Model tested: Jaguar XF 2.7D
Price as tested: £33,900
Range price: £33,900 - £54,900
Insurance group as tested: 17
Insurance group range: 17 - 20
CO2 emissions as tested: 199g/km
Average range CO2 emissions: 252g/km
Company car tax %: 30%
EuroNCAP result: N/A
Date tested: April 2008
Road tester: Adrian Higgins and Adrian Hearn
Auto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 83%
To replace the often maligned S-Type, Jaguar got Ian Callum, the man behind the Aston Martin DBS, to design a replacement – the Jaguar XF.
While the S-Type revelled in its retro charm, the XF is a state-of-the-art 21st century masterpiece.
With Jaguar recently bought by Indian magnate Ratan Tata, we got behind the wheel of the new XF to see if the Tetley Tea owner had made a wise acquisition.
To replace the often maligned S-Type, Jaguar got Ian Callum, the man behind the Aston Martin DBS, to design a replacement – the Jaguar XF.While the S-Type revelled in its retro charm, the XF is a state-of-the-art 21st century masterpiece.
With Jaguar recently bought by Indian magnate Ratan Tata, we got behind the wheel of the new XF to see if the Tetley Tea owner had made a wise acquisition.
View our slide show of the Jaguar XF
1. Looks
The Jaguar XF raised incredible expectations as the car which – along with the Jaguar XK sports car - would blueprint the manufacturer’s style direction and help attract younger buyers to the historic British icon. And it has met those expectations in spades. Where previously the mix of fresh design and retro has been tilted heavily in the favour of the latter the Jaguar XF is thoroughly modern – and unmistakeably a jag. Jaguar designer Ian Callum aimed to combine the look of a coupe with the greater practicality of a saloon – and the car’s looks certainly meet the coupe end of the bargain. The large intake grille demands attention at the front of the car with lines flowing elegantly past the windscreen (which rakes back to the roof at the same angle as the XK) to the rear. The car is wider and longer than rivals the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Lexus GS300. It comes as no surprise that Jaguar has revealed that in terms of drag, the Jaguar XF is the company’s most dynamic production car ever.
9/10
2. Looks inside
Amazing. The Jaguar XF interior so impressed the team that we created a blog post simply to heap praise on it. Step in and your attention is immediately drawn to the Start/Stop button with its pulsing red light (described by Jaguar as a heartbeat). Press Start and previously hidden air vents rotate into view and the raised, circular Jaguar Drive Selector which is used to choose the automatic gear setting rises into place – executing Jaguar’s “invisible until needed” philosophy. Jaguar says it wanted to keep the interior uncluttered and provide “features that empower rather than overpower the driver” which has led to touch-screen controls for some features and others which operate when fingers are close – including the glove box and interior lights. Blue mood lighting, which illuminates the dials, the shift paddles and other parts of the cabin add a soothing touch to the car’s interior. The car also features more wood than any Jag since the 1960s Mk II saloon. All these features combine to create a stunning environment for driver and passengers. Our test drive began with a traffic jam which saw us crawl 12 miles in one-and-a-half hours – and even though we’d have preferred better conditions, we loved every minute.
10/10
3. Practicality
The Jaguar boasts a class-best equalling 540-litres boot space for those who opt for Jaguar Tyre Repair System - with space decreasing to 500-litres if you prefer to carry a spare tyre. Variable ratio power-assisted steering is standard – in real-life this translates to reduced effort when it comes to parking and greater precision and feedback at higher speeds.
7/10
