I collected my new i-Pace HSE yesterday and although I've not yet had much of a chance to drive it (30 miles so far) I am really impressed. Initial thoughts are as follows:
Good Points:
- Instant acceleration is a game change when driving around a busy city centre and needing to force into gaps
- The interior is (mostly) well laid out and has a genuinely premium feel to it
- Configurability of all the screens is great
- Menus are largely intuitive and although there is some lag it is vastly improved from other JLR products I've owned
- Charging is very straight forward
- Sound system is pretty good
- Smart Climate is a nice touch and something I've wanted for a long time
- ApplePlay is brilliant
- Artificial sound is gimmicky but I like it
- Bonnet storage is perfect for the charging cable which is useful
- Steering wheel is great (so many car makers get it wrong)
Bad Points:
- Would be useful to be able to set the side camera option as a quick setting on the steering wheel
- Gear selector buttons and hazard warning button are from the original XF and feel cheap
- Climate dials feel very cheap and are not intuitive
- Gap in the bottom of the centre console is asking for a Cup Holder, I could then use the tray cup-holder cover for my phone
- There should be a designed cable route for phone charging cables from the armrest though to where the phone sits in the cupholder slot
- Cupholders do not have the same quality feel as much of the interior
Overall I'm really pleased and being super-picky, but the bad points would be so easy to fix which is always frustrating. Really looking forward to driving this car on some longer journeys and having the chance to have a proper play.
Good Points:
- Instant acceleration is a game change when driving around a busy city centre and needing to force into gaps
- The interior is (mostly) well laid out and has a genuinely premium feel to it
- Configurability of all the screens is great
- Menus are largely intuitive and although there is some lag it is vastly improved from other JLR products I've owned
- Charging is very straight forward
- Sound system is pretty good
- Smart Climate is a nice touch and something I've wanted for a long time
- ApplePlay is brilliant
- Artificial sound is gimmicky but I like it
- Bonnet storage is perfect for the charging cable which is useful
- Steering wheel is great (so many car makers get it wrong)
Bad Points:
- Would be useful to be able to set the side camera option as a quick setting on the steering wheel
- Gear selector buttons and hazard warning button are from the original XF and feel cheap
- Climate dials feel very cheap and are not intuitive
- Gap in the bottom of the centre console is asking for a Cup Holder, I could then use the tray cup-holder cover for my phone
- There should be a designed cable route for phone charging cables from the armrest though to where the phone sits in the cupholder slot
- Cupholders do not have the same quality feel as much of the interior
Overall I'm really pleased and being super-picky, but the bad points would be so easy to fix which is always frustrating. Really looking forward to driving this car on some longer journeys and having the chance to have a proper play.