BMW IX vs Jaguar E-Pace

What's the difference?

If anyone was worried that it would be too late to get a decent bit of value out of an entry-level iX, there's reassuring news.

With more power, range and features added to the model and the cost remaining close to its former sticker price, the iX has held up well despite now existing in a more competitive environment.

The Jaguar E-Pace Chequered Flag P250 is a compact, polished premium SUV package. Good value, super safe and spacious, it combines brilliant practicality with comfort and healthy performance. It’s a little thirsty, there are some relatively minor dynamic niggles, and Jaguar’s ownership package needs to lift its game. But for those who don’t have a lot of room to spare, yet don’t want to skimp on the luxury experience, it’s a compelling option in a highly competitive category.  

The iX was a bit divisive upon its original launch, because it was one of the early adopters of BMW’s current ‘big grille’ era.

The good news for the iX is that many have adjusted their expectations on that front and it now feels pretty well at home in the brand’s line-up.

The addition of the 'Iconic Glow' grille surround might be a step too far for some, but overall the iX has aged well and its exterior design hasn’t changed much because of that.

The adaptive LED headlights have new DRL elements, and the M Sport pack is now standard, but if you were only casually familiar with the iX you’d have to be looking closely to spot the update.

The new colour palette for the iX also includes the pictured 'Arctic Race Blue metallic', though I’m personally a fan of the iX in all black, giving it a more monolithic look.

Inside, it’s a similar story - what was once perhaps ahead of its time is now the expectation in an electric SUV. Minimalism in terms of physical controls, but plenty of space.

Helping the feeling of spaciousness is the now-standard panoramic sunroof, though a lack of physical shade is one of the iX’s few interior let-downs. Instead, it can electrochromatically ‘shade’, which still lets in plenty of light.

At night, ambient lighting joins the glow of the iX’s rather large 14.9-inch multimedia touchscreen and 12.3-inch driver display.

Ian Callum. Jaguar’s design director for 20 years, from 1999 to 2019, evolved the brand’s look and feel from traditional and conservative, to cool and contemporary, without throwing the heritage baby out with the new design bath water.

The E-Pace will be one of the last Jaguars to emerge under his full-time direction (Callum remains a consultant to Jaguar) and at the time of its global launch in 2018 he was keen to highlight the car’s gender neutrality, summing it up as, “Not too genteel; muscular and curvaceous at the same time.”

And it’s hard to argue the point. The E-Pace follows the distinctive Jaguar design template set in place by breakthrough models like the F-Type sports car, and larger F-Pace SUV.

At just under 4.4 metres long the E-Pace is smaller than mainstream medium SUVs like the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4, but it’s appreciably wider, giving it a broad footprint and athletic stance.

Ultra short front and rear overhangs, and black 19-inch, five-spoke alloy rims enhance that impression, at the same time highlighting a relatively lengthy 2681mm wheelbase.

The Chequered Flag’s dark mesh grilles across the nose, and long tapered LED headlights, complete with ‘J-blade’ LED DRLs around their outer edges, create a recognisably feline face, with dark accenting on the fender grilles and window surrounds adding an extra air of intensity.

A raked, almost coupe-style roofline, tapered side glass, and broad haunches combine to accentuate the E-Pace’s dynamic look, the long, slim, horizontal tail-lights and fat chrome-tipped exhaust outlets both current Jaguar hallmarks.

The interior feels as tightly wrapped and carefully designed as the exterior with the instruments, media screen and key controls clearly oriented towards the driver.

In fact, a specific defining edge sweeps down from the top of the dashboard, around the centre stack and across the console to form a flying buttress barrier (complete with left-side grab handle) between the driver and front passenger.

And if you’re still associating Jags with walnut veneer interiors, think again. An understated ‘Noble Chrome’ finish is used to highlight the gearshift surround, instrument panel, and other details across the dash and doors. 

The upright sports gearshifter is a distinct departure from the rotary controller used in older Jaguar models, yet according to Jaguar, the beautifully tactile front ventilation dials were inspired by the rings of a classic Leica camera lens.

The space on offer in both rows of the iX is a huge plus, and it might even be enough to make you look past some of the small downsides to the electric Bimmer’s interior.

The iX’s clever two-level central console has the phone charger pad and drinks holders down out of the way and means you can put distractions (phone) and your tall bottles out of the way. There's a slot above for your phone to sit upright with a gap under for charging, too.

The storage bin under the armrest also has plenty of space as well as a little shelf for smaller items you don't want to go hunting for, but the iX’s control panel and dial are still reflective and, at certain times of the day, this means distracting light getting in your eyes. 

