Test drive BMW X1, Jaguar E-Pace and VW Tiguan: three compact SUVs

Is the new British SUV better than the elite German competitors?

Jaguar, he already intervenes in the competition of elite compact models of SUVs and with its inherent stylistic restraint acquired an appearance suitable for high society. But in this class, it's not enough just to be elegant. So let's find out if the E-Pace is that good and beautiful, in a comparison test with the BMW X1 and VW Tiguan.

"Get up, scatter his enemies and crush them!" To confuse their ideas, to thwart their fraudulent plans ... "We especially like this with the" fraudulent plans ", how could it not be included in the national anthem! Who else but the United Kingdom can do this? And why are we quoting E-Pace and its first comparative test verses from God Save the King? Good to know where he is from. Although Jaguar was developed in the UK due to congested production facilities on the island, Jaguar manufactures compact SUVs at its Magna Steyr plant in Austria, in the heart of the European Union. That way, after Brexit, they won't have to worry about Jaguar's tax returns.

However, we have to state what it's like to drive an E-Pace. To do this, let's compare it with the installation in the class - BMW X1 and VW Tiguan. All three entrants have strong Euro 6 diesels, dual transmissions, automatic transmissions – and lofty ambitions.

Jaguar: Does he set the pace?

Cathedrals aside, it's easy to get the impression that Austria is the right place for a model SUV, at least as described in the national anthem: "Land of mountains, land of rivers, land of fields, land of cathedrals, land of hammers." Hammers? Abe, it's working. At the very least, we can make the transition to the thesis that with the E-Pace, Jaguar is preparing to strike at its competitors. It is designed for "active families", according to press materials.

Which probably does not allow us to draw the opposite conclusion that other models of the brand are more suitable for homeowners. Rather, it must ensure that the 4,40 meter long E-Pace offers ample room for active mountain / field / river activities. However, sports equipment should not be too bulky, as the elegance of the rear line is a barrier to greater transport capacity. The boot capacity is 425 liters, which is about 20 percent less than the X1 and Tiguan.

At the same time, there are fewer transformations here: the backrest folds in half - and that's it. It seems to be a lack of ambition compared to rivals whose rear seats can slide, their backs fold into three parts and are adjustable for tilt. And for really long loads, even the back of the driver's seat can be folded horizontally.

And to accommodate passengers, the E-Pace has more limited space - in the back seat, five centimeters less in front of the legs and six less overhead than in the BMW model. The front of the car provides a more intense sense of intimate comfort and, despite its high position (67 cm above the road), allows the driver to dive deep into the cab. This at first glance seems rather aristocratic; Leather upholstery is standard on the Jaguar, while the S version adds an infotainment system and touch-screen navigation. But there is no special care in finishing - the rubber seals along the edges of the doors look loose, the hinges are almost not covered, a cable hangs from the back cover.

And in terms of the quality of the infotainment system, it would be nice to put in more effort. All function control and voice input with concepts require a lot of attention and patience. Auxiliary systems must be configured in the on-board computer menu using the buttons on the steering wheel. This way, the collision warning system will never get rid of the hysteria.

“It's the little things,” Jaguar fans will exclaim. Yes, but there are quite a few of them. But we agree that what matters most is how the E-Pace drives and behaves on the road. It uses the platform and engine of the group's cousins, the Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Discovery Sport, so under the hood is a transverse engine that, in the basic version, drives the front wheels. For the more powerful diesel variant, the more sophisticated of the two dual transmission systems is offered. On weaker versions, if the front axle slips, one plate clutch engages the rear drive, while the D240 has two clutches that can direct more torque to the outside wheel in the corner (torque vectoring) to reduce the tendency to understeer and to improve manageability.

Sounds smart in theory, but it works at an average level on the road. Because ESP stops the E-Pace so early and for so long that it is already cornering at low speeds before the torque is distributed. A little more power would be welcome here, because this car loves to turn. This is probably only due to the elastic steering system. It may not be as precise as VW's and not as comprehensive as BMW's, but it responds very well to the calm and carefree nature of the E-Pace.

Its front suspension is a MacPherson strut, and Jaguar's longitudinally engineered models have a pair of crossbars on each wheel in the style of an F-Type sports car. This gives them more comfort and dynamic handling. The E-Pace moves in a neutral and safe manner, but not as stimulating and comfort is not inherent. With 20-inch wheels, it reacts harshly to bumps in the road by jumping on short waves. Adaptive dampers (€ 1145) might work better, but they weren't on the test car.

Instead, its automatic transmission has more gears than the other entrants - ZF's transverse transmission has a choice of nine gears. It does it safely, smoothly and quickly, and its hydraulic converter elegantly handles the small initial wobbles of the 6-litre diesel engine (which will be Euro 8,6d-Temp compliant from late summer). The explanation for the E-Pace's lag in consumption (100 l / 1 km) and dynamic performance can be found in the large weight - the X250 is lighter by XNUMX kg. But the fact that maintenance costs for the first three years are included in the price makes Jaguar's bills a bit sweeter, in case its own beauty isn't enough for you.

BMW: All or X?

Perhaps the people at BMW are a little jealous of the British who decided to develop a real Jaguar rather than an SUV that everyone will love. Previously, the X1 also had a bolder character. In the second generation, it already has a transverse engine, with basic front-wheel drive and maximum useful qualities.

