MALAYSIANS have been going a little crazy with their appreciation for compact SUV’s (also known as a crossover). Initially it was a vehicle that catered more to the fairer sex. Now the masculine male is also taken by the crossover. So compact SUV manufacturers need to ‘up’ their game with better features, cabin luxury and drive dynamics that is common in luxury SUVs.
Designed in England and built in a brand new factory in Graz, Austria, this Jaguar is also built in China, but only for local Chinese buyers. This Jaguar E-Pace is a five seat crossover that packs the design and performance of a Jaguar sports car into a practical and connected all-wheel drive vehicle.
Cabin finish
The stylish E-Pace cabin has premium fit and finish. Contoured sports leather clad seats, a soft touch instrument panel with Jaguar’s latest entertainment system and perfectly detailed switches, instruments and control surfaces are all a result of superior craftsmanship.
Second row passengers benefit from good comfort and features. The rear seat folds easily in one movement. The comfortable rear seating provides space to accommodate 3 slim built adult passengers and it will not take in 3 basketball or rugby players in the rear. This Jaguar crossover measures 4,395mm long with short front and rear overhangs of 882mm and 832mm respectively. Its 2,681mm wheelbase allows for a luggage capacity of 577 litres.
The 10-inch touchscreen for the Touch Pro infotainment reduces the number of hard switches while tactile and intuitive rotary dials operate the climate control functions. A 12.3-inch HD virtual Interactive Driver Display combined with the Thin Film Transistor (TFT) full colour Head-Up Display means the driver has all the information they could possibly need within their field of vision.
On the road
After pressing the ignition button (you can keep the key in your pocket), the 2-litre turbocharged engine ignites and starts purring quietly. The initial throttle response is surprisingly lively and we were off and running in this snazzy vehicle.
On all the potholed, rough and badly maintained roads around Klang Valley, this premium crossover handled itself well on all the surfaces with no jarring and bounce. The light steering provides enough excitement and response to keep everyone happy. When the roads get rough, the E-Pace hits humps and bumps with minimal fuss.
It is an ideal vehicle for mums to drop their kids off at school, as it comes with enough look-at-me factor to give any mum the necessary confidence. It also works well for the single adult, both male and female as a lifestyle vehicle.
The 9-Speed gearbox transitions through the gears seamlessly and allows you to set an entertaining pace with speed and power delivery, while getting you to your destination in comfort and style. The positioning of the driver’s seat provides a great view to the road ahead, to the left and right, and the volume of audible road and wind noise is low, delivering one of the quietest cabins in the segment.
Rivals
Yes, the selling price for the fully imported crossover might look high when comparing it with its local assembled German rivals. The Mercedes GLA 250 sells for RM268,888 and the Volvo XC40 is priced at RM255,888. The imported rivals start with the BMW X2 sDrive20i at RM321,000, the Toyota Harrier at RM266,000 and the Audi Q3 which sells for RM269,900. So, you can see the large price difference between this Jaguar E-Pace and its immediate rivals, the closest being the BMW X2 at RM321k which is an almost RM82,000 premium and with similar drive performance and features.
Yes, from RM400k the E-Pace enters the premium crossover market with good tech, awesome styling, very impressive figures to match and let us not forget the five-year manufacturer’s warranty. But is it enough to make a sale. Take it for a test drive and then decide if its price premium is worth the extra curbside attention when you drive it. – The Vibes, December 9, 2020
Jaguar E-Pace P200 Specifications
- Engine: 4-Cylinder Supercharged
- Capacity: 1997cc
- Power: 200PS @ 5500rpm
- Torque: 320Nm @ 1250rpm
- Transmission: 9-speed Sequential Shift
- 0-100km/h: 8.2 secs
- Top speed: 216km/h
- Price: From RM403,216.67
