Gentleman’s Journal put Jaguar’s new Pet Pack to the test

With a fully kitted-out Jaguar E-PACE and a very excitable Border Collie, Gentleman's Journal takes a roadtrip from London to the wilds of Dartmoor

Our pets are family. And, from Dachshunds to Doberman Pinschers, dogs are the most common creatures in households across Britain. But, until recently, we owners have been limited to walking our dogs in local parks or around the block. Despite the countryside being under an hour’s drive away for most of us, the majority of car manufacturers simply don’t put pets high enough on their list of priorities. With 1 in 4 Britons owning a dog, we’re amazed it’s taken carmakers this long.

Enter Jaguar. Despite its decidedly feline name, the heritage British carmaker has prowled to the rescue of dogkind everywhere — introducing pioneering new ‘Pet Packs’ for its XF Sportbrake, E-PACE and F-PACE models. A new trick from this old dog, the brand has launched a range of canine-customised accessories, centred around two main Pet Packs to choose from, depending on the needs of your pet.

The first, priced from £509, includes a luggage compartment rubber mat with a full height partition — paired together to protect both your vehicle and your pet. The rubber mat is waterproof, protecting the vehicle’s luggage compartment floor carpet, and the full height partition prevents access to the passenger compartment, while safely containing and protecting your pet.

Pet Pack 2 will cost you £565, and upgrades your luggage compartment rubber mat so it also protects the side wall carpets. But that’s not all. There’s also a wider range of Jaguar pet products to ensure your pet travels in even plusher comfort. Pick up a foldable pet carrier, with lightweight metal frame and quilted fabric cushion, for smaller dogs. Or a spill-resistant bowl, that promises to protect your upholstery from any thirsty enthusiasm.

Which brings us to our Pet Pack challenge. Jaguar teamed up with Gentleman’s Journal — and a very excitable Border Collie — to test out the new Pet Pack. We picked up a fully kitted-out E-PACE in Central London before taking our dog on the walk of his life — a round-trip road trip to Dartmoor for an afternoon exploring the crags, open moorlands and deep river valleys of Britain’s wildest national park.

Coasting in comfort down the A303, we made it to Devon in no time. The E-PACE itself is the ideal car for such a trip; accurate, responsive and incredibly stable on any terrain you throw at it. The sweeping corners and wide bends of the national park were no match for Jaguar’s solid, traditional steering, and we parked up almost half an hour ahead of schedule.

The Pet Pack’s access ramp made it easy for us to begin our walk, and the soft lining in the car had obviously created a welcoming, comfortable environment during the drive down. After a brief scramble up the rocky tors, there was no need to worry about soggy paws, soaking wet coats or the inevitable shake once we returned to the car thanks to the waterproof lining — and the Luggage Compartment Partition protected the rear seats from any muddy claw marks on the drive back to London.

It’s a wonder that no manufacturers have thought of Pet Packs until now. But we’re just glad that it was Jaguar who snapped the lead onto the idea and ran with it; kitting out its cars with the quality, comfort and comprehensive protection we known our pets deserve.

Want more eco-adventures with Jaguar? See what happened when we took the all-electric I-PACE to the Lake District…

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