I do use steering assist on pretty much every freeway drive. It's quite pleasant once you know how to use it.

 

And once they had audible alert when it lets go in the 2019...

 

I first did a "build" of an S, added all the features I wanted, and it ended up being more expensive than the HSE with all those features included. So decide what you want in the car and "build" those features into the different trim levels and compare prices. I knew I wanted air suspension, performance seats, HUD, the mid-level 20 inch wheels, etc...

 

BS. I just went on the configuration web site and you can still flexibly configure whatever you want regardless of base model.

And be aware that Steering Assist is *not* autonomous driving. At all. You don't want to take your eyes off the road when you let it steer.

 

One thing that rarely gets mentioned but has HUGE impact to ride quality is tire air pressure. The cars get shipped with 51psi in the tires to keep them from getting flat spots, and many dealers never adjust them. I just took delivery of a replacement to my original I-Pace FE (I simply couldn't tolerate the heated windshield visibility issues at night and discovered JLR CANNOT just replace the windshield - read my other posts) and even with my REQUEST to adjust the tire pressures, the car was delivered with tire pressures of 44 front and 51 rear! For optimal ride quality, you need to choose the "light load" (3 or less adults) setting and adjust tire pressure to 37psi in all four tires. First thing I did when I got home. The difference is ride smoothness is substantial. That said, I would never buy this car without the dynamic air suspension... not sure if that is an option on lower trim levels.

 

There are 3 seat styles available for the I-Pace: Sport, Comforts and Performance. I don’t think the performance seats are available for the S, but I could be wrong

 

My mistake. There are only two different style of seats. The Sport seats which are the basic seats (but available in different fabric/leathers and the Comfort seat (also known as the performance seat). This is the one with the integrated headrest.

 

I have the sports seat in my HSE and while I like them quite a bit, one thing I do notice is that the headrest area is fully integrated into the seat design - there's no adjusting it, no telescoping up and down. I'm 6'1" and I feel like I'm at the top of the seat, if I was any taller, I would want to adjust it higher (which it doesn't do).

 

I have the performance/comfort seats and cannot recommend them enough. Love them. Extremely adjustable and comfortable, great lumbar and lateral support. Ventilation is nice too.

Another nice thing about the performance seats is they are thinner front-to-back so it seems like you get a (very slight) extra legroom in the back with the seats in the same position, nice for rear passengers. Plus, they just look awesome.

 

Any feedback on the S ride quality?

 

S will be a bit sloppier and ride more gently, thanks to 18" wheels and no dynamic dampers.

 

So there are differences other than the options packages? I did not realize that there was anything fundamentally different between the models. I ended up with an HSE (I ordered an SE but an HSE was in stock). Just curious as I though I did the research and don't want to think I got what I got from dumb luck.

 

When I was looking you could start with an S and add all the options that were in everything up to first edition. Except some body panel colors.

 

Love my First Edition! My cooled seats work well and allow me to back off the AC a little for more range. The adjustable suspension is also a great option so I would go for all the bells and whistles.

 

@Voltage - if you are after comfort, take Air Suspension and smaller wheels. More rubber = more comfort. However if your are after better response from the wheels, and can trade-off some comfort, take bigger alloys. Performance Seats makes also difference. Even though, they have integrated headrest, but feedback from most users is that they are more comfortable that Sport Seats. Unfortunately there is no option for the comfortable seats like in XJ, XF or F-Pace...

 

As far as I can tell (in the US at least) it is possible to option up an S so that it exactly matches an HSE. The only difference that cannot be changed is the badging on the side of the car.

In the US all I-paces come with the same adaptive air suspension, so there should be no ride quality differences between models that are otherwise optioned identically (i.e. have the same wheels and curb weight)

If you look at the range of configurations graphically, I imagine it would be something like this:

Breadth of available options (from bare to fully loaded)
S:   |--------------------|
SE:        |--------------|
HSE:             |--------|

 

All U.S. models come with air-suspension. I have 7500+ miles on an S-trim with Corris Grey being the only option.


