A Jaguar crossover SUV is a strange cat. What's next? KISS releasing a country record?

But then, no one wants to see Gene Simmons in a cowboy hat singing about his pick-up truck. On the other hand, crossovers are the in-thing. They are becoming almost the only thing.

Even for a company such as Jaguar that was known for its cars — which it hardly makes anymore. Of the three models it still offers for 2022, two of them aren't cars.

Including the E-Pace.

What It Is

Despite the name, the E-Pace isn't electric — at least, not as it comes.

This compact-sized, two-row crossover SUV comes standard with what will probably be Jaguar's last stand-alone internal combustion engine, the company having publicly said it will build only electric or at least partially electric (i.e., hybrid) vehicles by 2025.

The $40,995 to start P250 version is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel-drive.

A top-of-the-line P300, which stickers for $49,495, is partially electrified. It also has the 2.0-liter turbo'd four under its hood, but it's paired with a mild hybrid system that keeps the internal combustion engine off as often as possible.

Interestingly, this does not save gas. The hybrid P300 rates virtually the same gas mileage as the non-hybrid P250 — 20 city/26 highway versus 21 city/26 highway.

What you do get is more power — 296 horsepower versus 246 for the non-hybrid's stand-alone turbo'd four - without using more gas.

What's New

A surround-view camera has been added to the options list, and all trims now come standard with a rearview camera.

What's Good

Electrification is still optional.

Standard AWD — for thousands less than rivals such as Mercedes charge for the rear-drive versions of models like the GLC300 ($43,200)

Just being a Jaguar helps this crossover stand out from the pack.

What's Not So Good

Electrification soon won't be optional.

More than run-of-the-mill power/performance adds almost $10k to the price.

Rivals such as the BMW X1 cost thousands less — even when equipped with their optional AWD ($37,900).

Under The Hood

The base P250 trim comes standard with a 246 horsepower turbocharged four cylinder engine — paired with a nine speed automatic.

The P300 version of the E-Pace is boosted by a turbo and a mild hybrid tandem powertrain, which bumps the total output 296 horsepower without bumping the fuel consumption hardly at all. There is a negligible one MPG difference, city-highway, between this Jag's two available powertrains.

There is also a significant difference in terms of acceleration. With the mild-hybrid boost, the P300 version of the E-Pace can get to 60 in about six seconds flat while the standard P250 version needs about 6.7 seconds to make the same run.

There is also another important difference, which helps to offset the price difference. It is that that the P300 gets a more able all-wheel-drive system, with torque-vectoring. That means the system is more than front to back, as most AWD systems are. It is also side to side, which enhances traction and handling.

On The Road

Though this is a crossover, it's also a Jaguar — and it ought to feel like one.

And it does. Just higher up. The steering is nicely weighted for road feel and accuracy; the suspension has to give without too much roll — and the tested P300 with the torque-vectoring AWD system felt as neutral in the curves as if it were rear-drive-based. Any tendency to track toward the inside of the corner while cornering is automatically corrected for by the imperceptible application of more or less engine power to the appropriate side (inner or outer wheels) although this does also tamp down the accessibility of tail-out oversteer, which will be missed by the few heretics who still practice such dark arts.

At The Curb

This compact crossover has more room inside relative to its footprint (just 173 inches end to end) than a car with a much larger footprint. This smallest Jaguar has 22.4 cubic feet of storage space behind the rear seats, which is vastly more storage space than you'll find inside the trunk of any full-sized car and just shy of 50 cubic feet with the second row folded.

There is also generous space for legs — in both rows. Up front. 40.6 inches, and in back, almost as much (39.3 inches).

All of which makes this Jaguar crossover vastly more practical than any car Jaguar still makes.

Inside the E-Pace, the look is more Jaguar. There's the leaper in the horn button and some nicely fluid styling embellishments, including an offset center console reverse L grab handle and a fist-sized gear selector similar to the one in the F-Type coupe.

The Rest

All trims — including the base P250 get leather ( real leather) seating and Jaguar's excellent Meridian audio system, comparable to the Burmester system used by Mercedes. One of the things modern luxury-brand vehicles still have that the generic brands don't (yet) is concert-quality audio systems.

Oddly — for a luxury-brand crossover — a power rear liftgate is not standard. Ditto memory for the driver's seat settings.

The Bottom Line

This may be your last chance to buy a Jaguar that isn't an electrified car.

View the Jaguar E-Pace this week.

Eric's new book, "Doomed: Good Cars Gone Wrong" will be available soon. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

View the Jaguar E-Pace this week.