A used Jaguar I-Pace looks like a steal, and it is if you get a good one – tread carefully, though, because that cheap dream Jag can quickly turn into an expensive nightmare
Get beyond the Old Testament narrative that full-electrification has been Jaguar’s death knell, and you’ll quickly discover that the 1,000bhp, Type 01 GT isn’t the first EV to be produced by the ‘Big Cat’.
In fact, that accolade goes to the Jaguar I-Pace, which debuted in 2018 and remained on sale until it was culled in 2024. It did quite well, too, shifting 25,000 units in the UK alone, and a total of around 70,000 globally.
Hardly killing the brand or a sales disaster, right?
When it arrived, the I-Pace was a groundbreaking proposition in the still fairly young EV market, thanks to a powerful twin-motor setup wrapped up in a futuristic body comprising 94% aluminium to keep weight down.
The I-Pace underwent a mid-life facelift in 2021, which introduced a sharper design and new tech including 11kW AC charging and a PiviPro infotainment system.
However, that was as much effort as Jaguar was willing to put into supporting its impressive first EV, and towards the end of its life, the I-Pace began to lose ground to the likes of the Tesla Model Y, the Skoda Enyaq, and the Kia EV6 in terms of range and charging speed. Moreover, reliability became a particular bugbear, particularly in relation to the battery.
Nonetheless, choose wisely, and a used Jaguar I-Pace should return plenty of happy zero-emissions miles and makes for a great value, left-field choice. And at the end of the day, you’ll drive a Jaaaaaaag – a cool, non-Brexity one, too.
Jaguar I-Pace UK history
The Jaguar I-Pace arrived on UK shores in March 2018, and was priced from £58,995 for the entry-level S trim. Jag’s first foray into the EV world was an immediate hit, and was praised for its “entertaining handling” and high-quality, classy cabin.
In fact, it was even described as “the best electric car on sale today” and crowned ‘World Car of the Year’ by the motoring media.
To attract new buyers, Jaguar kept things simple with the I-Pace’s powertrain. Each model was powered by a dual-motor setup generating 394bhp paired with a 90kWh battery delivering up to 292 miles of range.
In 2021, the I-Pace underwent a mid-life facelift.
In terms of tech updates, Jaguar added wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an entirely new PiviPro infotainment system, along with a ClearSight digital rear-view mirror, and a 3D surround reversing camera. Slow ‘AC’ charging was also improved from 7kW to 11kW.
Externally, cars from 2021 and beyond came with an Atlas Grey ‘grille’ in place of the textured panel on previous cars, while the Jaguar logo was changed from red to monochrome.
Atlas Grey was also added to the air vent blades on the outer edge of the front bumper, while the gloss black finish on the front bumper, lower door trims, and rear diffuser was dropped in favour of a matching body colour.
Sadly, Jaguar appeared to forget about the car after this point and it never received the technical upgrades it needed to stay competitive.
Used Jaguar I-Pace equipment
Jaguar kept things relatively simple with the I-Pace’s trim levels, with just three – Entry-level S, mid-level SE, and range-topping HSE.
As standard kit, the S came with LED headlights, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with a DAB radio, plus a rear-view camera, lane-keeping assist, and traffic sign recognition.
The SE increased the wheel size from 18 to 20 inches, and added adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, heated front seats, and an electric tailgate. A set of optional 19-inch wheels was also available as a way of striking a sweet spot between range and looks
At the top of the Jaguar I-Pace tree sat the HSE. Inside, it came with heated and cooled front seats, and the rear seats were also heated. Matrix LED headlights were fitted, and the 20-inch wheels could be upgraded to 22-inchers as an option.
In 2023, Jaguar added the performance-focused ‘R Dynamic’ trim to the I-Pace range. Akin to Audi’s S-Line or BMW’s M-Sport packages, it ushered in a series of aesthetic changes inside and out.
R Dynamic I-Pace models introduced a gloss black grille, plus matching bumpers, sideskirts, and a discreet rear spoiler. Standard-fit air suspension, along with 22-inch black alloys, were also part of the package.
Inside, the Jaguar I-Pace R Dynamic was fitted with slimline performance seats trimmed in Windsor leather. As well as being heated and ventilated up front, the seats were also adjustable 14 ways.
