2022 Jaguar I-PACE

The British automaker’s first EV, the Jaguar I-Pace debuted with great fanfare for the 2019 model year, picking up numerous awards including that year’s European and World Car of the Year awards. The slinky-looking crossover is a look into Jaguar’s future as the brand will go all electric by 2025, but as with most of the company’s vehicles, it also keeps one foot in the past. Its voluptuous lines, posh interior and sporty personality are familiar traits. 

Awards aside, the company hasn’t had an easy time of it in the white-hot EV marketplace, selling fewer than 6,000 I-Paces from mid-2018 until late 2020. After skipping 2021, the I-Pace returns with a streamlined lineup and a big price cut for 2022. The former top-spec HSE, which sold for $82,050 in 2020, is now the only trim and sells for $71,050, including an $1,150 destination fee. That’s just $50 more than 2020’s base-model S. 

All of the HSE’s desirable features, including adaptive cruise control and 20-inch wheels, are now standard. There are also new infotainment and navigation systems and an updated onboard charger that reduces 240V charging time. It only cuts it to 8.6 hours, but that’s better than the previous 12.6. The EV world moves fast, and while the Jag is still a desirable machine, it faces stiff competition from the Tesla Model Y, Volvo XC40 Recharge and the Ford Mustang Mach-E, all of which cost less. It fares better against Audi’s e-tron.

With a standard dual-motor setup pushing out 394 horsepower and 512 pound-feet of torque, the I-Pace delivers considerable rapidity in the muscle-car-like, torque-y way most EVs do, but it’s also a good handler and corner carver as a Jaguar should be. The 90 kWh battery pack, slung below the cabin skateboard style, means it weighs nearly 4,800 pounds, but its engaging handling belies that heft. It’s fun to drive, not just fun to mash the pedal.

The wind-cheating form (with a drag coefficient of just .29) blends EV futurism and trad Jaguar, but is also highly optimized for maximum mileage. The crossover’s range is about 230 miles max in real-world use, but that’s in line with the EPA’s estimates. The I-Pace is a pokey charger though, even with its updated onboard charger. On a 150-kW DC charger, it’ll juice to 80% in 40 minutes, but those aren’t easy to find, and home charging takes longer than many alternatives, most of which now offer more range overall.

Inside, drivers and passengers will find a posh cabin executed in fine materials like Windsor leather and plenty of tech and active-safety features. The low-slung shape limits interior room compared to some taller, boxier alternatives, but the I-Pace is a comfy place to be, though the seats skew towards firm and supportive rather than cushy. Jaguar’s first EV is a maverick choice among EV crossovers, and one that does mean some compromises, but it’s still cool and compelling, and now quite a bit cheaper to buy.

Performance: 13/15

The I-Pace is a dual-motor EV by default, and is motivated by a pair of electric motors that combine for a total output of 394 horsepower and 512 pound-feet of torque. Since there are motors on each axle, all-wheel drive is standard. The I-Pace will scoot to 60 mph in about 4.5 seconds with the typical electric-car rush of torque. That’s on par with most of its competitors, but the Jaguar’s performance differentiators are its keen handling and reactive steering, two attributes not always shared by porky EV SUVs weighed down by heavy battery packs. 

There are four driving modes, Rain/Ice/Snow, Eco, Comfort and Dynamic, each with a different effect on suspension settings, throttle tuning and range. Dynamic mode is the most engaging, and lives up to the traditional pace and grace of Jaguars past, though it sacrifices a small amount of range from Eco. The suspension can be raised and lowered from 5.6 inches to 7.8 and its AWD grip is impressive, but the I-Pace isn’t suited to any proper off-roading.

As with most EVs, the I-Pace uses regenerative braking and is meant to be a one-pedal driver most of the time, but the feedback can sometimes feel jerky or uneven.

Range, Energy Use & Charging: 8/15

The EPA estimates the I-Pace’s maximum range at 234 miles, and though some sites have reported a new 253-mile rating for 2022, that isn’t official. 234 is still better than Audi’s e-tron, but it’s well behind the Polestar 2 Dual Motor’s 249 miles, and even further shy of the Mustang Mach-E Extended’s 277. All pale before the Tesla Model Y Long Range’s 330. The EPA also estimates the I-Pace will return 80 MPGe in the city, 72 MPGe on the highway, and 76 MPGe combined, below most competitors other than the e-tron. 

Our own experience testing the car over on a clear spring day near sea level suggests the EPA’s numbers are accurate, and 230 miles was more than enough for a full day of adventuring before hooking the I-Pace up to a DC fast charger. The I-Pace can charge to 80% in just 40 minutes on a 150 kW fast charger, but at a more common 50 kW charger (the only type we could locate during our time with the car), it’ll be a bit more than double that.

This car also charges slowly at home. For 2022 the I-Pace gets a new 11kW onboard charger that cuts home 240V charging from 12.6 hours to 8.6, but plugging it into a 240V 30 amp charger, the car estimated a full charge from 44% to take more than nine hours.

