REVIEW | The Jaguar I-Pace is stealthy, charming addition to the EV template

Efficiency is sexy in 2023. Big displacements and engine noise are no longer as celebrated as they might have been in the bygone era of performance motoring.

Full or partial electrification, sustainable methods of production and recyclable materials that feed into a circular economy: that is more or less the tune being played by modern automakers.

Not an easy adjustment, especially if you were in the business of producing hot-blooded, rambunctious machines built for show and go.

To adapt, many brands have had to tweak and even overhaul their identities. Like Jaguar.

The brand has a serious performance pedigree, rooted in icons such as the XK120, D-Type and E-Type. The entire character of the firm is centred around the aggression and mystique of a wild South American feline.

As far as mascots go, the Jaguar growler and leaper emblems are instantly recognisable in signifying performance motoring.

When the I-Pace concept was shown in 2016, we wondered how faithfully those charming Jaguar hallmarks would be translated into such a quirky electric vehicle template.

It was described by British car designer Ian Callum as a five-seater sports car. In reality, the I-Pace straddles the line between fastback and crossover, with its height-adjustable suspension allowing for light off-road pursuits and its sleek, aerodynamic exterior designed with wind-cheating efficiency as the goal.

The prospect of a silent Jaguar was at odds with the loud, proud antics of products such as the F-Type SVR and similar, V8-powered ilk.

But when the production version of the I-Pace came around, acceptance seemed to have been granted.

Maybe not from a sales perspective. As a niche product, it was always going to be for a handful of well-heeled elites. But as a brand exercise, showcasing how the company would evolve for the future, it worked quite well.

It was 2019 World Car of the Year, also clinching World Green Car and World Car Design of the Year at the same time.

It even won the title of 2020 South African Car of the Year. Maybe too progressive a victor, given the climate of the market and our patchy energy supply, but that is how the jury voted.

Earlier this year, a subtly updated I-Pace was announced in the country. Last week we had a turn in the model.

Styling enhancements include a revised front grille with grey elements, body colour-coding for the front bumper finishers, lower door finishers and rear diffuser, as well as two new satin paint options.

Believe it or not, this was my first real interaction with the I-Pace. Somehow, between the pandemic and life's other business, it is the one new model that slipped past my schedule in the past three years.

R2,342,900 is what you will pay for the I-Pace HSE R-Dynamic, the only derivative listed in the local line-up.

Pulling the electronically extending door handle to the driver's side, it was easy to find a comfortable driving position behind the chunky three-spoke wheel.

Our test vehicle featured red leather upholstery, which contrasted in striking fashion against the black exterior, complemented by black wheels.

The front seat design is of a motorsport-inspired, bucket variety, with a single backrest, aggressive bolstering and a firm feel overall. They are heated and ventilated.

With a motor at either axle, the four-wheel-drive Jaguar has a planted feel and despite its weight of 2,208kg, can lay claim to having cat-like handling reflexes. The I-Pace is an agile, sure-footed machine.

Without any engine acoustics, however, it was noted how the adjustable pneumatic suspension components tended to creak when lowered.

At the heart of the I-Pace is a 90kWh battery, among the largest you would encounter in a contemporary electric vehicle, up there with flagships from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

In tandem, the electric motors produce 400kW and 696Nm, with a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.8 seconds.

That feels as rapid as you would expect, delivering the typical body-pinned-back-in-seat type of sensation associated with powerful electric vehicles.

Truth be told, I must have tested the sprinting ability of the I-Pace just once. My focus was on maximising range, since a busy week of driving was on the agenda.

One trip was from our Parktown office to LaWiida Lodge in Hartbeespoort, our meeting point for 2023 Car of the Year testing.

Given the large battery of the I-Pace, you can prepare for a real-world driving range in excess of 400km. The claimed figure is 470km on a full charge.

With the battery three-quarters full, I drove around 180km, with the air-conditioner and heated seats running. The remaining range on the day our tester was collected was 139km, with an average electricity consumption of 20.1kWh/100km.

As a flagship and standalone electric offering, the I-Pace is a great show of what Jaguar is capable of.

But with its peers swiftly diversifying product ranges and pandering to the mass market, the British brand certainly needs to up the effort in doing similar if it truly hopes to secure future success.