A new car, lots of information in short paragraphs.
What you need to know: The Jaguar XE is the latest attempt from this British manufacturer to stir up that German pot of 3-Series, A4 and C-Class. With newer technology and Jaguar’s stunning design cues, the XE should stand a better chance than its X-Type predecessor. If it weren’t for that annoying exchange rate…
Prices are astronomical (and hardly competitive) but in this second test of an XE we came away impressed yet again. It’s as stylish and special as a Jaguar should feel, space isn’t great at the rear (ditto for the competition) but comfort and luxury are top class. Even this R-Sport model has a reasonably pliant ride.
Some more facts: You may choose between three engines, a 2-litre turbo-petrol (177kW) or this turbo-diesel (132kW) and a 250kW 3-litre supercharged V6 petrol. Depending on model, Jaguar also offers a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic gearbox and up to five distinctive design and trim lines.
This Jaguar XE 20d R-Sport model costs N$644,700 with a maintenance plan. The auto box is included, as are various sporty add-ons, split rear seats, climate control, space saver spare wheel, rain sensor, power front seats, start/stop system, keyless start and touch-screen infotainment system with Bluetooth.
Where we drove: To be completely honest, not very far. This test car arrived in a flurry of other cars, flights and visitors, so we barely clocked up triple digit mileage in the process. At least we subjected it to city commuting and a bit of highway driving; which it absolved with absolute ease and relative comfort.
The diesel engine is a bit noisy on idle and at full chat, the lower and harder Sport kit begs caution over speed bumps but other than that, this XE glides along quietly and serenely. Performance testing yielded 0-100km/h in 8.6 seconds, incredible brakes and a lenient ESP system which even allows the odd tail wag.
Watch out for: Besides the initial purchase price and depreciation, dealer count is rather low. We only picked fights with Jaguar’s voice command and found rear visibility atrocious; make sure you order the optional reversing camera. The spare wheel is tiny but at least there is one. As per usual, we didn’t achieve claimed fuel use (5.1L/100km) but 7-8 should be possible.
Why you’ll want one: The swivelling heads of your neighbours, those smudge marks you’ll find on the driver’s window and the occasional chit-chat with a fellow Jaguar owner. This car is relatively rare without looking silly or ostentatious – quite the opposite, it radiates beauty and sophistication.
FULL SPECLIST
Name: Jaguar XE 2.0 i4 Turbocharged Diesel R-Sport
Engine: 1,999cc i-4 turbo-diesel
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 132kW @ 4,000rpm
Torque: 430Nm @ 1,750rpm
Avg cons.: 5.1L/100km (claimed)
0-100 time: 7.8 (claimed), 8.60 seconds (tested)
Top Speed: 231km/h (claimed)
List Price: N$644,700
Performance
0-10km/h: 0,45 seconds
0-20km/h: 0,86 seconds
0-30km/h: 1,50 seconds
0-40km/h: 2,17 seconds
0-50km/h: 2,95 seconds
0-60km/h: 4,01 seconds
0-70km/h: 5,02 seconds
0-80km/h: 5,97 seconds
0-90km/h: 7,24 seconds
0-100km/h: 8,60 seconds
0-110km/h: 10,06 seconds
0-120km/h: 11,93 seconds
0-130km/h: 13,80 seconds
0-140km/h: 15,97 seconds
0-100m: 6,93 seconds @ 88,21km/h
0-200m: 10,51 seconds @ 112,66km/h
0-300m: 13,50 seconds @ 128,36km/h
0-400m: 16,17 seconds @ 140,89km/h
Maximum acceleration G-force: 0.74G
Altitude: 65m