Jaguar I-Pace review: interior, dashboard & infotainment
The I-Pace's interior is smart and modern, but there are more intuitive infotainment systems
The I-Pace’s interior looks as slick and modern as the exterior does. Despite the battery cells under the floor, the driving position is excellent; lots of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel mean you can make it feel more like an F-Type to sit in, with the wheel up high and close to your chest.
In fact, the stubby bonnet is joined by a vast expanse of dashboard inside to give the I-Pace the feel of a long-nosed classic Jag. The interior is also wonderfully airy; a huge panoramic glass roof, thin A-pillars and large windows create a real sense of space inside. All trim levels come with plenty of equipment and the infotainment system, while not as easy to use as the best rivals', does everything you need it to.
Jaguar I-Pace dashboard
The I-Pace’s interior feels like a leap forward for Jaguar. Like most modern cars, the touchscreen is the focal point of the cabin, with everything else feeling conventional, yet solidly-built. All of the switchgear operates with a solid feel, and along with the supple, high-quality leather comes together to form one of the best Jaguar interiors in years.
It also feels appropriately modern, with touch-sensitive buttons on gloss-black panels and a digital driver readout to compliment the twin touchscreens – the lower of which is reserved for climate-control and stereo functions.
Equipment, options and accessories
The I-Pace is available in four core trim levels, called R-Dynamic S, R-Dynamic SE Black, R-Dynamic HSE Black and 400 Sport. All get LED headlights, electric heated sports seats, leather upholstery, a 10-inch touchscreen, sat-nav, DAB digital radio, a powered bootlid, cruise control and a reversing camera.
Mid-range R-Dynamic SE Black steps up with 20-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, gloss black exterior detailing, adaptive cruise control, auto-dimming, power-folding mirrors. It also gets a panoramic sunroof and a small separate display below the main touchscreen for the climate controls. R-Dynamic HSE Black has its own 20-inch alloy wheel design, active LED headlights that shield oncoming traffic from glare, hands-free tailgate opening, Windsor leather upholstery, heated and cooled front seats and a surround-sound speaker system.
Finally, there’s the range-topping 400 Sport model which sets itself apart with a pair of figure-hugging Windsor leather performance seats, as well as huge 22-inch wheels, a suede headliner and a sporty rear lip spoiler.
Infotainment, apps & sat-nav
The Touch Pro Duo infotainment system – so named for the glossy 10-inch touchscreen and accompanying five-inch screen set beneath – looks great, but certainly takes some getting used to. This now runs Jaguar’s latest Pivi Pro software, while the lower screen operates the climate control and audio system. Built-in sat-nav comes as standard, while the I-Pace is also compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto if you’d rather use your phone.
There’s no haptic feedback (where the screen vibrates slightly so that you know you’ve hit a virtual button), which can also make the screen tricky to operate on the move – especially when trying to select one of the small shortcut buttons along the bottom of the display. The I-Pace now also comes pre-installed with Amazon Alexa voice controls, which should be much easier to use than Jag’s old voice control system.
There are also ‘Smart Settings’ that learn your preferences for audio, climate and seat preferences, which should make things easier if you swap between drivers regularly. Overall, the I-Pace’s infotainment setup looks good – the dual screen arrangement in the centre is certainly futuristic – but rivals such as the BMW iX have more intuitive and easy-to-use systems.