The standard seats are very comfortable and there is nothing "sloppy" about the ride or handling on the 18" wheels (in fact, the smaller wheels provide better range and likely better comfort, less road noise). Stereo is great.


The only thing I am missing is heated steering wheel (which is difficult to find in California anyway).


If you can live without the luxury items, you can find S trim models offered for well under $70k.

 

If you can live without the luxury items, you can find S trim models offered for well under $70k.

Heck, at this point you can find fully loaded First Editions with a few thousand miles for about $60k.

If money is a concern by all means do not buy a new one off the lot

 

I really enjoy the powered trunk. Something you don't notice until it's gone.
The adaptive air suspension, with dynamic mode, is not standard on the S, I think. It's air but not dynamic.
I'm in California, and every winter, I use the heated steering wheel. It's a great feature. Same with heated and cooled seats.
The HUD is fantastic. Every car should have one, even if just for the speedo.
Dynamic suspension is a must.
I like the heated windshield. Then I don't need AC blowing on a cold day, and I don't have to wait if the car is frosted up.
The upgraded seats with extendable thigh support are a must. We can fit a short and a tall person in the same seat.

 

The adaptive air suspension, with dynamic mode, is not standard on the S, I think. It's air but not dynamic

I'm 99% sure this not correct. The air suspension is standard across all trims and the configurable dynamics is optional across all trims.

 

Adjustable air suspension is standard across trim levels (Access, Normal, Off-Road heights). Adaptive Surface Response is an upgrade. Rain/Eco/Comfort/Dynamic are driving modes, and also standard across all trim levels.


Definitely jealous about the heated steering wheel.

 

When I ordered mine I started with the base model and added the options I wanted. It was very flexible. So while I technically have an "S", it's pretty loaded. I don't know if they still allow such flexible configuring.

Dynamic mode (which is one of the standard driving modes along with Comfort (default) and Eco) is different from Adaptive Dynamics, which allows you to configure the dynamics and is optional for extra charge. Air suspension (and glass roof) are standard in US, optional in Europe.

 

I was told that Steering Assist (autonomous driving) is standard in the HSE. And not an available upgrade for the SE or S.
I've seen a few YouTubes of people driving hands-free with their HSE.

 

The Steering Assist WILL let you take your hands off for up to 20.0 seconds. However, it is intended for someone who does not take their eyes off the road. It will 'unlock' without more than visual indicators on the HUD and dash.

I find it very relaxing to use with the HUD. Love it.

 

The leather Windsor seats get softer after they break in. They are thick leather, not thin or synthetic. I'd argue it's hard to find a more comfy car seat at any price.
The ingress and egress of the I-Pace has the MS/3 sedans beat by miles. As does the ergo.

I'm not sure of what the S trim comes with. The 18" stock tires are going to have the best ride as far as tires. Even the S has full performance and a Jaguar suspension. EPA filed data points to the 18" tires having a 5% range advantage over the 20" tires.
I'm a big fan of the I-Pace HUD, ACC, and Steering Assist. Those 3 features with the Jaguar ride and seats make it a VERY comfy long hauler and you never have to take your eyes off the road.

 

You can set a clock by it. 20.0 seconds triggers the warning.
If you want actual hands-free, it is only offered by Cadillac right now. And it works. But it will only engage on controlled access highways with 4 lanes or more that are geomapped, which is most of the USA and Canada.

 

How does the steering assist compare to Tesla auto pilot?

 

mostly same as / agree with jsimon .. .. i've used it to take off a sweater .. hands off the wheel for successive 20 second intervals actually increases the stress level, so that defeats the purpose .. hands on wheel while LKA is active is great.

 

I'm going to see if I can get an extended test drive of a M3P. I wanna see how it handles the bumps on our canyon road.

 

Would that be Palomares Rd? Be sure to try the M3P in Track Mode and normal mode on the same stretch of road and compare how it feels.