When I was offered to test the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace EV, I didnāt want to get my hopes up as I had been disappointed with the F-PaceĀ and then quite impressed by the smallerĀ E-Pace, so wasn't sure if Jaguar could make a decent SUV that also happened to be electric.
But I was excited to drive another electric car and OH how wrong I was to doubt Jaguar this time!! The I-Pace is BEAUTIFUL! Not only is the exterior stunning but the interior has all kinds of exciting luxuries too. We found it incredibly practical for our family and it was great to see a Jaguar that really ticks all the boxes that you expect a luxury car brand to have considered. The door handles which are your first sensory touch of the car pop out of the doors as requested like on the Tesla Model S, however, the I-Pace door handles are disappointingly plastic and I would expect to find them on a less expensive electric car like the Hyundai Kona EV. In Jaguar's favour you can unlock each of the doors individually, which is a fantastic BabyDrive feature.
There is also a child safety lock on the driver's door panel for the rear doors and windows.
All these features are controlled through the I-Pace's beautiful double screen media interface which is much more modern than that of the F-Pace and E-Pace. The stereo system and speakers have great sound quality and definitely made our daughter's favourite toddler tunes much more bearable to listen to!
The screens seem intuitive to use and the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace does have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto too which is great. There is the top screen for sat-nav, media, phone, cameras etc.
The lower screen contains seat and air-con controls that are simple to navigate and use.
Storage throughout the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace has been well considered and the central console storage box is so deep and long you could definitely lose some unfavourable toddler trinkets in there without having to try too hard š
The boot is a really good size and fits thirteen bags, which is a practical amount of shopping. It's comparable to the Tesla Model S which fits fifteen shopping bags and the Range Rover Velar which fits fourteen. All types of prams and strollers fit well in the boot with shopping bags too.
The rear seats of the I-Pace are very comfortable, but although it's a VERY wide car I could only fit two child seats in the back as there simply wasn't room for a third in the middle.
Legroom is especially good in the I-Pace, with a 182cm passenger being able to sit easily in front of rear or forward-facing child seats which is a fantastic BabyDrive feature.
The I-Pace has an enormous glass ceiling which does make the interior lovely and light and bright and great for rear passengers to watch the trees and birds while driving along.
The 2019 Jaguar I-Pace is a wonderful car to drive, it feels so elegant and glides smoothly and extremely quietly along the road. It makes a gentle reversing ābongā sound that isnāt really heard inside the car, which is a refreshing change from shrill beeps and alarms.
I did find a couple of Jaguar nuances, though. There seemed to be a slight grating underfoot on the brake pedal on occasion as if the anti-lock brakes had come on and the reversing camera image wouldnāt come on for 24 hours of my test week.
Luckily the visibility is good in the I-Pace and I found, with the enormous glass roof as well, that the interior felt light and spacious. When the camera did work the image was fantastically clear and crisp and made parking and manoeuvring very easy and the parking sensors can be easily muted on the right on the screen.
BabyDrive Indepth - Storage
How big is the boot of the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace?
The 2019 Jaguar I-Pace has a good size boot, holding thirteen shopping bags from empty. Which is one less than the Range Rover Velar, two less than the Audi Q8Ā and three less than the BMW X5 which fits sixteen. The Tesla Model SĀ fits fifteen bags.
The Mountain Buggy Duet twin stroller fits with three shopping bags.
The Britax Flexx tandem stroller fits with five shopping bags.
The boot space and its functionality are really important. I like to have a big boot space and little side wells or areas I can divide things into. So something I donāt want to move around while Iām driving such as Tulsiās lunch bag or her wet swimming gear can be sectioned off in a little well where itās not going to spill or get squashed by the rest of the things in the boot.
Hooks for securing shopping bags to are also favourites of mine, I like being able to secure the bag containing more fragile things like eggs so they donāt move around on the journey.
I measure the boot space in freezer shopping bags, prams and dogs. Not because I think all there is to a mumās life is food shopping, prams and dogs. (Although it can feel like it sometimes!!) But because these are visually mesurable items we can all associate with. For me, the car company boot measurement of litres is not an amount I can easily visualise and 400L in one car may differ in usability to that in another due to the configuration or shape of the space.
