Jaguar was quick to launch a big-battery, premium electric crossover, the I-Pace, before most other automakers, but now it’s four years old and there are plenty of similar models available on the market. But given how many second hand I-Paces are for sale now, you might be tempted to save on buying a brand new one and pick a good used example - but should you?
Car Gurus UK looks at the electric Jag as a used proposition and it unsurprisingly still makes a lot of sense. Much of that is down to how Jaguar engineered the vehicle, with its powerful dual-motor powertrain (400 horsepower and 695 Nm / 513 pound-feet), large 90 kWh battery pack and WLTP range of 292 miles (470 km); it is rated lower on the EPA test cycle, achieving 246 miles (396 km) on one charge.
Another important aspect to note is the I-Pace isn’t actually built by Jaguar. The famed British brand subcontracted Austria’s Magna Steyr to build it for them and the assembly and finish quality is remarkably good, better than other Jaguars. Probably thing that sets the I-Pace apart from other electric crossovers is just how well it drives and how eager it is to put a smile on a keen driver’s face.
The trick here, as is pointed out in this video, is that calling the I-Pace an SUV is a bit forced. It may have increased ground clearance over a Jaguar sedan, but it isn’t that much taller - the visual trick is played with the shape and size of the wheel wells, which are actually higher-set than on pretty much all other cars on the road.
What this means is the I-Pace has a very low center of gravity and thus it takes sudden direction changes and aggressive maneuvers really well. In this respect, it is just like all other current Jaguar models, which are some of the best to drive vehicles in their class, although not for long since Jaguar, like Mercedes-Benz and other premium automakers, will be moving upmarket, targeting profit margins over high volume sales by selling fewer, larger and more expensive vehicles.
