Jaguar XF 2.0

When we first drove the Jaguar XF a few years ago, we were mightily impressed with its athletic design, luxurious interiors, and capable performance. However, it’s been a long time since the baby Jag has gotten a proper nip and tuck and now it seems as though that, once meticulous, British design flair has lost its edge. In our eyes, though, the XF still remains a unique and highly desirable luxury sedan and its overall refinement is exquisite. But it does seem to struggle when it comes to matching the Germans on material quality.

And, more importantly, out of all the cars we had lined up at the BIC, the XF struggled for pace because its new 2.0-litre, four cylinder, turbocharged petrol motor that produces 237bhp and 340 Nm couldn’t really deliver the goods on track at least. It’s actually a very smooth and quick revving motor, but it struggles for bottom end torque. The chassis is still very responsive though perhaps even more so because of the light motor in the engine bay. Plus, the ride quality is still very impressive.

The 8-speed automatic transmission, as always, is very impressive and gear changes are always on key especially in Sport Mode and the shift paddles certainly add to the enjoyment. Overall, the XF is still a good car, as it provides a unique alternative but the German competition is just more accomplished.

The touchscreen infotainment system, for instance, is desperate for an update.  But the small niggles aside, the XF continues to be a very compelling machine it still looks quite striking, handles second only to a BMW, and the novelty of the interiors are yet to wear off. So, if you’re tired of seeing too many German luxury cars around, the XF is offering a new variant that could be worth looking at.