Some company car buyers select the Alfa Romeo 159 diesel because while it is noisy and slow, it looks fantastic. The Jaguar XF may well appeal to drivers of a similarly artistic leaning; as you start the car, small panels in the dashboard rotate to reveal air vents; the gear level binnacle raises itself up of the centre console. It is such an elegant solution to the traditional, redundant gear lever. Touches like this set the tone for the modern-day Jaguar experience: cutting edge technology combined with design flare. Plus, the XF is neither noisy nor slow.
The sat nav is intuitive and never needs more than a couple of taps on the touch screen to give you what you need. Likewise the radio and even the cruise control. Cruise controls in most cars require you to go through some kind of multi-switch process. But with the XF, you can just roll the delightfully springy little disc on the steering wheel cross bar and that’s it: You’re cruising and Britannia once again rules the roads.
At speed on the motorway, the road noise was imperceptible. Unfortunately there was a definite wind noise around the front windows which proved a little tiring over a day’s driving.
Handling, out of Sport mode, felt light and can be compared to driving an Audi. Once into sport mode however, it impressed me with a firm, neutral feedback that allowed me to confidently corner precisely as I wanted to.
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The automatic gearbox delivered power to the wheels as you asked for it, in the right gear and therefore the engine had the torque to do what I wanted. Again, it’s surprising how many luxury-brand cars have too much ‘auto-delay’ that results in you pulling out a few seconds after the ideal moment and with more power than needed as you over- compensate for the delay.
It was the best electronic handbrake system I’ve used; it came on as requested and held the car for hill starts before letting the car go smoothly. That’s not something all makes have mastered yet.
Rear legroom is no more or less impressive than another car in the class. It you are approaching 6” tall it is tight. For kids its fine. Everyone else fits somewhere on the scale between these two points.
The new 2.7 litre diesel engine is so quiet and smooth, if it weren’t for the 40+ MPG, you would think it was the 3.0 litre petrol unit (which can still do a healthy 30+/- mpg).
The XF represents the start of a new era for Jaguar. But it is just the start, from here they still need to strive if they are to be BMW’s genuine equal. I reserve the right, for example, to complain if those rotating air vents become an expensive repair for long-term owners. The driving position, while good, could be more flexible and that wind noise needs looking at. But these are minor gripes and the XF is a huge opportunity for the nearly new and used car buyer. Keep an eye on fluctuating prices, and discounts for the large petrol-powered units. I know I will be.
Who is buying them?
Jaguar’s staple audience is the older Gentleman, and the middle-aged man who wants to be an older Gent of the Establishment. This new XF appeals to that audience the same way a Lexus can. But the XF should also be the start of converting BMW and Audi drivers. As many get de-fleeted from the big company car programs, more and more canny nearly new car buyers will appreciate its style and value.
What’s the market like?
The new diesel engine is going to be most popular. It will therefore carry a premium for a long-time on the used market and high mileage will surely follow. Right now though, £32,000 petrol-engined cars, with just 14,000 miles on the clock, can be yours for £28,000 or maybe less. Getting an equally good deal (easily) on the diesel will require, we predict, about a 2 year wait. But the running cost saving is less than 10 MPG, provided you drive sensibly. So why wait?
What else can this budget buy?
No surprises really, the same budget buys a comparable 1-year old BMW 5-Series, Audi A6, Lexus GS or a brace of Citroen C5s.
Summary
A fine executive saloon that competes with BMW and Audi. It is most easily described as a Lexus with a bit of edge. Unfortunately it is not any cheaper than its rivals, nor quite as perfect in engineering terms. But if you want to be different and enjoy good design, the XF is for you.
By: Matthew Tumbridge