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Editors at TheCarConnection.com drove the 2010 Jaguar XF and XFR to write this hands-on road test. In addition to editor's impressions and opinions, this review compares the 2010 Jaguar XF with other vehicles in its class. The companion full review adds a summary of opinions from other respected automotive sites to bring you the best information from around the Web.
High Gear Media obtained a press vehicle from Jaguar for the purposes of this road test.
Likes:
- History-be-damned styling
- High-tech, high-fashion dash
- Steamy performance across the range
- Fuel economy is good, for the class
Dislikes:
- One of the crowd now?
- Minuscule rear seats
- Lacks all-wheel-drive option
New last year, the Jaguar XF lineup marks a clean break from the overtly traditional Jaguar shapes of the past. At the same time Jaguar changed hands itself-from Ford to India's Tata-the very essence of the cars shifted as well. So far, the XF has been a success, and for its sophomore season the XF adds a pair of new V-8 engines, one charged with 510 horsepower. Prices start from $52,000 for the base XF Luxury; perched atop an XF Premium Luxury and a Portfolio edition sits the exotic-performing $80,000 XFR.
The 2009 XF replaced the stuffy X-Type in the Jaguar lineup, and its svelte shape's an instant classic, with all the catlike cues and curves that should have been in Jaguar's styling notebook for the past decade. There still are mesh grilles and classic proportions, but you almost expect to see the Jaguar XF in an Infiniti showroom with its softly sculptured roofline, faceted hood, and smartly irregular headlamps. From the back, it's as close to an Aston Martin as any sedan comes (apart from Aston's own Rapide). XFR sedans get stronger chins, four tailpipes, and bigger wheels. If possible, the XF's cabin delights drivers even more than the exterior. It seems to have been lifted from the front desk at a chic London hotel. There's aluminum and wood trim, to be sure, as well as a groovy puck-shaped shifter knob that rises to attention when the ignition button's pressed. At the same time, vents roll open to life, and ambient lighting begins to glow. Jaguar considers it the car's "heartbeat," and it's a clever wake-up call to the reinvigorated design all around.
