What's the difference?
Jaguar raised more than a few eyebrows in 2016 when it entered the rapidly expanding world of premium SUVs with the mid-size F-Pace. And the product development boffins at Coventry HQ liked it so much they cooked up another one.
The compact E-Pace (and subsequent electric I-Pace) has re-positioned the brand from luxury sedans, wagons, and performance sports cars, to all that with SUVs now leading the brand and product charge.
The F-Pace is a beautifully composed five-seater. Does this smaller E-Pace package deliver even more good things?
There’s no shortage of models to choose from if you’re after a family-friendly medium SUV. The problem is, it might take a while to get your hands on one, with lengthy wait times for some of the best sellers due to current delays caused by a global parts shortage and supply chain dramas.
But there are a handful of models with healthy stock in dealerships right now and available for immediate delivery. One of them is the Renault Koleos.
It's coming to the end of its life cycle and lacks the shine of some of its fresher rivals, but it’s a lot of car for the money.
We spent a week with the limited edition Koleos Black Edition to see if it is worth a trip to your Renault dealer, or if you should sit tight and wait for one of its newer rivals.
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.
To be fair to Renault, when the second-generation Koleos launched in 2016, it was a competitive offering. The problem is, a bunch of medium SUV rivals have been replaced in that time and some of them - Toyota RAV4, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5 and Hyundai Tucson, to name a few - are high-quality offerings with an engaging drive and the latest tech and in-car features.
Unfortunately, that leaves the Koleos towards the rear of the medium SUV pack.
It offers solid value-for-money, handles reasonably well and is still one the best-looking SUVs on the road. But beyond that, the Koleos can’t keep pace with those top-notch rivals.