The Mountain Buggy Urban Jungle single stroller fits with six shopping bags beside it.
The Mountain Buggy Nano compact stroller fitted with nine shopping bags beside it.
Or you could fit a large size dog in there!
The boot floor is flat, which is good for an emergency nappy change. There is storage underneath the boot floor for your charging leads.
The 2019 Jaguar I-Pace also has a “froot” or front boot! We couldn't get any shopping bags in there, there was just room for my daughter's toy baby!
How good is storage inside the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace?
Storage inside the cabin of the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace is well considered throughout, it is practical and functional and there are some great extra features too. There are two cup holders in the central console that will hold my re-usable Luxey Cup or a disposable coffee cup and a large refillable water bottle fits in them too. They sit in the top of the central console storage box which is enormous and has a 12V socket and two USBs.
In front of these is a small well I found useful for the key and then there is a large space I found good for my phone, underneath the lower screen.
There is also a lit space underneath the central console between the two footwells which I found great for popping my sandals into.
The glove box would hold my wallet and iPad with the manual.
The front door bins are big enough to hold a large refillable water bottle.
There is a glasses case in the ceiling and there are lit vanity mirrors in both front visors.
In the back, the door bins are smaller and will hold a 600ml water bottle.
There are net map pockets on the back of both front seats that will hold but not conceal an iPad.
In the back of the central console box are 12V and USB charging points.
In a fold-down armrest in the central seatback are two cup holders. They would hold a disposable or my reusable Luxey Cup and there is a phone tray behind them too.
BabyDrive Indepth - Noise
How noisy is the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace?
The 2019 Jaguar I-Pace is a WONDERFULLY quiet BabyDrive, being electric it is silent to start and it is so smooth and peaceful to drive, it waved the same magic sleep wand over my daughter as the Hyundai Kona and the Tesla Model S did!
The media system in the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace has this beautiful double screen interface which is much more modern looking and more intuitive to use than that of the F-Pace and E-Pace. The stereo system and speakers are very good sound quality and make our daughter's favourite toddler tunes much more bearable to listen to!
The 2019 Jaguar I-Pace does have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto too which is great. The top screen as you would expect houses sat-nav, media, phone, cameras visuals etc.
The bottom screen contains the seat and air-con controls that would usually be controlled by buttons all over the dashboard.
The I-Pace I tested has heated seats which are controlled through the lower screen also.
The reversing camera image is excellent. It is a very clear and crisp image and you can mute the parking sensors on the right-hand side of the screen or turn them on and off altogether on the bottom left.
You can also choose from the 360-degree cameras which views you need to see, which is really good for parking in kids' playground car parks etc.
The lane departure warning is a vibration in the steering wheel and there are no loud beeps which are fantastic for retaining the peaceful vibe to the I-Pace and it doesn't disturb any little passengers. The I-Pace is quite firm to pull you back into the lane if you drift out as well.
The indicators are lovely and quiet in the I-Pace and didnāt disturb my sleeping toddler.
Becoming a parent I soon realised there are some noises and sounds I feel are unnecessary and I could happily live without if it meant my baby stayed asleep!!
That often the distraction of my screaming, distressed baby is more dangerous when driving than not having a lane departure warning for example.
If it is the lane departure warning beeping that creates distress with my baby then which is safest?
Itās where I think we need to be able to strike a balance and choose when we can mute the warnings or swap them to a vibration in the steering wheel or flashing light perhaps?
A lot of these noises come with the increase in technology and especially linked to safety features and alerts. For me these all have their place.
Another thing I have realised is I spend my time in a lot more places where small children roam, parks, beaches, play gyms, swimming lessons, daycare centre etc. I have become more aware that when Iām reversing or manouvering in the car parks I have to tripple check for small children running around behind me or being in my blind spot when reversing. For this I LOVE reversing cameras, I just donāt like their beeping sounds!!