Although this Bavarian car is slightly longer than the E-Pace, it has plenty of room for luggage and passengers. It also takes all the smart benefits for everyday life - flexibility, easy access, space for little things. Although the pilot and navigator are eight centimeters lower, they sit quite high. Yes, they feel almost excluded, something above the kind of internal integration that otherwise distinguishes BMW models. We missed this in our previous communication with X1. It was a 25i, and not in the best shape. This 25d can do a lot better, like handling bumps. If the petrol version jumped clumsily over the smallest defects on the pavement, the diesel now moves softer, better absorbs strong shocks and even in sport mode with adjustable shock absorbers (160 euros for the M Sport version) does not seem pointless. hard. Let's be clear: the X1 is clearly a hard-hitting SUV, but it fits here.

The same applies to behavior on the road, which is characterized by the usual harsh handling. When the dynamic load changes, the buttock is slightly extended, but this is more fun than scary. A sports steering system with a more direct gear ratio (standard on M-Sport) steers the car more precisely in corners, provides intense feedback and gives the X1 its characteristic XXNUMX stimulating, adventurous and unsettling cornering ability. It only starts to make an impression when driving on the highway.

The opposite is true for a quiet and even running engine. Although it cleans up the exhaust gases with a NOX storage catalyst and urea injection, unlike the weaker 6-liter diesel engine, it only meets the Euro 7,0c emission standard. This leads to the loss of glasses when selling old ones. But this is offset by a combination of a powerful diesel engine, a serviceable Aisin automatic transmission, high speed and low fuel consumption (100 l / 1 km). So the X13 is about to triumph in the quality assessment. While his weaknesses in braking, lighting and driver support equipment don't make him lose XNUMX points.

VW: better, but how much?

Just these points are not enough to catch up in these indicators with the cheaper Tiguan. It stops better, offers more options for lighting and assistance systems and exhibits greater restraint in corners - despite the high precision of the progressive variable ratio steering system (225 euros). Despite the good feedback, it feels more distant, and the VW model moves at an unobtrusive speed, completely devoid of extravagance in terms of handling.

Many people believe that the car as a whole lacks extravagance anyway. But he is not devoid of ambition and striving for excellence. With a slightly longer length, it provides the most space for passengers and luggage, organizes the control of functions in almost the same accessible and orderly way as a BMW representative, and furnishes its interior better and more reliably. Even with the R-Line package and 20-inch wheels (490 euros), the VW, equipped as standard with adaptive dampers, maintains full suspension comfort. Only on short bumps does it react a little harsher than usual, but absorbs larger waves on tarmac softer than its rivals. Unlike the E-Pace and X1, it doesn't tire at every highway junction.

In general, the version of the Tiguan with a biturbo diesel engine copes especially confidently on long and fast trips. The boost module consists of high and low pressure turbochargers that deliver 500 Nm of engine torque. And with the help of its centrifugal pendulum for damping vibrations, the engine can not only pull sharply immediately after the gas is supplied, but also quickly pick up speed. At 4000 rpm and above, its power is not lost, as is the case with the Jaguar model. Instead, VW uses a gasoline engine limiter that responds more gently at 5000 rpm.

The drivetrain is a bit noisy, though, and the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission shifts, albeit quickly, but not as smoothly as rival torque converters and seems to pull in ample power at launch. However, this does not prevent the Tiguan from accelerating faster than anyone else. If the BMW model were not as economical, VW's 8,0 l / 100 km consumption would look quite economical.

But even so, nothing can threaten the victory of a cheap, well-equipped Tiguan. Here the first place is not the result of happy circumstances. It's a pity, because otherwise we could end with the words of the German anthem, wishing it to bloom in the splendor of this happiness.

Text: Sebastian Renz

Photo: Dino Eisele

Evaluation

1. VW Tiguan 2.0 TDI 4Motion – 461 points

This time he won thanks to BMW's weakness in braking. But also with first-class comfort, dynamic handling, an energetic engine and plenty of space.

2. BMW X1 xDrive 25d – 447 points

While worrying about the VW model, the X1's agile, clean, efficient and great engine lags behind due to weaker brakes and fewer support systems.

3. Jaguar E-Pace D240 All-wheel drive – 398 points

According to many, the E-Pace's brilliance overshadows all its flaws. The engine, transmission and handling are fine. Lack of space, comfort and attention to detail.

technical details

1.VW Tiguan 2.0 TDI 4Motion	2.BMW X1 xDrive 25d	3. Jaguar E-Pace D240 AWD
Working volume	1968 cc	1995 cc	1999 cc
Power	240 k.s. (176 kW) at 4000 rpm	231 k.s. (170 kW) at 4400 rpm	240 k.s. (177 kW) at 4000 rpm
Maximum torque	500 Nm at 1750 rpm	450 Nm at 1500 rpm	500 Nm at 1500 rpm
Acceleration 0-100 km / h	6,5 with	6,9 with	7,8 with
Braking distances at a speed of 100 km / h	35,0 m	36,6 m	36,5 m
full speed	230 km / h	235 km / h	224 km / h
Average consumption fuel in the test	8,0 l / 100 km	7,0 l / 100 km	8,6 l / 100 km
Base Price	44 750 EUR (in Germany)	49 850 EUR (in Germany)	52 700 EUR (in Germany)

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