Cars

Plug-in hybrid heads revised Jaguar E-Pace range

Jaguar E-Pace
Jaguar E-Pace Jaguar E-Pace

JAGUAR has continued the refresh of its range with a series of updates to its E-Pace compact SUV, writes William Scholes.

A plug-in hybrid drivetrain is now offered, combining a 197bhp 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with a 108bhp electric motor for a total system output of a brawny 305bhp.

Jaguar claims this set-up - which uses a 15kWh battery, located under the boot floor - is able to offer up to 34 miles of electric-only travel, though the car's 44g/km CO2 emissions are what will make it catch the attention of company car users - their benefit in kind tax liability falls as their car's CO2 figure also falls.

The plug-in, badged P300e, also has an official fuel economy of 141mpg on the WLTP combined cycle, though, as ever with these figures, this will be more aspirational than attainable.

Elsewhere in the E-Pace range, Jaguar has fitted mild-hybrid technology to the 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel (161bhp/280 lb ft or 201bhp/317 lb ft) and 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol (197bhp/236 lb ft, 246bhp/269 lb ft or 296bhp/295 lb ft) engines.

The lower-powered diesel can be had with a six-speed manual - this is also the only E-Pace with front-wheel-drive - while nine-speed automatic gearboxes and four-wheel-drive are found elsewhere. An exception is the plug-in hybrid, which uses an eight-speed automatic.

Cosmetic changes include LED headlamps, a new grille and a mesh insert for the rear bumper.

Inside, the E-Pace gets Jaguar's latest infotainment system, which uses an 11.4-inch curved glass high-definition touchscreen. As well as a wide range of media and phone connectivity options, it also incorporates software-over-the-air updates.

The updated E-Pace costs from £32,575.

Jaguar E-Pace
Jaguar E-Pace Jaguar E-Pace