With the 2019 I-Pace, Jaguar is the first major luxury automaker to introduce an all-electric car that combines high-performance driving with long EV range.
(Technically Tesla got there first, but falls far short in terms of production and availability.) This gives the company a jump on competing vehicles like the Audi E-Tron SUV due later this year and the Porsche Taycan sedan scheduled for 2019.
The I-Pace also sets itself apart by borrowing off-road tech from its Land Rover siblings, making it suitable for travel on and off pavement.
But the biggest draw is its estimated 240 miles of range on a full charge, combined with seat-pinning performance.
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We tested the I-Pace by tackling twisty mountain roads in Portugal and came away impressed with its performance, style, comfort, and tech.
It gives Tesla competition in the luxury EV SUV niche, and earns our Editors' Choice nod.
Pricing and Design
The 2019 Jaguar I-Pace is available in four trim levels: S, SE, HSE, and a limited First Edition.
All come with twin electric motors that produce a combined 394 horsepower and 512-lb.-ft.
of torque that's sent to all four wheels.
The electric motors are powered by a 90-kilowatt lithium-ion battery that has a range of 240 miles and can be charged to 80 percent from empty in 40 minutes via public DC fast-chargers; in 10 hours using a 230-volt AC "wall box" home charger; or incrementally with the 110-volt charge cord that comes with the vehicle.
The I-Pace also has two levels of regenerative braking to charge on the go.
The base model S starts at $69,500 and comes standard with such exterior features as 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and taillights, rear fog lights, heated exterior mirrors with approach lights, flush door handles, rain-sensing wipers, and a rear-mounted bicycle-carrier prep kit.
Standard performance features include adaptive cruise, active air suspension, hill launch assist, low-traction launch, electric power-assisted steering, an electric parking brake, and active grille shutters.
JaguarDrive Control offers four driving modes: Standard, Eco, Dynamic, and Rain-Ice-Snow.
Standard interior amenities include a fixed panoramic infrared light-absorbing sunroof, keyless entry and ignition, a leather sport steering wheel, two-zone automatic climate control, ambient lighting, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, LED rear reading lights, eight-way powered fabric front sports seats, and metal treadplates with Jaguar script.
In-cabin tech includes a 12.5-inch LCD instrument cluster, Bluetooth for phone and audio, voice activation, a 12-speaker/380-watt Meridian Surround Sound system with AM/FM HD and satellite radio, and six USB ports.
It also has a Touch Pro Duo infotainment system with navigation, Connect Pro with a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot and Jaguar's InControl Apps, a Smartphone Pack that can control apps on a smartphone via screen mirroring, and a Remote app to remotely control aspects of the vehicle, check charge status, and more.
The S trim also comes with forward-collision warning with emergency braking, cruise control with speed limiter, drowsy-driver warning, traffic sign recognition, adaptive speed limiting, lane keep assist, and a rear camera.
A Park Pack includes 360-degree parking sensors, rear cross-traffic monitoring, automated parking, and a Clear Exit Monitor that alerts passengers opening the rear doors to approaching cars, cyclists, and other hazards.
The SE trim starts at $75,890 and adds 20-inch six-spoke alloy wheels, premium LED headlights with daytime running lights, 10-way power front sports seats with memory and grain leather upholstery, stolen vehicle location, a powered tailgate, and auto-dimming and power-folding heated side mirrors with memory.
The included Drive Package adds blind spot assist, adaptive cruise control with full stop and go, and high-speed emergency braking.
The HSE trim starts at $80,500 and adds 20-inch five-spoke alloy wheels, a motion-controlled tailgate, cooled front seats with Windsor leather, heated rear seats, a surround-view camera, and an 825-watt/15-speaker Meridian Surround Sound system.
The flagship First Year edition we tested starts at $85,900 and comes with 20-inch split-spoke alloy wheels, Photon Red paint, front fog lights, a heated windshield with heated washer jets, First Edition-branded metal treadplates, an exclusive suede-cloth headliner, a heads-up display, and four-zone climate control.
It also has configurable ambient interior lighting, a heated steering wheel, 18-way heated and cooled front seats with memory, Ebony Windsor leather sport seats, an upgraded leather interior, and a waterproof Activity Key that can be worn as a wristband and passed over the tailgate's Jaguar badge to lock or unlock the doors.
Driver assists include Adaptive Surface Response, adaptive cruise with steering assist, and Adaptive Dynamics with Configurable Dynamics that allow setting throttle sensitivity, steering weighting, and suspension stiffness.
With a destination charge of $995, the final sticker price of the I-Pace we tested came to $88,595, excluding federal and local government EV incentives.
While related in appearance to the E-Pace compact SUV, the I-Pace has a lower hood, a sweeping roofline, and a squared-off rear to make it more aerodynamic as well as more stylishly modern.
The front grille channels air through an integrated hood scoop and over the windshield to further reduce drag, while active grille shutters aid in battery cooling.
The mix of luxury and industrial textures give the cockpit a chic elegance, although we're not fans of the showy suede-cloth headliner on the First Edition that contrasts with the otherwise subtly sophisticated cabin materials.
The standard glass panoramic roof runs the length of the car, giving the interior an added sense of space.
Infotainment and Connectivity
The I-Pace is the first Jaguar to incorporate the Touch Pro Duo infotainment system that's similar to the setup in the Range Rover Velar.
It features a 10-inch in-dash touch screen and a lower 5.5-inch touch screen with multifunction dials.
It also uses the InControl Apps that allows accessing contacts, calendar, and music on a connected mobile device and offers several third-party apps, but not popular ones like Pandora, Spotify, and Yelp.
The I-Pace also doesn't offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Navigation Pro system factors in the topography of a route, previous journeys, and individual driving styles to calculate available EV range.
It will also flag charging locations if there is insufficient juice to reach a destination, while an Arrival Mode will direct you to the closest charging location—or parking garage—at the end of a trip.
The InControl Remote smartphone app can be used to check charging status, battery range, organize navigation routes in advance, heat or cool the cabin before starting a journey, or pre-condition the battery temperature to maximize range while plugged into power.
It can also connect to Amazon Alexa-enabled devices.
The I-Pace is the first Jaguar to receive over-the-air software updates and to use artificial intelligence to tailor driver preferences based on the time, location, weather, and behavior for repeat journeys.
Jaguar says that after just two weeks of learning, the vehicle will anticipate driving styles and routes and manage charging opportunities along a route, among other benefits.
Performance
The I-Pace can rocket from zero to 60mph in 4.5 seconds thanks to the instant torque provided by the battery.
The placement of the battery between the axles and an almost 50-50 weight distribution kept the vehicle firmly planted as we negotiated hairpin turns on pavement in Portugal.
The interior's visual elegance complements the aural serenity of driving a near-silent high-performance vehicle, and the heads-up display comes in handy since you can't rely on engine noise to gauge your speed.
The I-Pace has two levels of regenerative braking.
At the higher level, brake force is sufficient for single-pedal driving, and we were able to avoid 95 percent of braking once we mastered the technique.
Conclusions
Sure, Tesla was first to market, but it sold just over 180,000 vehicles between 2016 and 2018, while Jaguar Land Rover moved more than 600,000 vehicles in 2017 alone—and is one of the smallest players in the luxury market.
The 2019 I-Pace is a high-performance SUV that delivers crossover utility, luxurious comfort and amenities, and fossil fuel- and emission-free long-range driving.
It's a stylish EV that fills a niche in the upper end of the market and earns our Editors' Choice.
