Manufacturers make no difference: press test cars are usually stuffed with almost everything that the price list has to offer. Whether Dacia or Mercedes, everyone wants to show what is possible when the customer chooses the full-fat level of equipment. Exceptions to this rule are rare, and Jaguar delivered one. The E-Pace P300e does have leather seats as standard, and the “Winter Package” was also ticked when ordering the test car. Actually a sure thing, but a seat heater still has to be selected separately, which was overlooked in the demonstration vehicle. Blessed is he who has an attentive seller and warns the customer of gaps of this kind. Ordering pitfalls aside, the Jaguar E-Pace P300e is a fine car – with two caveats.
Plenty of competition
In terms of size, the Jaguar E-Pace sits in the middle of the popular 4.4 meter SUV class. The range on offer in this segment is now plentiful, and there is hardly a manufacturer that is not represented here. Volkswagen, Stellantis, Hyundai compete for customers with different brands, if you like, you can also spend more money and buy SUVs of this size from Volvo, BMW or Mercedes. If it is a plug-in hybrid, the range is noticeably smaller, but there is still a certain selection here. Jaguar is there and sees itself as a premium brand. This is clearly documented by the price.
Combustion engine at the front, electric motor at the rear
The plug-in hybrid is available in the E-Pace from 61,300 euros. Jaguar supplies a comparatively complex drive for this. The combustion engine drives the front wheels, the electric motor the rear axle. That frees the latter from having to funnel its power through a gearbox, which should benefit efficiency – and comfort. In principle, this makes it possible to get by in E mode without differences in traction. Most competitors take a different approach and install the electric motor between the combustion engine and the transmission.