I have become so much more aware of safety and potential accidents or hazards since having a child and so I love the peace of mind that I get from the cameras and sensors combined with my own vision from windows and mirrors as I donāt trust cameras alone.
I found the Sat-Nav easy to use and it can show you your nearby charging stations which is handy I found I could mute or adjust the guidance volume using the volume controls which is a fantastic BabyDrive feature.
You can check on the charge you have left on the main media screen.
Or look more in detail at your battery usage.
The driver's display screen also tells you your distance left on the battery and the length of time it will take to re-charge when you plug it in to recharge it.
The doors and windows can both be locked from the driver's door and I found both the doors and windows are really nice and quiet and would not disturb small sleeping passengers when opening and closing them. You can come to a stop with the car still running and get out without sounding any alarms.
Since becoming a mum I spend A LOT of time parked up somewhere with a nice view while myĀ daughter is asleep in the back! If it's hot I need to leave the engine running and the aircon on but I do like to get out andĀ drink my cuppa tea in the fresh air while enjoying the fact my limbs are free from said dangling child!!
So this is a very important test as I have found that sometimes I have been held hostage by a carsĀ BEEEEPING alarms when I have taken off my seatbelt or opened the door while the engine is still running!! (I only stand outside the car, I am not a bad mother!!)
The I-Pace is really nice and quiet to drive, it is soooo smooth and elegant it is an absolute pleasure..
BabyDrive Indepth - Car Seats
How many child seats fit in the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace?
There are three top tether anchorages in the back of the Jaguar I-Pace's rear seat backrests. The outer two are clearly marked and all are within plastic guides they are all nice and easy to connect to.
There are ISOFix points in the two outer rear seats. They are within plastic guides and nice and easy to connect to.
I could fit just two child seats in the back, there simply wasn't room for a third seat. Disappointing for such a wide car!
The seats nice and easy to install and we found legroom really good, fitting a 182cm driver in front of either a rear or forward-facing child seat.
Posting bub into their child seat from outside the car is really nice and easy in the I-Pace. The door openings are nice and wide and the ceiling a good height inside too.
Australia being a country of weather extremes; blazing sun and torrential rain, mean you may find it easier to put Bub into their seat from inside the car sometimes. If itās hot you can get the air-con going, cool the car down and not stand out in the sun while you fasten them in or shelter from the rain and not get soaked yourself whilst youāre doing it. So it is important to test whether Bub can be easily installed from either direction!
There is plenty of room to feed bub in the back if you only have one child seat installed.
BabyDrive Indepth - Drive & Comfort
How comfortable is the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace? And how good is the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace to drive?
In the front of the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace, the seats are very comfortable, they are black leather with perforated central panels for the heated seats so they are not so easy to wipe clean.
You can adjust the climate for the front and back through the lower media screen.
I found I couldn't have a ponytail in the driver's seat.
I had spent hours styling my hair this morning to get this ponytail just right too… said no new mum ever!!!
For a mum travelling in the back with bub, the seats are very comfortable at the sides. In the central seat, I could feel the hardness of the drop-down armrest in the seat back but there is lots of kick-room in the footwell.
For the first year of Tulsiās life when we would go out as a family, if I wasnāt driving, I would travel in the back with Tulsi so itās important to check the back seat comfort as you may be spending a lot of time in them! They were never something I gave any thought to before but I definitely notice a good or bad back seat now!
The steering wheel was fully adjustable in/out and up/down.
The cruise controls are on the right-hand-side on the steering wheel and easy to use.
There are four air-conditioning vents across the front dashboard; two central ones and a round one at either end, they are quite small and there were no vents in the back of the car. That combined with the enormous glass roof meant the car felt much warmer inside. This was fine in the winter when you want to be warmer and using the aircon did drain the battery considerably. In the Australian summer, I think you would use so much battery trying to cool the inside of the car with just these four vents.
The rear interior lights are located centrally in the ceiling but back behind the sunroof and too far back to reach them from the driver's seat while driving!
I have found Tulsi does not like travelling in the dark in the car so if it gets dark whilst travelling then I reach back and turn the interior light on for her. So itās really important for me that I can reach the rear ceiling light.
