Jaguar E-Pace review

Like the Range Rover Evoque, the E-Pace commands a higher list price than many of its rivals. However, unlike the Evoque it doesn’t counter that with the promise of really slow depreciation. In fact, the E-Pace is predicted to shed value at a much quicker rate than a Volvo XC40. 

If you’re buying on PCP finance, monthly fees might not be as high as you'd expect, although an equivalent XC40 will probably still cost you less. Likewise, the E-Pace is more expensive to run as a company car than most of its rivals due to its relatively high CO2 emissions.

Fuel economy isn’t anything to write home about, either; our favourite D180 can't even officially manage 40mpg, so you can expect closer 30mpg in real-world driving. The petrols are even thirstier. 

Even the most basic E-Pace comes with 17in alloy wheels, climate control, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, automatic LED headlights and heated front seats. 

However, we'd recommend upgrading to S trim because you'll get the 10-way electrically adjustable leather seats we mentioned earlier, power-folding door mirrors and larger 18in alloys. 

That said, if you’re willing to spend a little more, SE trim is well worth considering and adds a powered tailgate, automatic high-beam assist for the headlights, and a 360deg parking aid (see visibility section). You’ll probably still want to add keyless entry and the Drive Pro pack (see safety section), but doing so is still cheaper than going for range-topping HSE trim. Likewise, avoid the R-Dynamic versions unless you're desperate for a sportier look. 

Jaguar performed rather poorly in the 2019 What Car? Reliability Survey, finishing below Audi, BMW and Volvo in a disappointing 26th place out of 31 manufacturers. The E-Pace itself was found to be the least dependable premium-badged family SUV that's still on sale today.

Like all Jaguars, the E-Pace comes with a three-year warranty as standard, although this can be extended if you’re prepared to pay extra.

The E-pace earned the maximum five-star rating when it appraised for safety by the experts at Euro NCAP. However, a closer look at the scores reveals the the Q3, X1, Evoque and XC40 all scored higher marks for adult occupant crash protection, due to partly to their superior whiplash protection.

There’s plenty of technology on hand to prevent you from having a crash in the first place, though, including low-speed automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assistance and a system that alerts the driver if he or she displays signs of being tired. Apart from the most basic trim level, all models get traffic sign recognition, while HSE versions have adaptive cruise control, high-speed AEB and blindspot monitoring (you can also get these three features on lesser trims by adding the Drive Pro Pack).

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