A SPORTIER WAY TO PLUG AND PLAY (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 58

In 2020, Jaguar's improved E-PACE got the brand's PHEV Plug-in tech, this AWD P300e version able to cover up to 34 miles in all-electric silence. On the used market, this confection certainly isn't inexpensive, but if you can't quite bring yourself to opt for a mid-sized EV and you want a compact premium-badged Crossover, this one might appeal.

Modelsword count: 5

5dr SUV (1.5 PHEV petrol)

Historyword count: 165

The last thing the original version of the Jaguar E-PACE needed was the extra weight of a Plug-in hybrid system. In its early form, this car struggled along with steel D8 underpinnings so heavy that they made this compact SUV weightier and Jaguar's mid-sized F-PACE model in the class above. But by 2020 things had changed. A mid-term facelift for the E-PACE, usually the kind of thing that would have given the car are no more than a minor wash and brush up, in this case bought it completely fresh and much lighter PTA platform. Which also enabled it to take the three cylinder Plug-in PHEV powertrain that by 2020 we'd already seen in JLR's Land Rover Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque models. Creating the E-PACE P300e variant we're going to look at here. This PHEV model was replaced by a P270e variant in 2024. All E-PACE sales ceased finally when Jaguar pulled out of the new car market at the end of 2024.

What You Getword count: 310

Apart from the badgework and the addition of an extra flap for the charging point, there are no obviously giveaways that this P300e variant is a PHEV-engined E-PACE. Like the other models in the range, it benefitted from this model's mid-term visual update. This brought revised all-LED headlights with distinctive 'Double J' DRL signatures, these lamps flanking a restyled grille. Plus there was a revised lower aperture and smarter side fender vents at the front. While at the back, there were all-LED tail lamps and a smart mesh insert for the bumper. As in its earlier form, this little Jaguar is around 4.4m in length, so very similar in size to the Audi Q3 that many think will be its biggest rival. It's certainly a lower, sleeker design than that Ingolstadt model, with crisp surfacing, strong rear haunches and a sporty stance. Inside, the main change with this updated E-PACE was the adoption of Jaguar's 'Pivi Pro' infotainment system, which sat behind a much larger integrated 11.4-inch curved-glass HD touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard. Improvements to this monitor over the one used in earlier E-PACE models included quicker activation, the adoption of 'Apple CarPlay'/'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring, plus a whole range of embedded apps (like Spotify and Deezer) and the potential for over-the-air updates. Complementing this monitor on plusher variants was a 12.3-inch HD Interactive Driver Display, which replaced conventional dials in the instrument binnacle. In the rear, there's reasonably comfortable space for a couple of adults, with a low transmission tunnel allowing three folk to be squeezed in at a pinch. And the boot is a spacious 577-litres in size, thanks to the integral link suspension system chosen for the rear. That also enabled the cargo floor to be low and the opening wide. Fold the rear bench, which splits 40:20:40, and you can extend that to 1,234-litres.

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