New Jaguar I-Pace 2023 review

Verdict

The I-Pace remains an appealing option in the electric family car segment in 2023. We’re still waiting to hear what lies in store next for Jaguar as it approaches its all-electric future from 2025. But the I-Pace proves that it has what it takes. It’s still a very good car.

From 2025 Jaguar will be an all-electric brand, underpinned by a range of new products, but that doesn’t mean we should forget Jaguar’s first EV - the I-Pace. The exterior of the I-Pace looks just as fresh as when it launched in 2018. The Ian Callum-designed I-Pace straddles the line between SUV and hatchback resulting in a sleek family car.

The interior features Jaguar’s latest 10-inch Pivi Pro touchscreen infotainment system with Alexa, Spotify and what3words integration for the sat-nav. The system works well, and the fit and finish seems better than ever in our experience with the I-Pace, while the leather-lined cabin and lovely metal finishings give a real premium appeal compared with rivals from Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

But then you’d hope so, given that our R-Dynamic HSE Black test car costs £77,595. It’s the top of three trim levels (all are available in R-Dynamic Black form only, with S, SE and HSE specifications on top of that), plus a range-topping 400 Sport model. HSE trim comes loaded with kit, including plenty of driver-assistance tech, full keyless go, a panoramic roof, a powered tailgate, a 12.3-inch digital dash and head-up display, heated and cooled electric seats, a rear-view camera, matrix-LED headlights, plus Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity.

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Our car has an extra £7,350 of options as well, consisting of a 'Premium Black pack' which adds huge 22-inch wheels, electronic air suspension and gloss black detailing. There's also four-zone climate control and wireless phone charging - which is behind the centre console and a little difficult to use. 

When it comes to the I-Pace’s dynamic ability, it’s little different from before, but that’s no bad thing. It’s still powered by a 90kWh battery with a claimed range of 261 miles on our car’s 22-inch wheels (reduced from 277 miles on the standard 20-inch wheels).

The 395bhp and 696Nm of torque from the dual-motor set-up means 0-60mph takes 4.5 seconds, so it’s sports-car quick. The power delivery is typically immediate, and the I-Pace’s acceleration doesn’t taper off at higher speed as you might experience in some other larger electric SUVs.

The handling is arguably even better, with a real directness to the steering and a nicely judged weight, even if there’s very little feedback. There’s excellent grip, and even though the relatively compact Jag is pretty heavy, at 2,226kg, it’s still the most agile machine in its class, helped by brake-based torque vectoring.

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The raised SUV body means there’s plenty of suspension travel, so the ride is comfortable, too. The I-Pace floats over bumps and absorbs imperfections in the road nicely. It’s also quiet; there’s not much noise from underneath the car on bumpy roads (the large wheels only occasionally cause an audible thud to be relayed into the cabin), and refinement and comfort at motorway speeds are also good.

Of course, range is depleted more quickly in this environment, but thanks to 100kW charging, Jaguar claims drivers can add up to 78 miles of range in just 15 minutes. A full top-up overnight using a home wallbox will take almost 13 hours.

On other practicality matters, despite the Jag’s relatively tapered roofline at the rear, there’s lots of headroom and legroom in the back. And the supportive front seats (which offer plenty of comfort) don’t impact on space in the rear too much.

At 656 litres, the level of boot space on offer isn’t class-leading and that rakish roofline means large dogs won't enjoy too much time in the boot, but it should be enough to keep the I-Pace competitive as family transport.