Speaking of distracting, I have found BMW’s multimedia software to be less intuitive and more complicated with each major update, and ‘OS 8.5’ is no different. At this point, using the brand’s touchscreen feels like operating an iPad on the move, with dozens of menu tiles to sort through.

But back to the physical space that is the iX’s interior - the big EV makes a lot of sense as a family car, especially if your kids are old enough to appreciate (and keep clean) the fit and finish.

Not only does the drive have a nicely adjustable and comfortable sports seat thanks to the M Sport pack, there's also heating and a massage function.

The front passenger gets the same, and the second row is borderline palatial. There's heaps of kneeroom, headroom, and even space under the front seats at their lowest setting to slot your feet.

The four-zone climate controls mean arguments are avoided, there is of course a central armrest, though even with it folded up and a person in the centre there's enough room in the back to be comfortable. 

Behind that, the iX’s 500 litres of boot space could probably be expanded but at the expense of rear legroom, so it's acceptable. There is space under the floor for cables, but no space saver spare, just a repair kit.

There's a switch that allows you to fold the seats down from the tailgate, but you can also manually fold the middle seat for a 40/20/40 split rather than the more expected 60/40.

For a car measuring less than 4.4 metres between its bumpers, a 2681mm wheelbase is lengthy, and interior space is also enhanced thanks to the E-Pace’s broad beam and relative height.

Somehow the front part of the cabin feels cozy and spacious at the same time, this strange dichotomy created by the steeply sloping dash and centre console increasing the feeling of space, yet keeping key controls and storage options within easy reach. 

Speaking of which, front seaters are provided with a generous lidded storage box/sliding armrest between the seats (housing two USB-A ports, a micro SIM slot, and 12V outlet), two full-size cupholders in the centre console (with a smartphone slot between them), a loose items tray ahead of the gearshifter, a sizeable glove box, an overhead sunglasses holder and big door bins with enough room for large bottles. 

Special note on the centre storage box. The space extends forward, a long way under the console, so a pair of 1.0-litre bottles can be laid down flat, with plenty of space still on top. And a net pocket on the underside of the lid is great for small, loose items.

Move to the back, and again, despite the E-Pace’s diminutive size accommodation is good. Sitting behind the driver’s seat, set for my 183cm (6.0ft) position, I enjoyed plenty of leg and headroom, even with the inclusion of a standard glass sunroof. 

Shoulder room is pretty handy, too. And backseaters are provided with a lidded storage box and two cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest, netted pockets on the front seatbacks, and useful door bins, with enough room for standard bottles. There are also adjustable centre air vents housed with a 12V outlet and a trio of storage hidey holes.

Cargo space is another plus for the compact E-Pace, offering 577 litres with the 60/40 split-fold rear seat up, expanding to a substantial 1234 litres with it folded down. 

Multiple tie-down anchor points are helpful for securing loads, there are handy bag hooks either side, as well as a 12V outlet on the passenger side, and a netted bay behind the driver’s side wheel tub. A power tailgate is also a welcome inclusion.

Towing capacity is 1800kg for a braked trailer (750kg unbraked) and a ‘Trailer Stability Assist’ system is standard, although a tow hitch receiver will set you back an extra $730. A steel space spare sits under the cargo floor.

At $63,600, before on-road costs the Jaguar E-Pace Chequered Flag P250 lines up against a formidable bunch of Euro and Japanese compact SUV competitors, like the Audi Q3 40 TFSI Quattro S Line ($61,900), BMW X1 xDrive25i ($64,900), Lexus NX300 F Sport ($61,700), Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 4Matic ($63,000), and Range Rover Evoque P200 S ($62,670). All tough nuts to crack, and all AWD, except the FWD Lexus.

And when you’ve entered the $60K bracket it’s fair to expect a lengthy list of standard features, and aside from the safety and powertrain tech detailed in the Safety and Driving sections, the top-of-the-pyramid Chequered Flag grade delivers a fixed panoramic glass sunroof, grained leather seat trim (with contrast stitching), 10-way adjustable heated electric sports front seats, dual-zone climate control, and a 10-inch ‘Touch Pro’ multimedia screen (with swipe, pinch and zoom control), managing audio (including digital radio), Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, sat nav, and more.

Other boxes ticked include the ‘Black Exterior Pack’, adaptive cruise control, 19-inch alloy wheels, heated and power-folding door mirrors (with approach lights), rain-sensing wipers, auto LED headlights, LED DRLs, fog lights (front and rear), and tail-lights, a power tailgate, ‘Ebony’ headlining, ‘R-Dynamic’ leather steering wheel, black gearshift paddles, keyless entry and start, ‘Chequered Flag’ metal scuff plates, and bright metal pedals. 