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 10/15

The I-Pace has not been evaluated by either the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which cost it some points in our evaluation. However, it earned a five-star overall rating in 2018 from the European New Car Assessment Programme (EuroNCAP). This EU agency performs similar tests to IIHS and NHTSA.

Beyond the passive safety systems and crash structure, Jaguar equips the I-Pace with a host of active-safety features. They include automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, a rearview camera, safe-exit assist, traffic sign recognition and a driver condition monitor. The I-Pace’s adaptive cruise works flawlessly, but its lane centering system can feel a little hyperactive.

Comfort & Room: 11/15

With only the HSE remaining in the lineup, the I-Pace’s interior is a posh and comfy place. If there’s a major demerit, it’s in back seat legroom, but even then rear passengers should still be pretty comfy. The I-Pace’s 35 inches of rear legroom is superior to the Polestar 2, but tighter than the Mach-E, XC40 Recharge or Tesla Y (the class leader). Even so, with the front seats adjusted for drivers slightly over 6 feet tall, a 6-foot person can sit comfortably in the back and there’s plenty of room for child seats. 

The solid-feeling front seats might not be comfortable after eight or nine hours, but both front and rear can be heated (front seats are also ventilated) and the cabin can be almost individually tailored to each passenger, with four-zone climate control.

Infotainment: 12/15

Jaguar says it has updated the I-Pace’s infotainment system this year to the new Pivi Pro setup seen on other models in 2021. The system is run through a 100-inch upper screen and a lower 5.5-inch display that houses the climate controls. Everything is logically set up and easy to learn, though the inputs can be laggy. The system does have a few hard controls, and the HVAC settings use push-pull-twist dials that work well once you learn them.

For 2022 the navigation system will now display charging locations to drivers and also display their availability, cost and estimated charging time. It doesn’t always know where the nearest charging facilities are in the boonies, but in urban areas it did well in our testing. Every I-Pace comes with a complimentary 4G data plan, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, a Wi-Fi hotspot and an 825-watt stereo for all your Roxy Music albums.

Cargo Space & Storage: 10/15

The I-Pace offers 23.2 cubic-feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and 54.1 with them folded, which is small compared to the Tesla Y and Mustang Mach-E, but about even with Audi and quite a bit more than the smaller XC40 or Polestar 2. The I-Pace’s low-slung looks do bite into the practical amount of usable space—you won’t be hauling a sectional sofa in the back—but the area is more than enough for a garden center shopping spree or hauling some 1960s Jaguar XKE fenders (they’re huge). 

Small-item storage spaces are well thought out and easy to use. There is a “frunk,” but it’s so small as to be almost meaningless.

Style & Design: 7/10

While it doesn’t look quite like any previous Jaguar, the I-Pace manages to incorporate lots of traditional brand themes in a very modern package. It’s a crossover, but low-slung and sleek. From a distance the effect is more “big hatchback” than “small SUV,” but it certainly doesn’t look like anything else. A color-dependent car, the black accents on the lower body stand out much more on white, silver or red I-Paces, while dark colors hide the nuances of the design, reducing its visual impact.

The I-Pace’s interior looks and feels properly luxurious and much more approachable than the austere confines of the Tesla Model Y. The only odd note are the scrims that cover the (non-opening) glass roof. Instead of a rollback cover, Jaguar equips the I-Pace with removable screens that stow in the cargo area. They work just fine, but are held in by flimsy, easily lost clips that look like they came from Home Depot.

Is the 2022 Jaguar I-Pace Worth it? Which I-Pace is the Best Value?

If you’re in the market for a sporty-feeling, slick-looking EV crossover that stands out from the crowd, the I-Pace isn’t a terrible choice. It was cutting-edge in 2019 and there’s still a lot to like about it, but time marches on and the I-Pace looks less competitive now in some key areas. The 2022 I-Pace lineup is now one-size-fits-all, so the $71,050 HSE is the best value by default, but that’s quite a bit more than some very good alternatives.

The Jaguar is a good blend of the Polestar 2’s hatchback form and Volvo XC40 Recharge’s interior room, but both of those alternatives offer more power, similar range, and very good dynamics for appreciably less money. The Polestar 2 Dual Motor starts at $51,200. The higher-spec Kia EV6 models are also credible alternatives with gorgeous styling, though the Jaguar is a superior performance with nicer interior materials. The Ford Mustang Mach-E GT offers another level of performance beyond the I-Pace and more range for less cash, but doesn’t have the same luxury feel.

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the Jaguar I-Pace?

The I-Pace is not a cheap car to insure, but neither are many of its competitors. According to our data, a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record can expect an average annual premium of $2,522, though this averages all 50 states. That compares to $2,624 for the Audi e-tron, $2,604 for the Volvo XC40 Recharge, $2,577 for the Tesla Model Y and $2,784 for the Polestar 2. More mainstream EVs like the Mustang Mach-E cost less. To get a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, visit our car insurance calculator.