The new E-Pace is the most price-affordable Jaguar SUV. Just don’t think about weighing in its rivals.
This could be the year of the premium compact SUV, now that all mainstream luxury brands in Thailand are set to arm their showrooms with the latest developments.
It’s not that there will be a boom in sales of baby SUVs at the twitch of the finger.
But such trendy vehicles, aka crossovers, are most likely to eventually form as the majority of annual sales for all players in the coming years.
Models from established nameplates include the Audi Q3 (due to be replaced in less than a year), BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA, with the latter duo being assembled in Thailand to help them cost in the two million baht range.
Another three competitors are set to join this juicy battle of high-riding cars attracting urbanites rather than recreation-seekers.
First off this year is the Jaguar E-Pace, as tested here on Thai soil for the first time, to be followed by the Volvo XC40 and Lexus UX.
Remarkably, it has just been a year ago that Jaguar launched its first-ever SUV in the guise of the F-Pace rivaling the Q5, X3, GLC, NX and XC60.
Jaguar’s decision to swiftly forward a smaller and more price-affordable alternative to the market would also be seen by Volvo, which has launched the latest XC90 and XC60 in a relatively quick sequence.
But herein lies the first problem for the E-Pace in Thailand.
Rather than having a price matching its intended opponents, it’s way off at a staggering 3.6 million baht for the 150hp 2.0-litre diesel AWD model.
Blimey, even the bigger Merc GLC can be had for less in basic trim.
Jaguar’s argument may be the lack of an assembly facility in this region to avoid the high import duties applied on cars made outside Asean (or from places with no free trade pacts made with Thailand).
Sure, Audi is selling European-finished wares with super-aggressive pricing because it’s got the scale from the mighty Volkswagen Group. Whatever the reasons, the E-Pace’s Thai price is on the wrong side of things.
But it isn’t game over for the E-Pace yet. Without beating around the bush, the E-Pace can easily be considered as a highly desirable Jag deserving to become the bread-winner in the future for the Coventry suits. And yes, the E-Pace seems to be more appealing over the similarly priced XE saloon.
Just as a refresh, the E-Pace isn’t related to the bigger F-Pace and instead gains a modified platform from the Land Rover Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque that has been designed to accommodate transverse engines driving either the front or all four wheels.
As well, the E-Pace’s body isn’t fashioned with aluminium like how all other Jaguars do.
That’s why its circa-1.8 tonne weight isn’t considered light by class standards which is something we’ll get further to in just a moment.
The one thing that should largely help boost its showroom appeal is design. The E-Pace may look like just any other SUV at first glance.
But if you’re a fan of Jaguar, the E-Pace actually takes a considerable amount of inspiration from the F-Type sports car – more so than the XE.
Examples include the svelte face, sloping side window lines, gentle pronunciation of the rear fenders and angular stance of the rear. The assimilation continues inside with the hand grip on the console being the most immediate on the eyes.
Speaking of the cabin, the E-Pace is well-designed and decorated with reasonably fine materials to not only make some of its intended rivals feel cheaper in comparison but also the F-Pace.
Expensive the E-Pace may be but it doesn’t lack perceived quality. The equipment list isn’t that bad, either, and includes toys for the sake of both entertainment and driving.
Ergonomically speaking, the driver’s seat is a nice place to be in thanks to a small cocooning effect created by the fascia’s design and well-sited functions.
Too bad, there’s isn’t a digital instrument panel to accommodate the central touchscreen and potentially lift its appeal further.
Considering the current state of this particular segment, the E-Pace isn’t really short on rear occupant and cargo space.
But should you crave for a more usable boot, the rear backrest don’t fold down flat and appears a little sloppily tailored. Otherwise, the E-Pace provides better usability for the family than the traditional XE.
At such a price point, you might have expected the E-Pace to come with 200hp-plus performance that can be found in other markets.
But as said earlier, the E-Pace has been chosen with a 150hp diesel possibly because it can dip below the 150g/km level of CO2 and avoid any further injury in retail price.
And when combined with a conventional steel body and all-wheel-drive transmission, such entry-level power may thwart performance.
In reality, it isn’t bad at all by being quite accelerative around town and sufficiently punchy within the legal limit. As well, the nine-speed automatic helps for 15kpl-plus ratings when the traffic lightens.
But it’s when you think of the 180hp version used in the Thai-spec F-Pace and Range Rover Velar that makes this E-Pace feel less spirited when driving outside of the city.
Sure, the E-Pace can approach its top speed without much fuss but in a linear rather than satisfying manner.
Like in the more potent model, this 150hp variant could have been smoother and more refined in operation.
However, if your life is more about crawling in the concrete rather than natural jungle, this particular engine might be ample enough for what it gives in performance and fuel economy.
If there’s one thing the E-Pace does in numbers, it would be no other than the driving characteristics fans can come to expect from Jaguar. It takes just a few turns to realise that the E-Pace is probably the most car-like SUV to drive in its class.
You really don’t feel much roll when diving into corners and the overall body control the E-Pace displays on straights is quite impressive.
But the E-Pace somehow lacks that low-speed agility found in other aluminium-bodied Jags judging from the way it changes lanes in traffic.
Although you might be inclined to suggest that front-wheel-drive is all what you need with the E-Pace, the availability of four driven wheels give some peace of mind when you encounter loose road surface. The E-Pace’s even got hill descent control and off-road driving mode.
The only other thing to complain about in the E-Pace is the secondary ride.
While the suspension setting seems just about right in delivering that nice on-road feel, the fancy-looking 20-inch wheels can feel lumpy over road imperfections.
Although the overall driving experience isn’t perfect, it is more than agreeable for real-world driving.
So while the E-Pace can’t shake its class, it is still a formidable alternative in Jaguar’s own game and can comfortably steal the show from the F-Pace, which might already have the difficult task of converting buyers of Range Rovers.
