First was the F-Pace. Now, Jaguar Land Rover continues its foray into the hotly-contested Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) game with the unveiling of the new Jaguar E-Pace.
While the F-Pace is classified as a midsize SUV, the E-Pace competes in the compact crossover segment. With rivals like the BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLA, and the Lexus NX, Jaguar Land Rover took some heavy artillery from the likes of its own F-Type sports car. This can be seen in the exterior, with styling cues drawn straight from the swoopy two-seater.
These include touches such as the headlamps, the signature Jaguar grille, the flared fenders with equally muscular haunches, the swooping roofline and glass area, and the optional 21-inch alloy rims. More F-Type influences can be seen inside with the dash and pillars drawing their style from the sporty offering. There is even a deepdish steering wheel that invites drivers to grip it and take the drive seriously.
And why not? Jaguar will be offering the E-Pace with a range of 5 powerplants: three diesels and two gas motors. The oil-burners will have power outputs ranging from 150, 180, and 240hp. The gasoline mills, on the other hand, can produce either 245 or 296hp. The last one can even accelerate the CUV from rest to 100kph in just 5.9 seconds.
Besides power and efficiency, Jaguar Land Rover promises exhilarating driving when the urge arises. The new E-Pace will be fitted with goodies like Adaptive Dynamics suspension, which controls body roll and gives the E-Pace the utmost agility, Active Driveline that delivers individual torque to each of the four wheels for unparalleled grip, and Configurable Dynamics, which essentially lets drivers tailor-fit the car’s systems to suit their driving style.
With connected cars being the norm, the new Jaguar E-Pace is packed with all sorts of tech to make the drive safe while keeping occupants connected to the outside world. The available 4G LTE wi-fi hotspot, for instance, can connect up to 8 gadgets at one time. The Touch Pro infotainment system is a virtal app library, allowing users to utilize all sorts of applications while on the go. The driver even gets a TFT Head-Up display (in addition to an already large 12.3-inch full color instrument cluster). This puts all pertinent driving and navigation data right in his or her line of sight. Now, there is no excuse to take one’s eyes off the road.
And while the Jaguar E-Pace may look compact and sporty from the outside, Jaguar claims that it is actually very spacious in terms of passenger room and cargo-carrying capability. Utilizing a stretched Land Rover Evoque platform, the E-Pace packs 577mm of cargo volume with those rear seats up. Owners can also tow up to 1,800kg without fuss.
Jaguar will begin deliveries of the all-new E-Pace later this year.
