2010 Jaguar XF Review

Reviewers are universal in their love of the new 2010 Jaguar XF's exterior and interior styling.

Edmunds credits its "crouching stance" and "coupelike roof," which taper into a fastback-style tail, but thinks the nose is "somewhat quirky." Though both Edmunds and Automobile comment on the XF's passing resemblance to the Lexus GS series, Automobile asserts that similarity gives the new Jaguar a little less "drama than you'd expect...nice but not stunning." Without the Jaguar hood ornament, they argue, you wouldn't know which company built the new XF. Kelley Blue Book contends the "unorthodox" look has a "sleek, flowing profile." Edmunds also appreciates the distinct appearance, noting that the Jaguar XF "brings a welcome does of character to a segment dominated by cold, calculated and sometimes dour German entries."

For Jaguar's XF lineup, 2010 marks the introduction of the Jaguar XFR, a high-performance version of the already-sporty Jaguar XF range. Cars.com reports "the XFR is distinguished by aerodynamic treatments" that give the sedan an even more aggressive look, and reviewers at the Los Angeles Times love the "wickedly sculpted hood." Left Lane News points out that the 2010 Jaguar XFR "gains a subtle but unique bodykit and quad tailpipes," as well as a few distinguishing exterior badges. Also new for 2010 is a Portfolio package, which Cars.com calls "an ultra-luxury version" and Edmunds says features 20-inch wheels that "are infinitely more attractive than the Supercharged's bulbous, plastic-looking rims."

From the rear, the high-mounted LED tail lamps looked similar to an Aston Martin, Cars.com says, which is easy to understand once you realize that Jaguar's chief designer is a former Aston employee. Motor Trend sums up the exterior critiques: "Make no styling judgments until you've seen the XF in person...in the metal the XF radiates a modernity and sexiness that simply don't translate to the printed page."

Inside, Automobile declares "the XF's interior really scores," and "the cabin overflows with neat details, such as the gear shifter, covered HVAC vents that rotate to open, a start button that pulses red when you enter the car, and blue lighting around the instruments and dials." The tech mavens at CNET are "most impressed by the dashboard components," like that clever shifter dial that reminds TheCarConnection.com's editors of a high-end audio system. It's the combination of "traditional cues with contemporary touches," in Cars.com's words, that gives this new Jaguar an ambience completely different from the larger XJ sedan-and any Jaguar before it. Cars.com describes the interior as combining "traditional cues with contemporary touches," and Edmunds agrees; they rave that the 2010 Jaguar XF features a "stunning interior that seamlessly blends retro and modern design cues."

TheCarConnection.com's car experts think the 2010 Jaguar XF is without question the most attractive car Jaguar has assembled in decades. There's nothing heavy-handed or retro about the look. Quite the contrary-it is an extraordinarily modern interpretation that traditional luxury benchmarks like Audi should note well.