There’s a reason why Jaguar is the car of choice for villains. In the latest Bond film, “No Time To Die”, you’ll see the current Jaguar XF chase down Bond’s iconic Aston Martin DB5.
Despite premium SUVs getting all the attention nowadays, luxury sedans seem to have lost little of their sheen. They still provide the classic three-box silhouette offering great comfort, interiors, dynamics, design, and driving experience. The Germans rule the game but the Jaguar XF always had a special place amongst the people who preferred to have it in a more unique and in a more classy way. The XF has always stood out for its good looks, incredible dynamics and a quintessential British badge.
The XF was designed to take on the established German competition comprising of the BMW 5-Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Audi A6. In its second generation now, the XF is bigger, lighter, more dynamic and more comfortable than the previous model, not to mention it’s muscle-y villainous stance.
Exterior:
The Jaguar XF is a long and classy looking sedan. You will instantly notice the larger grille, intricate design of headlights and splashes and dashes of chrome on the bumpers. The design up front looks quite handsome but we would have preferred more aggression considering that it is a Jaguar.
The side of the car looks stately. However, the wheels look a bit small making the car feel under-tyred. However, the design of the alloy wheels looks nice. The rear angle of the XF is probably its best. With large, F-Type like taillights and a nice strip of chrome above it, the XF looks properly sporty. The twin exhausts are the icing on the cake.
Interior:
The XF is a low car resulting in slightly tricky ingress and egress. But you are greeted by a familiar Jaguar cabin that looks very premium and well built. The beige theme works well for it makes the cabin airier and feels even more luxurious.
The dashboard is flat and at a lesser height and it has that nice XJ-like a wrap-around effect making you feel snug. The steering is very chunky to hold and the instrument cluster is crisp and detailed.
I love the massive 10.1-inch infotainment screen which adorns the centre console. The infotainment screen is very intuitive to use but not in the same league of BMW’s iDrive. The equipment list is pretty long even on this mid-spec variant. The car is equipped with Perforated Grain Leather, Dual Zone Climate Control, Mood Lighting and a decent sounding Meridian Sound System.
You miss out on 4-Zone Climate Control and even Keyless Entry which are available only on the top-spec Portfolio variant. The quality of materials is quite good overall but there are some places in the cabin that don’t feel as solid as some of its rivals. The buttons that control the climate settings, for instance, feel average in a car of this class and the plastics lower down feel hard.
It is really the attention to detail that stands out in the cabin. When you start the car, the AC vents on either side of the dashboard open up and the gear-knob rises above. This goes some distance in making you feel special. The seats at the front are very comfortable and can be electrically adjustable with memory function for the driver. The rear seats are a huge improvement over the previous XF and offer ample legroom and decent headroom. But it is strictly for two. The middle passenger will be uncomfortable as the transmission tunnel is high and the aircon vents intrude into the leg space.
Engine and Performance:
Jaguar offers the petrol XF in two variants and although both use the same 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, the output number differs in both the models, the lower Prestige produces 200 HP and 320 Nm of torque that has a wide peak band between 1500 to 4000 RPM. Performance from the 200 horsepower XF is good, there is good punch throughout and the motor absolutely screams to the redline.
In fact, once you reach around 4500 RPM, the engine roars in a sporty way and accelerates quickly to the 6500 RPM limiter which extends close to 7000 RPM in manual mode which can be activated by tapping the steering mounted paddles. Mid-range is strong and refinement isn’t the best as the motor is quite vocal, even lower down the rev range. The gearbox isn’t the fastest with shifts but is smooth and it lets you hold onto a gear in manual mode. There are 4 driving modes which alter the engine and steering wheel – Dynamic, Normal, Eco and Rain/Winter, while the gear selector has a Sport mode for the transmission. The XF petrol returns a mileage between 8-11 km/l.
Jaguar has done a great job with the suspension set-up of the XF as it feels just right, compliant enough for most roads, yet not soft for a dynamic drive. However, because of the stiffness, the vehicle does thud over bad roads. In spite of the length and wheelbase, the XF still manages to hold its line through the corners and turns in sharply, the electric steering is very well weighted and offers good feedback at high speeds, even though the 8-speed gearbox is a bit clunky at low speeds. Also, in low-speed scenarios, the throttle can feel a bit over-responsive calling for very precise modulation. And the transition from engine off to on isn’t the smoothest either, but this can be fixed switching off the start/stop system.
The Jaguar XF remains glued to the road at high speeds but there is a bit more road noise creeping inside the cabin than you would expect from a car of this segment. In spite of the long wheelbase, ground clearance isn’t an issue in the XF and the car manages to clear speed breakers without any hitch. The brakes offer strong stopping power and the pedal bite is positive too.
Safety:
The last generation XF faced a bit of criticism as it could not score the top marks at Euro NCAP. But the new XF scored a full 5-Star rating making it in the same league as all its rivals. You get 6 Airbags, ABS, ESP, Traction Control and other electronic aids making it very safe.
Verdict:
The Jaguar XF is a looker, it has a flamboyant character, most of it derived from it’s elder sibling, the XJ. It feels quite luxurious inside too and has ample amount of features on offer. I really like the touchscreen infotainment system, it is quite user friendly. The 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine offers fantastic straight line performance, the motor loves to redline and it is good fun around the corners too. I would have liked a little more feedback from the steering though.
You still get that sense of sophistication when you’re driving the XF, as it should. The road presence is just so unnerving when you see that aggressive front end with the power bulges from the bonnet.
Jaguar’s are not the last word in refinement and comfort, but as a driver’s car, even the lower variant does a stellar job. The car of choice for those villains who dream of world domination. So if you are inclined to a driver’s sedan that looks seductive and is different from the usual German brigade, the XF deserves your serious attention.
PRICE:
Jaguar XF R-Sport 20t - ₱4.59 Million
Jaguar XF 2.0 S - ₱4.59 Million
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