentioned earlier, could spark a spike in Jaguar sales leading up to the launch of the I-Pace in 2019. E-Pace come with a 9-speed gearbox, it has 577 litres with the rear seats in place and 1234 litres when folded, has options such as Gesture Tailgate and if typical buyers are as outdoorsy as the research suggests, a very useful optional Activity “Key”. This allows owners to go for a swim, jog or cycle with the keys locked safely in the car. The audio system sounds good and is controlled by a 10” touchscreen display. To top all this off E-Pace comes with a Five-star NCAP rating. Jaguar has taken most of its current tech and more and placed it all inside the smallest car in it’s range.
Verdict
E-Pace has a lot resting on its young shoulders. Wether the the SA market responds as well as Jaguar hopes only time will tell. The F-Pace was Jaguars biggest ever seller, and time will tell if the Cub will indeed become the new King.
E-Pace starts at R598 500 and the range-topping P300 starts at R892 400
Visit www.Jaguar.co.za for details.
