Jaguar E-Pace review - Practicality, comfort and boot space
E-Pace’s sporty outlook belies its practical side, with good headroom and a decent boot
You’ll find that despite the E-Pace’s dynamic and sporty focus, it remains a fairly practical and spacious small SUV. Forward and side visibility is good thanks to the short dashboard-to-axle ratio, although the rear window is a little small in the mirror. Thankfully, a reversing camera is standard kit on all cars.
Overall, the E-Pace a fairly competitive package compared to many of its rivals on many fronts. You’ll find plenty of cubbyholes and storage spaces in the cabin, including a huge one in the central armrest. Two cup holders are present as well.
Size
Against the tape measure, the E-Pace sizes up at 4,411mm long, 1,649mm tall, and 1,900mm wide, with a wheelbase of 2,681mm. It means that compared to the car it’s closest to – the Range Rover Evoque – the Jag is a little longer and boasts a longer wheelbase, but is just as wide and a little lower at the same time. Overall the proportions are bang in line with the segment and with the Jag’s varied rivals, including the Volvo XC40 and Audi Q3, while it’s a little smaller than a DS 7 Crossback.
Leg room, head room & passenger space
Four adults should be able to get reasonably comfortable in the Jaguar, though carrying five is ever so slightly hampered by the raised transmission tunnel cutting into rear legroom for the middle seat. Some rivals boast better leg and headroom, but overall the E-Pace doesn’t let you down when it comes to passenger room.
Space up front for the driver and front passenger isn’t tight at all, and the Jaguar’s driving position is very flexible, so you should be able to find a comfortable spot to drive from with ease.
Boot
Jaguar claims a 577-litre boot, which is impressive on paper. In reality it’s good enough for families to live with. However, the space on offer isn’t completely accessible, and while that 577-litre figure means that officially it’s more practical than many of its rivals, day-to-day you’ll find that cars with better boot layouts, like the Volkswagen Tiguan and Volvo XC40, are more user friendly. The rear bench can’t do clever sliding tricks either, and folds down in a 60:40 split only.
Fold everything flat and you’ll get a 1,234-litre loading bay. In comparison, a BMW X1 sizes up at 1,550 litres.