Our ‘Photon Red’ test example was also optioned with a head-up display ($1630), Meridian audio ($1270), privacy glass ($690), and rear animated directional indicators ($190).

In fact, the Jaguar E-Pace options list is stuffed with individual features and packs, but the standard fit-out delivers good value in terms of the asking price and category competition. 

The iX has, as the xDrive part of its name would suggest, a dual-motor electric set-up with all-wheel drive. 

Power and torque now total 300kW and 700Nm for the system in the xDrive45 M Sport, up from the 240kW and 630Nm on offer in the outgoing xDrive40.

BMW says the iX is now good to hit 100km/h from a standstill in 5.1 seconds, with its claimed top speed a nice, rounded 200km/h.

The E-Pace Chequered Flag P250 is powered by a 2.0-litre, turbo-petrol version of Jaguar Land Rover’s modular ‘Ingenium’ engine, based on multiples of the same 500cc cylinder design.

This ‘AJ200’ unit features an aluminium block and head with cast iron cylinder liners, direct injection, electro-hydraulically-controlled variable intake and exhaust valve lift,  and a single, twin-scroll turbo. It produces 183kW at 5500rpm, and 365Nm from 1300-4500rpm. 

Drive goes to all four wheels via a (ZF-sourced) nine-speed automatic transmission, and an 'Active Driveline’ all-wheel drive system. With a default rear axle bias, it constantly monitors driving conditions, updating torque distribution every 10 milliseconds.

Two independent, electronically-controlled (wet-plate) clutches distribute drive between the rear wheels, the system able to send 100 per cent of that torque to either rear wheel if required.

The iX’s 94.8kWh battery allows a range up to 522km, but relatively low efficiency because of the size and weight.

Its 20kWh/100km is on the higher side of power use for cars around this size and this is part of the reason its huge battery capacity results in a fairly average driving range.

Maximum power input for DC fast charging is, however, up from 150kW to 175kW with the update, which is good news for those long drives.

Claimed fuel economy for the combined (ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban) cycle is 7.7 litres/100kmL/100km, the Chequered Flag P250 emitting 174g/km of CO2 in the process.

In our week with the car, over close to 150km of city, suburban and freeway conditions (including a cheeky B-road run) we recorded an average of 12.0L/100km, which is getting up there for a compact SUV. That number equates to a real-world range of 575km.

And it’s worth noting that despite the use of lightweight aluminium for key body panel and suspension components, at a touch over 1.8 tonnes the E-Pace is line ball for kerb weight with its larger F-Pace sibling.

Minimum fuel requirement is 95 RON premium unleaded, and you’ll need 69 litres of it to fill the tank.

The BMW iX was a relatively early entry into the catalogue of electric cars I’ve driven and because of that it had a couple of (in hindsight) unfair criticisms levelled at it.

For a start, it felt heavier than expected and its ride quality didn’t feel up to BMW’s standards - both things that plenty of electric SUVs have struggled with since.

But its drivetrain, design, and interior all impressed, aside from perhaps some of the aforementioned interior reflections.

Now years on, and the iX has aged well.

Some of the mechanicals and suspension also copped a tweak along with the entry iX now being a more powerful ‘45’. The result is a big electric SUV that holds up better than I remember.

‘Smooth’ is the key word that comes to mind in regards to a lot of the iX’s characteristics. While it’s still not perfect and feels heavy, the iX rides well in comparison to many SUVs on the market, including some of its close rivals.

Perhaps key to this is the fact its standard 21-inch wheels leave plenty of tyre to help the suspension soak up sharp edges on bumps, while we’re sure BMW’s handling engineers have learned more about getting the best out of a big, heavy electric vehicle in the last couple of years.

Road noise is well-muted as a result, and the shape of the iX doesn’t seem to lend itself to excessive wind noise. Even when you’re getting rather quick.

Despite being a 2525kg beast, its 5.1-second sprint to 100km/h is in the muscle car realm - the last of Holden’s V8 Commodores would do about that, for reference.

Its acceleration is also nicely progressive, rather than giving you an almighty but unnecessary jolt of torque right as you put your foot down. But once there’s traction and you’re rolling, the xDrive45 is impressive.

Meanwhile, its cornering and braking still reveal the heft behind the iX, it’s not something you can chuck around like a go-kart, but that’s also not really its area.

Anyone familiar with BMW’s steering characteristics will find the slightly higher force required for its weight (and thickness of the steering wheel rim) standard, though it’s still unnecessarily on the heavier side.