Also if I am traveling home and it is getting near to bed time and I DEFINITELY DONāT want her to fall asleep in the car as even a five-minute nap in the car means bed time is all over!!!! I lean back and pop the light on so itās not dark and try to keep her awake!! Along with screaming/singing at the top of my voice!!!
It is also useful when there are lights situated above the doors where the handles are usually positioned. These are good for when putting baby into their child seats when visibility is poor, so you do not have to reach across them to a light situated in the ceiling centrally etc.
There are handles above the rear doors to hang a child's toy on.
Visibility in the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace is good, I didn't encounter any problems with visibility in my week of driving.
One thing I have noticed since being a mum is I hate it when I reach a destination or get home from being out and Tulsi has either done really well in the car or she is screaming her head off and I have done really well to keep it together for the entire journey (usually the latter!!) and it takes 10 minutes to park the car! It can be really stressful. Usually I dread parking new cars as they take longer in our tight apartment block carpark, but the I-Pace was easy to park.
Aesthetically the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace is a beautiful five-seater family SUV, if you only need two child seats in the back the I-Pace has lots of legroom for kids to grow and it is extremely enjoyable to drive.
BabyDrive Indepth - Safety
How safe is the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace?
The Jaguar I-Pace scored a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2018 and has had child occupancy testing.
Scoring a total of 91% or 34.8Ā out of 38 for adult occupancy. Broken down into 7.61Ā out of 8Ā for the full-width frontal crash test, 5.78Ā out of 8Ā for the frontal offset test. Full marks for the side impact test and the pole test.
For Child Occupancy protection the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace scored 39.9Ā out of 49 which isĀ 81%. Broken down into 13.04 out of 16 for the dynamic front, 8/8 for dynamic slide. Child restraint installation scored 11.81Ā out of 12 and onboard features score 7Ā out of 13.
ANCAP said of the testing:Ā In the frontal offset test, protection of the neck of the 10 year dummy was WEAK and the head of the 6 year dummy was ADEQUATE. Protection offered to all other critical body regions was GOOD.
Protection of both child dummies in the side impact test was GOOD with maximum points scored.
The 2019 Jaguar I-PACE is fitted with lower ISOFix anchorages on the rear outboard seats and top tether anchorages for all rear seating positions.
Installation of typical child restraints available in Australia and New Zealand showed that most child restraints could be accommodated in most rear seating positions, though one of the booster seats could not be correctly installed in the centre rear seating position.
Six airbags come as standard; there are dual frontal airbags and side chest-protecting for the front passengers and side head-protecting (curtain) airbags are standard for the front and rear side passengers.
Dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting (curtain) airbags are standard
As standard, all models of the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace come with seat belt pre-tensioners in both the front seats and rear outboard positions, anti-lock braking system (ABS), autonomous emergency braking (AEB) for the city, Interurban and VRU, automatic emergency call (eCall), automatic headlights, daytime running lights (DRL), hill launch assist, electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), electronic data recorder (EDR), electronic stability control (ESC), emergency brake assist (EBA), emergency stop signal (ESS), fatigue reminder and fatigue detection, forward collision warning (FCW), lane departure warning (LDW), lane keep assist (LKA)Ā and tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) all come as standard.
Optional extras are automatic high beam,Ā adaptive cruise control (ACC), and adaptive headlights andĀ blind spot monitoring (BSM).
Some of these safety features are also features that drive me crazy as a mum! Like the lane departure and forward collision alert or the parking sensor beeping sound. I want all the safety technology AND to be able to mute the sound when Tulsiās asleep!
Thank you SO much for this review. Answered all of my questions, in depth without compromise. I was specifically concerned about trunk space and front-row room when car seats are in the back. Helped my family feel confident about our car purchase.
Hi, loved this review. Just wondering if you could shed any light on my situation. We have a 3 week old, 2 year old and a 5 year old. Would a standard booster seat fit between two putter car seats? Thank you,
Mike
I think an Infasecure Versatile Folding Booster would squeeze in. Oh an excuse to review an I-Pace again!!