First Drive: 2018 Jaguar E-Pace

PORTO-VECCHIO, Corsica – The fourth largest island in the Mediterranean, Corsica, birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, is mountainous. Make that very mountainous, as in two-thirds of the French-owned land mass seems to be comprised of tree-covered granite, with Monte Cinto the highest peak at 2,706 metres and some 120 other summits of more than 2,000 metres. 

You could navigate the island at a snail’s pace, which means just about any form of transportation will do. But, if you’re in a bit more of a hurry, it would be beneficial to be driving something with a sportier bent because most of the roads bisecting the island tend to resemble a plate of spaghetti. They are also less than forgiving of inattention or bad judgment  — narrow, steep drop-offs, stone walls, that sort of thing (plus rain, fog and standing water). So, a vehicle with exemplary handing, a firm suspension and decent scoot when the throttle is given a tickle would come in handy; a Jaguar, for instance. Indeed, the F-Type sports car would be a hoot; even one of the British automaker’s fine sedans would prove more than adequate. But, as the company has proven with its F-Pace — the best-selling model in Jaguar’s portfolio — it can successfully package most of those attributes into a crossover.

And, since having a crossover in one’s lineup is currently a license to print money, having two would be even better. This brings us to the newest Jaguar SUV, the five-seat, barely compact-sized E-Pace, baby brother to the F-Pace. 

Among many other things, the 2018 E-Pace, based on Land Rover Evoque underpinnings, is the new gateway to the Jaguar brand, starting at $42,700 and slightly undercutting the XE sedan. There is also the R-Dynamic ($51,000) and the First Edition ($59,000). Furthermore, the base E-Pace and R-Dynamic are selectively available in Standard, S, SE and HSE trims.

Family resemblance to the F-Pace is readily apparent, no hardship there. The combination of short front and rear overhangs, roofline sweep, contoured profile and bold grille stylistically define the newest crossover. As these type of vehicles go it’s definitely one of the sexier. “We always have a sports car in mind,” says Adam Hatton, creative director of exterior design at Jaguar Land Rover, in describing the company’s main design philosophy.

Price-wise, the E-Pace is at or a bit higher than its nearest rivals, namely the Audi Q3, Mercedes GLA, Infiniti QX30 and the upcoming Volvo XC40. Size-wise, the 4.4-metre-long Jaguar is about equal. Power-wise, the baby Jag sticks it to the majority of its rivals, courtesy of the crossover’s turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder, hooked up to a nine-speed automatic transmission. In base and First Edition form, the turbo four squeezes out a solid 246 horsepower. In the R-Dynamic that same engine is goosed to a muscular 296 ponies. 

Our time hooning the scenic coastal roads before tackling the mountainous twisty bits took place in a European-spec R-Dynamic S. Not only did this model provide the necessary torque to power out of hairpins, it gets the upgraded Active Driveline all-wheel-drive system. This setup can transfer almost all the engine torque (295 pound-feet) to either the front or rear axles in extreme conditions. During steady state cruising, Active Driveline disengages the AWD system, sending power only to the front axle, yet it will re-engage AWD within 300 milliseconds when a change in driving conditions is detected. Also, at the rear axle, two independent electronically controlled wet-plate clutches distribute torque between the rear wheels, with the capacity to direct 100 per cent of that torque to either the left or right rear wheels in 100 milliseconds. It was possible to induce understeer in some of the wetter, tighter corners, but the feeling was fleeting as Active Driveline diverted power and gathered up the Jaguar.

The E-Pace’s front suspension uses a lightweight hollow-cast aluminum front knuckle designed to provide additional camber for improved turn-in and reduced understeer. Front and rear subframes contribute to a stiff structure to improve steering feel. 

Much of the drive was conducted with the Jaguar drive controller in Dynamic mode, not because the other modes (Normal, Eco and Rain, Ice and Snow) weren’t up to snuff but because Dynamic was the one most appropriate for the wet road conditions and the pace (no pun intended) by which turn after turn was dispatched. The most aggressive drive setup, Dynamic affects the steering, throttle response, Active Driveline, transmission, dynamic stability control and torque vectoring by braking. 

Though not intended as a macho off-roader like any of its Land Rover cousins, the E-Pace was given a workout on a fairly gnarly trail, with steep, heavily rutted hills and streams to ford. Even fitted with Pirelli Scorpion Zero all-season rubber instead of a knobbier off-road tread, the Jaguar scampered and clambered through the dirt and mud without too much effort. 

Moving to the cabin, the E-Pace mirrors the driver-focused dash layout of the F-Pace. It’s a clean design with large, easily readable gauges and a 10-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system that reduces the number of hard switches, while a trio of rotary dials operates the climate control functions. (A 12.3-inch HD virtual Interactive driver display and full colour head-up display are optional.) Leather is used on touch-points such as the steering wheel, centre console grab handle and gear shifter. One cute touch is a jaguar cub graphic on the windshield, an acknowledgment of the crossover design team’s internal name for the E-Pace — “the cub.”

Being on the smaller side of the compact segment, rear-seat passenger comfort level of the E-Pace is entirely dependent on the size of those occupying the front seats. Taller back-seat occupants could find legroom at a premium, though headroom is good. Aft of the 60/40-split folding back seats, there’s 24.2 cubic-feet of cargo capacity, 52.5 cu.-ft. when they’re folded.

I’d be lying if I didn’t say the day’s workout was an absolute giggle, with some of the best driving roads I’ve encountered in years (the scenery, though occasionally breathtaking, was unfortunately too often obscured by fog). That the E-Pace took what we threw at it and was capable of asking for more is testament to the engineering that went into it — it comes as close to being a sports car as any crossover since Porsche introduced its best-selling (and pricier) Macan in 2015.

True to Jaguar’s roots while embracing current market demand, it will undoubtedly introduce a legion of new fans to the brand. The E-Pace will be in dealerships later this month.