The 2018 Jaguar E-Pace premium small SUV has finally hit Australian showrooms with five different engine options and a special First Edition for early adopters.
The baby cat is based on the same architecture as the Land Rover Discovery Sport and upcoming Tata H5-X SUVs, but has been extensively re-engineered by Jaguar for sporting pedigree. Pricing opens from $47,750 for the E-Pace S. Other grades include SE, HSE and R-Dynamic. It is one of the most eagerly-awaited small SUVs of 2018-2019.
The Jaguar E-Pace S comes equipped with a 10-inch infotainment screen, 125W sound system, voice activation, dual-zone climate control with vents for rear passengers, two USB ports, four 12V sockets, automatic wipers and headlights and 17-inch alloys.
Three diesel variants and two petrol are available, as follows. The entry-level diesel is the D150, with 110kW and 380Nm, moving up to 132kW/430Nm D180 and the top-of-the-line D240 with 177kW and 500Nm. Gasoline-powered E-Paces consist of the P250, with 183kW and 365Nm and the 221kW/400Nm P300, which is capable of a 6.4-second sprint from 0-100km/h.
Gearshift is taken care of via a nine-speed ZF automatic gearbox, with paddle shifting for the R-Dynamic variants. All-wheel drive with active torque vectoring is standard. Towing capacity is up to 1800kg braked.
The E-Pace is 4395mm long with a wheelbase of 2681mm and 484 litres of luggage space with the seats up. Jaguar hopes this will entice customers who might otherwise consider a BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLA, Audi Q3, Infiniti QX30 or the upcoming Lexus UX.
The First Edition is available with the D180 turbo-diesel or P250 petrol spec, in three colours- Caldera Red, Yulong White and Santorini Black. Windsor leather trimmed in Ebony with red stitching and ambient mood lighting, panromaic roof and heads-up display give the First Edition its unique character, as does the Activity Key and special mats and scuffplates.
The 2018 Jaguar E-Pace SUV is available now from Jaguar Land Rover showrooms.
