Overview
Audi E-Tron vs Jaguar I-Pace – In today’s clash of titans, we have two beloved cars located in Europe. Both of them come from luxurious car brands, with over 100 years of existence. If you missed the title, we’re talking about Audi E-Tron Sportback 55 2022 vs Jaguar I-Pace EV400 2022. Both models bring similar performances, with one having a little sportier feel. The little differences between the two are what will infuse confidence in the buyer’s choice.
Exterior, First impressions
The 2022 Audi E-Tron does not deviate from its looks when compared to the previous generations. It looks good, but it’s more inclined towards a traditional mid-size luxury SUV. Virtual exterior mirrors give it a more premium feel, as well as the button that opens the charging port. It automatically dismounts, a feature not many EVs offer. What has changed in 2022 with Audi E-Tron is mainly the option packages and newly designed 21-inch wheels. The top-spec option is called Chronos Edition, and it offers a lot, from LED matrix headlights, S-line exterior bits highlighted with Chronos Gray to gray ash wood interior and so on.
In comparison to E-Tron, Jaguar I-Pace undoubtedly feels like a car from the future. Or perhaps Mars. It has got sharper trims, the frame of the car sits low, but it has heightened seats. A squared-off rear end might scare away some buyers. But we definitely look at it as a feature. Compared to its previous generation, 2022 Jag offers a 360-degree camera system, a new infotainment system, a feature that calculates the nearest place where you can charge the car, and a few other features.
Driving, battery, range
Audi E-Tron consists of two electric motors, one at the front axle and one at the rear. Together they produce all-wheel drive, but most of the heavy work gets transferred to the rear motor. When the transmission is in Sport mode, E-Tron offers 402 horsepower. On a test that caranddriver.com had with this vehicle, they were disappointed that the regenerative braking system wasn’t aggressive enough to allow one-pedal driving. Acceleration of the Audi also lacks to that compared of the I-Pace. This is partly due to the weight of 2590kg (5819lbs).
Audi has a 95kWh battery that’s mounted to the floor, like most EVs. Due to its size, though, the car sits a little higher. Air suspension is standard, with different drive mode options: Offroad, Allroad, Comfort, Auto Efficiency and Dynamic. WLTP’s tests estimate this car’s range at 280 miles (km), but real-world examples put it in the ballpark of around 220 miles. This vehicle offers up to 150kW rapid charging rates. Although there are only a handful of 150kW public chargers, if you were to find one, you could charge this car from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes.
The I-Pace also comes with a dual electric motor system, powering all wheels. It packs 394 horsepower, but that does not mean it is less powerful than the Audi. In fact, this model is around 300 kg lighter than the Audi, with 2245kg (4951lbs) total weight. Due to its powerful acceleration and seamless integration between the dual motors, I-Pace also takes a win in 0 to 60mph metrics. Per tests from autoexpress.co.uk, it takes Jaguar 4.4 sec to reach 60mph from a dead-stop, compared to Audi’s 5.4 seconds. This is a huge difference, and it gives you a sense of the agility this SUV has.
On the paper, Jaguar does have less usable battery energy compared to the Audi’s, at 90kWh. Still, the weight difference and its drag coefficient of 0,29Cd allow it to have a greater range. Per WLTP driving range, this car can cover up to 290 miles (470km) on a full charge. Real-world examples from a few different tests give it an average of around 250 miles, which is still not bad for a car of such dimensions. Where I-Pace falls behind is its rapid charging capabilities. E-Tron accepts up to 150kW DC charging, while I-Pace can go only up to 100kW charging.
Infotainment and tech
When we compare the total screen real estate between both models, Audi E-Tron comes out on top. It’s got a 12-inch Virtual Cockpit (Audi’s name for the driver’s display), 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 8.8-inch climate control screen under it. Besides all those screens, it also has surround-view cameras, heated electric leather seats, 10 speaker stereo, and 2-zone climate control. With different packages, the customer can choose his preferences. The car also has a head-up display and optional massaging front seats. Adaptive cruise control and self-parking assist are a standard.
Jaguar I-Pace changed the pace(no pun intended) and went with a more bold look, in our opinion. The interior feels like a dashboard from a high luxury yacht, featuring 1-speed direct-drive transmission along with heated and cooled leather seats. Air suspension is optional, though, and it costs an extra $1500. It has a head-up display, driver’s 12.3-inch screen, 10-inch infotainment system and a lower 5-inch touchscreen used primarily for climate control settings.
Things to keep in mind
Audi is the larger vehicle of the two. The I-Pace’s boot is only four liters lower than the Audi’s, so it’s dismissible. A powered tailgate is included as standard equipment on both models. Back seat passengers will find more legroom in Audi, as it is 9 inches longer than its competitor. With that in mind, I-Pace is 3 inches wider.
Jaguar features a performance technology called torque vectoring by braking. Taken from the website jaguarwestchester.com, this is what the system does:
- Vehicle sensors continuously monitor the distribution of torque, using data like vehicle speed, steering angle, wheel speed, lateral G forces, and yaw rate.
- The system automatically balances the distribution of torque.
- To do this, the brakes are carefully applied to the inside wheels during a turn.
- As a result, greater torque is channeled to the outside wheels.
Simplified, this means that accelerating at high speeds happens more smoothly, due to the automatic brakes that balance the torque distribution. It makes this car a little safer to drive, at high speeds.
Pricing
The entry-level ‘Premium’ Audi E-Tron starts at $66,995. If you decide to go for a higher package, you can choose one of the two versions: Premium Plus starting at $74,800, or the highest Chronos Edition, starting at $83,400.
What sets apart Premium Plus from the entry Premium model are:
- ambient interior lights
- eight-way power front seats, heated and ventilated with 4-way power lumbar and driver memory
- Matrix-design LED Headlights
- Bang & Olufsen 3D Premium Sound System
We do like the price point of the entry-level model though.
There is less optionality with the Jaguar. The previously top-of-the-line HSE trim is now the only version that is available. Although we like the optionality that Audi has, I-Pace is $11,000 cheaper than its predecessor, with a starting price that’s almost on the same level, as the previous base model. We’re talking about the price of $70,950. Definitely not a car that will be affordable to the bigger public, but Jaguar has never been deemed as a basic or boring car maker.
Verdict
There is no arguing that both vehicles have a lot to offer. Performance-wise, in almost all instances Jaguar came on top, therefore we have to acknowledge it. Some of these were minor, and some weren’t. We also have to keep in mind that Jaguar I-Pace created its first all-electric model in 2019, while Audi lagged behind, with its first model in 2020.
Our winner for this comparison is Jaguar I-Pace 400, but we highly encourage you to visit websites for both of these cars, to find out more about them. Links are down below.
https://www.jaguarusa.com/all-models/i-pace/index.html
https://www.audiusa.com/us/web/en/models/e-tron/e-tron/2022/overview.html
And if you liked the comparison, consider checking out some of the others that we published here.