Overall, the I-Pace’s cabin is a nice place – the materials are of a high quality, and the seats are considered supportive and well positioned.
However, pre-2021 facelift cars come with the Touch Pro Duo infotainment system, which is slower than its PiviPro successor, and has been criticised for being laggy and confusing to use: A case in point is its split-screen layout, which split infotainment between its top half and climate control down below.
Later cars fitted with PiviPro adopted a simpler layout, and benefited from over-the-air (OTA) updates. The system was universally praised for its crisp graphics, smartphone-like interface, and quicker processor.
It came with a Google built-in style navigation system that would calculate the distance and duration of a trip based on battery charge. PivoPro would also factor in charging stops if necessary, and display charger availability, cost, and estimated charging time…
… and that was before Google built-in became a thing.
Price, range, and running costs
A used Jaguar I-Pace can be found for around the £10,000 mark, but it’ll be a pre-facelift car without the updated infotainment system and exterior.
As always, we’d recommend buying from an approved dealer and buying the best car you can afford. We scoured the Jaguar UK website and found 30 used I-Paces. The cheapest was a 2020 car (69 plate) with 34,927 miles on the clock. Meanwhile, the most expensive was a 2024 model (23 plate) priced at £41,494 and with a total mileage of 4,275 miles.
To find a happy medium between what’s up-to-date and what’s affordable, we would suggest setting aside a budget of around £20,000.
Given there is just one battery choice available – the 90kWh unit – the I-Pace will cost from just £6.30 to charge from 0-100% at home with a dedicated overnight EV charging tariff.
When out and about, the price of using the public charging network will fluctuate wildly. Nonetheless, don’t expect it to be anywhere near as cheap as charging at home.
Charging is also an area where the I-Pace lags behind newer rivals. With a maximum charging speed of 100kW, a 10-80% top-up takes 40 to 50 minutes, which is now medieval in EV terms. Meanwhile, a full charge will take 13 hours with a 7kW home charger, while an 11kW AC charger cuts that time to nine hours.
On April 1, 2025, EVs became taxable under new government legislation, meaning they are no longer exempt from road tax. All-electric cars registered from April 1, 2017, onwards will now be taxed £200 annually. Jaguar recommends a full service every two years or 21,000 miles. Cost estimates sit at around £200.
Jaguar I-Pace insurance
The I-Pace comes with a premium badge, so expect to pay premium insurance prices. Jag’s OG EV falls under insurance groups 47, 49, and 50 from 50, with owners online describing quotes as “insane”.
Expect to pay anything from £950 to around £3,000 depending on your I-Pace’s model year, trim level, along with where you live and your driving record. As with most ‘early’ EVs, the cost for replacement parts is also high.
Used Jaguar I-Pace reliability, official recalls, and faults to look for
Like any ‘proper’ Jag, the I-Pace isn’t famed for its reliability and, for the most part, the battery sat at the heart of issues.
Cars built from 2019 to 2021 suffered battery thermal overload, which was addressed via Jaguar issuing an OTA update that limited charging capacity from 78% to 80%. Nonetheless, the car was still recalled and frustrated owners were unable to use the car to its full.
Battery condensation could lead to internal corrosion, plus 12V battery issues and problems surrounding high-voltage insulation forced the car into safe mode, rendering it undrivable.
Beyond the battery, customers cited water ingress, cracking bodyshells, plus braking transition delay and a loss of brake pedal feel as additional problems. From 2019 to 2024, the I-Pace underwent four recalls for battery thermal overload, battery fires (twice), and incorrectly mounted or manufactured seat frame assemblies.
The ‘one to have’
Buying an early I-Pace and having a Jaguar on your driveway for around £10k is a tempting proposition, but cheap Jaguars often have a way of becoming very expensive in the long-term, and, to be honest, we’d advise against it.
If you can, make the effort to find a post-2021 car – it’ll be a much better bet in terms of reliability and tech.
Entry-level S cars will have all the kit you need, but the 18-inch wheels make it look a bit awkward.
Mid-tier SE models get bigger wheels and look better. What’s more, they come with heated seats, and they’re a bit of a dealbreaker once you’ve had them. The HSE, however, comes with anti-dazzle matrix LED headlights. Given we’re big on being considerate to our fellow motorists, that’s the one we’d have.