The E-Pace’s bonnet, front guards, roof, tailgate and key suspension components may be made of weight-saving alloy, but this chunky little SUV still tips the scales at a sturdy 1832kg. Nonetheless, Jaguar claims the Chequered Flag P250 will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 7.1sec, which is quick, if not blindingly so.

The 2.0-litre twin-scroll turbo-petrol engine delivers a solid block of (peak) torque (365Nm) from just 1300rpm all the way to 4500rpm, which combined with no less than nine auto gear ratios means healthy mid-range punch is always available.

The transmission’s adaptive shift system reads the way you’re driving to tailor its behaviour accordingly, and it works well. But shifting gears manually via the wheel-mounted paddles adds to the fun and accuracy.

Thing is, despite being finished in racy black, the paddles themselves are plastic which feels ordinary and is a letdown in an otherwise high-end environment. 

Suspension is strut front, ‘integral’ multi-link rear, and ride quality is surprisingly cushy for a high-riding car of this size. No tricky active dampers here, just a well-engineered set-up tuned to cope with a variety of conditions.

That said, the ‘JaguarDrive Control’ system offers four modes - ‘Normal’, ‘Dynamic’, ‘Eco’ and ‘Rain/Ice/Snow’ - tweaking things like the steering, throttle response, transmission shifts, stability control, torque vectoring, and AWD system.

Dynamic is the sweet spot, buttoning everything down just a little tighter, without any major effect on refinement, the car remaining quiet and composed even when driver enthusiasm starts to take the upper hand. 

The variable ratio ‘Speed proportional’ electrically-assisted steering is nicely weighted and points nicely, but road feel is mediocre. On the flip side, the torque vectoring system, which uses the brakes to put the squeeze on a wheel breaking traction in cornering, works seamlessly. 

Brakes are 349mm vented discs at the front and 300mm solid rotors at the rear, and although they arrest the car well enough, initial pedal feel is ‘grabby’, especially at slow speeds. It’s a challenge to grease your pedal application to the point where the effect goes away.

Under the heading of General Notes, the ergonomic layout is hard to fault with super clear instruments and user-friendly switchgear, but the ‘Ebony’ headlining darkens the interior too much. Even though the huge (standard) glass sunroof lets in a lot of light, we’d prefer the lighter ‘Ebony’ shade available on other E-Pace grades (but not this one).

Speaking of the interior, the sports front seats are grippy yet comfortable on longer runs, and their (standard) heating is a big plus on chilly mornings, the (21:9) wide format hi-res media screen is a pleasure to use, and the level of quality and attention to detail all around the cabin is impressive.

The Jaguar E-Pace received a maximum five-star ANCAP assessment in 2017, and boasts a solid roster of active and passive safety technology.

To help you avoid a crash, there are the expected features like ABS, BA, and EBD, as well as stability and traction controls. While more recent innovations like AEB (city, interurban, and high-speed, with pedestrian and cyclist detection), blind-spot assist, adaptive cruise control (with ‘Queue Assist’), ‘Emergency Brake Light’, lane keeping assist, park assist, and rear cross-traffic alert, are also included in the Chequered Flag spec.

A reversing camera, a ‘Driver condition monitor’, and ‘Trailer Stability Assist’ are also standard, but a 360-degree surround camera ($210), and tyre pressure monitoring ($580) are options.

If an impact is unavoidable six airbags are located inside (dual front, front side, and full-length curtain), while a pedestrian protection system features an active bonnet that lifts in a pedestrian impact to provide greater clearance from hard parts in the engine bay, and a specific airbag to offer greater protection at the base of the windscreen. 

There are also three top tether points for baby capsules/child restraints across the rear seats, with ISOFIX anchors in the two outer positions.

BMW offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with an eight-year/160,000km warranty on the battery.

BMW servicing takes place as needed rather than on a schedule, meaning you’ll be alerted via the car or app when a service is required in the near future.

For the iX a six-year all-inclusive service pack costs $3475, regardless of how many km you drive.

BMW has 54 servicing dealers listed in Australia, with each capital city covered and many more locations in the eastern states.

Jaguar’s three-year/100,000km warranty, is well off the mainstream pace, which is five-years/unlimited km, with some brands at seven years. And even in the luxury segment, newcomer Genesis, and the most established of them all, Mercedes-Benz, have recently dialled up the pressure with the offer of a five year/unlimited km warranty. 

Extended Warranty Insurance is available for 12 or 24 months, up to 200,000km.

Service is scheduled every 12 months/26,000km, and a ‘Jaguar Service Plan’ is available for a maximum five years/102,000km, for $1950, which also includes five years roadside assistance.