Jaguar is synonymous with luxury, dynamism and an English finesse and aesthetics that gave it its own special place in the market and made a lot of fans around the world. Jaguar has given us amazing vehicles which combine the luxury with the sportiness, with the E-type still being a great example in fields like car design. An important model for the company was also the S-type, a large and luxurious sedan, which was called Type R in its top version and could stand against the super-saloons (1999-2003) BMW M5, AUDI RS6 and Mercedes Benz E Class 55AMG.
Over the years, Jaguar remained true to its British aesthetics, began to lose market share and remained able to see German competition evolving in both categories such as design and technology. Of course, the company’s sporty models held high the flag in terms of performance and dynamic behaviour, but that was certainly not enough to keep the company in the top positions in the market. The fusion with the Ford group, as well as its final acquisition by Land Rover in 2013, gave Jaguar the opportunity to experiment with new categories of vehicles such as SUVs. The result was the creation of the E and F Pace models, the first SUVs for the company and of course the I-PACE, the first purely electrified high-performance SUV. This development passed of course into the luxury category with our test car, the Jaguar XF Sportbrake 30T, introducing us to the new philosophy that the British company wants to adopt.
The new XF is the model, which Jaguar aims at the big luxury category. Specifically with the station wagon version called Sportbrake it gives the prospective buyer another option against the German competition that shares the top positions in the sales sector. With very clear lines in the design of the exterior but also the necessary dynamism in terms of interior design, the new XF gives exactly what the driver would expect from the British company. The large grille on the front bumper as well as the double end of the exhaust pipe on the back give a distinctive sporty elegance to the new XF. Inside, the very comfortable seats, the sporty touches such as the leather on the center console and the alcantara leather upholstery on the door and roof pillars, combined with the digital instrument panel, the Head Up Display and the numerous multimedia services, make the car attractive even to non-fans of the brand. The rear seats will comfortably accommodate 3 passengers and the luggage compartment of 565 liters – with the ability to adjust the capacity – is more than enough for the needs of a family.
With the XF Sportbrake the Jaguar is thrown into the hunt for German competition, equipped with a very dynamic powerplant. Under the hood we find the 2,000 cc turbocharged engine with 300 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque, which power is delivered through an 8-speed automatic transmission and an all wheel drive system. In practice, the result is particularly impressive, thanks to the new steering system called Eletric Power Assisted Steering, the car offers a very “light” feel to the driver without sacrificing information. The engine accelerates smoothly the heavy chassi of the XF and works exemplary with the automatic gearbox, which is very positive on the up and down shifts. The new four-wheel drive system, which includes the Intelligent Driveline Dynamics technology recognizes the quality of the road and changes the torque that reaches the wheels. The driver’s sense of security is enhanced by the plethora of assistance systems such as lane change control, cruise control with speed and distance adjustment etc. Finally, the braking system has a very good feel and trouble-free operation.
The Jaguar XF Sportbrake leaves a nice taste to the driver at the end of the day and above all offers the necessary practicality, which is important in choosing a car. Very important is that the Jaguar managed to combine the Luxury and the practicality without compromises. Inevitably compared to the German competition, the XF stands quite well against them but without threatening their primacy, which of course does not concern all potential buyers. Fans of the brand will find in XF the well-known British finesse combined with practicality and state of the art technology. For all the other buyers the XF is a great alternative against the competition.
Konstantinos Bekiaris
Automotive Engineer
