Should you buy one?

The Jaguar I-Pace feels great to drive, has a lovely interior, handsome looks and the prestige of that big cat badge. We think it’s been soundly overtaken by rivals now, however, and is showing its age compared with other models. Not just expected players like the Audi Q8 E-Tron, BMW iX3 and Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, but by more prosaic cars such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. The latter two, in particular, offer more convincing electric motoring than the Jag at a lower cost.

The main issues are the I-Pace’s limited driving range and questionable reliability (including some very well-publicised owner woes) mean it’s difficult to recommend compared to the best EVs on sale.

What we like

Inside, the quality is good. If you’re a traditional Jaguar buyer you won’t feel like you’re missing out on anything, despite the I-Pace being built in Austria. The screen-heavy dashboard is easy to use and eye catching. And the roomy interior will satisfy those who regularly carry people in the back as well as the front.

It’s also really fun to drive, which is another genuine surprise, given the largely two-dimensional nature of electric cars with this kind of performance. They’re generally all-wheel drive and although very grippy, not particularly entertaining. The I-Pace breaks the mould with a chassis that feels alive to your inputs and always ready to tuck its nose into cornering. And you get that experience without sacrificing comfort.

What we don’t like

Most concerning is the car’s apparent lack of reliability and quality, with owners and users being far from impressed. It’s also an expensive car, and the manufacturer-backed PCP finance deals aren’t that competitive. But shop around for good lease deals, and the I-Pace becomes a reasonably competitive monthly proposition. 

The public charging set-up doesn’t compete with the Tesla Supercharger network. Which is a shame, because the I-Pace really is a desirable electric car. If you rarely need to charge in public, that’s much less of an issue.