Portmeirion Adventures with the All-Electric Jaguar I-PACE!

By Sally Brown

When Harwoods Jaguar, Crawley asked if I’d like to borrow the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE and suggested I write a review, I was very excited and more than happy to oblige.

Although I’m already an absolute convert to all-electric driving (albeit in a less impressive set of wheels), I cannot be described as a car aficionado by any stretch of the imagination. I lean much more towards low cost, comfort and reliability than top-quality, high-end brands and I average an unimpressive 2000 miles a year.

Jam packed with leading edge technology and so many great features, it’s hard to know where to start...

So, when Harwoods dropped off the I-PACE, I’m not ashamed to admit I was initially quite intimidated by her size (although in my defence - I drive a fairly small car). All doubts melted away when I climbed in and familiarised myself with the luxury interior features though - instant comfort!

With such a beautiful car at our disposal, my husband and I decided to seize the moment and book a weekend escape to Portmeirion, North Wales; a round trip of 540 miles looked sure to provide the perfect all-electric test drive conditions!

We set off to Wales with a full charge, the dashboard promising a range of up to 238 miles (with some modes this stretches up to 292 miles, depending on variables like weather, driving style and terrain). Jam packed with leading edge technology and so many great features, it’s hard to know where to start with my review, but here’s a shortlist of my highlights:

• Driver Assistance - Cruise control/speed limiter/lane assist - While my husband really enjoyed the comfort these features gave him, especially on long motorway stints, my experience as a passenger was mind-blowingly positive. Without a doubt, for me these were the best features of all!

• 0-60 in 4.5 seconds - Very quiet, excitingly quick and extremely responsive.

• Excellent handling - great on the motorway and holding the roads beautifully on the Welsh hills and winding roads.

• Heads up display - super useful, presenting key data like speed and navigation directions on the windscreen.

• Easily adjustable front seats - with the touch of a few buttons, once you’ve found your perfect position you can save it and easily switch between drivers with one press.

• Super comfortable front seats - not only heated but also cooled! How brilliant is that for hotter days!

• No range anxiety - Our experience across our whole trip was that consumption was pretty much on point when comparing miles used with miles covered. A real positive which enabled us to completely avoid any range anxiety; something I suffered with my first electric car, and not to be underestimated!

In summary, driving the Jaguar I-PACE was an absolute buzz! It was super comfortable, super powerful, reassuringly safe and its quality good looks turned heads. Putting concerns over the UK EV charging infrastructure aside, the only small criticism I have is its lack of a 360-degree parking camera, but that’s it. Would I recommend the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE? In a heartbeat - I didn’t want to give her back!

You can see a full list of features here and if you’d like to find out more or to book a test drive, contact Amy Still at Harwoods on 01273 272727 or email jlrfleet@harwoods.uk.com