The frisky E-Pace small luxury SUV has curvaceous styling, a lively engine, and sharp handling. It joins the ranks of $45,000 bantam SUVs from other boutique marks such as the Audi Q3, BMW X2, Mercedes-Benz GLA, and Volvo XC40. But we don’t think it’s luxurious or refined enough for the price.
We found the E-Pace to be a likable but flawed feline. Sure, it can strut its stuff on a curvy road, but much of the time -- especially when you’re commuting or running errands in your daily life -- the E-Pace’s jerky drivetrain and stiff ride make it a bear to live with.
The E-Pace is nimble, evoking the tenacity one would expect of a Jaguar. Quick steering makes it ready to pounce on the nearest corner in sight, entering turns with an eager and responsive nature, while the taut suspension keeps body lean to a minimum.
But the E-Pace is the wrong choice if you’re looking for a luxurious ride. The stiff suspension makes the ride jittery and overly tense. At least the cabin stays pretty quiet, with subdued wind and road noise, although there is always a bit of hum from the engine.
That 2.0-liter turbo, 246-hp, four-cylinder engine is a perky powerplant. It makes a hearty growl when you accelerate briskly; some drivers felt the car should have less roar, more purr due to the slightly gritty nature of the sound. There’s a notable delay when starting from a standstill. After the slow start, the engine then delivers an excessive burst of power. The uneven acceleration is made worse by the automatic transmission, which is neither smooth nor responsive. We measured 21 mpg overall, on premium gas, which is not stellar among its peers.
There’s decent room in the front. The comfortable and nicely shaped seats are wide enough to suit most bodies, yet they offer good lateral support to hold you in place. The lack of adjustable lumbar support, though, is a notable omission at this price. Considering the E-Pace’s diminutive size the rear seat is somewhat tight but livable.
Cabin ambience is certainly not your father’s Jaguar. It’s quite mundane with plenty of hard, smooth plastic and dark colors. A few surfaces of padded and stitched leather are appreciated but the overall feeling is one of austerity, especially considering our test car cost almost $50,000.
Controls aren’t the easiest to use. The 10-inch touch-screen infotainment system is slow and requires multiple steps to perform many functions. The electronic shifter is a step backward in user-friendliness from the rotary shift knob found in other Jaguars, because it requires the driver to press a button with Reverse to Drive shifts; otherwise the shifter leaves drivers in Neutral.
Forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane keeping assistance come standard. This Jag also includes front and rear parking sensors, which come in handy with such dismal rear and side visibility. Advanced safety features, such as blind spot warning, along with convenience features like as adaptive cruise control, are also standard.