Tuesday 23rd September 2014

Jaguar X-Type: Spotted

Remember that small Jag before the XE? It could be time to reconsider

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Jaguar's rejuvenation over the past decade or so has been fairly extraordinary. Cars like the F-Type and XF, combined with some savvy placement and marketing, have done so much much to rid Jaguar of its stuffy image.

So, so much better than the saloon from here

Despite a rather overwrought launch, the XE will surely continue to do that. It's modern and relevant and, perhaps just as importantly, not German. That will count for a lot to many.

You will have noticed Jaguar has made absolutely no mention of the X-Type in the XE launch hoopla. Why would it? The car has earned a fairly undesirable reputation, one that doesn't conform to the new Jaguar of Stella McCartney paintjobs, moody commercials and hashtags.

But it was reliability that undermined the X-Type more than any innate lack of ability. Indeed, looking back through some old reviews reveals some genuine enthusiasm about the engines and chassis, if not the rather dull interior. Then the 'it's just a rebadged Mondeo' belief caught on, the reliability issues arose and the early promise of the X-Type was tarnished.

What we can't do here is defend the X-Type saloon's appearance though. Even in the early 2000s it looked staid and predictable; time has done it no favours. Perhaps we should be grateful that the backlash to the X-Type must have influenced the design of cars like the XF and XJ. They are down at Shed money though if you're tempted.

No interior pics with the ad. Funny that

But it's the X-Type Estate that's the focus of attention here. It's a far more appealing and cohesive design than the saloon, the Sport pack of this car mitigating against the overtly traditional styling. The rear of the XE is arguably its least successful angle so it will be interesting to see how the inevitable estate (or most probably Sportbrake) version of that car will look.

We've been as PHey in choosing an X-Type spec here as possible (V6 manual Sport), and it looks like you're getting an awful lot for £4,500. Really. The same money buys a 2.0 CVT A4 Avant with similar miles or a 318i SE Touring, admittedly of the newer E91 design. Amazingly this Mercedes C180 wagon is very nearly £1,000 more than the Jag despite similar miles and condition.

Of course it's not perfect. The X-Type's reliability issues are very real and they shouldn't be glossed over but then that hasn't stopped people buying many other JLR products, has it? For some the mainstream underpinnings will be too much to ignore but it's their loss. The X-Type is a decent and good value family wagon that is often unfairly overlooked. Plus you won't be obliged to FeelXE on every journey, which can only be a good thing.

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JAGUAR X-TYPE
Engine: 2,495cc V6
Transmission: 5-speed manual, four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 197@5,400rpm
Torque (lb ft): 180@3,600rpm
MPG: 29 (NEDC combined)
CO2: 239g/km
First registered: 2007
Recorded mileage: 89,325
Price new: NA
Yours for: £4,500

See the original advert here.

 

[SydneyBridge]

a lot of car for £4,500
Always though the estate was the one to have (although no x type was ever desirable in the slightest), although how much is an equivalent mondeo estate??

[IanCress]

I had a diesel estate a few years ago, and it was a great car. Full electric seats, touchscreen sat-nav, decent stereo. Only thing that let it down was the unrefined diesel engine lifted straight from the Mondeo. It really didn't suit the relaxed nature of the car. I'd happily have another, but with the 3.0 V6 this time.
The price I bought the X-Type for got me a 5 year old 70k mile car, when the equivalent 3 series or A4 would have cost me an extra £2k. They're bargains for what they are really.

[andy-xr]

I had a 3.0 SE, it saved my life once, genuinely saved me from a head on thanks to the AWD and ABS. Only problem was it could never overtake a petrol station.

[DoctorX]

Oval headlights - can't think of a car on which these look good. X-Type is the worst by far though.

[ajsphead]

Don't understand this specific X type unreliability stuff, other than 02 plate plastic valves in the auto gearbox and very early model sill rust problems. Remove all of the issues caused by bad vehicle maintenance and I'm not sure what you're left with.

Mine (a 3.0 auto) is bulletproof returns 23-32mpg and other than consumables has cost 2 lambas in 82K miles. One to buy well now, keep for donkeys and watch the values go back up. Diesels are pretty much Mondeos in drag, AWD petrols much less so. Officially I understand 19% Ford 81% Jaguar in terms of parts.

Good enough for me.

[Triumph Man]

I pride myself in the fact I must be the only 23 year old in the world who likes the X type saloon. I'd happily have a late 3.0 V6 manual.

[daytona365]

Oh yuck. They're so lower middle class.

[anonymous-user]

They really are nice to drive but the styling is positively cringe worthy and always has been. It looks slightly less awkward in sports spec, but it will always look to me like one of those fake Japanese Mk 2 jags that try to translate big car styling cues and fail dismally. I'm not particularly bothered by image with a car, and I love Jags, but what the X-Type stands for is so embarrassing I just could not own one.

[r11co]

Had one for three years and is the only car I regret selling. 3.0 SE Manual. Took it to Italy once and it got plenty admiring glances.

Here's a thought - the 3.0 V6 AJ30 engine is exactly half an Aston V12 (in design and construction!)

Edited by r11co on Tuesday 23 September 10:30

[j90gta]

Ran a 2.0 SE auto for 3 years. Never had any mechanical problems with it. Its Mondeo underpinnings ensured it handled well but it was gutless. It was very comfortable and relaxing to drive. However its biggest issues were it's thirst and the cost of Jaguar main dealer servicing. Over the period of ownership it averaged less than 26 mpg; the best I ever saw was 33 mpg. Before I sold it I was quoted well over £500 to replace 4 sets of brake pads.

[schmalex]

The car in the advert is over-priced by about £3k.

X Types are utterly hateful things with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. I owned a 2.5 auto for a year or so back in 2003 and it was simply horrible. In no particular order, it was:

• Slow. Very slow, in fact. When kicking down to overtake, the engine went "RAAAAARRRRR", but speed didn't increase noticeably.
• Hugely thirsty for the performance on offer
• Supremely uncomfortable to drive. There was just no support in the seats at all
• Poorly built. There were rattles all through the car
• Badly designed at the front end. In winter time, the headlights would grime over quicker than any other car I have owned

In its defence, the 4WD was useful in the snow.

I drove my neighbour's for a couple of days earlier this year (a 2.5 manual) and everything came flooding back to me. They really are awful

[r11co]

j90gta said:

Before I sold it I was quoted well over £500 to replace 4 sets of brake pads.

WHAAAAT! Robbing feckers! Brake parts are 100% identical to Mk3 Mondeos of the same era.

One thing I did notice during ownership was the price of parts changed depending on which brand of car you said you had. I needed a starter motor, and 'one for a Jaguar' was £385 whereas 'one for a V6 Mondeo' was £80 (same part incidentally).

Oh, and the same seller was selling the same part 'for a Noble' for £550.

Edited by r11co on Tuesday 23 September 11:09

[Frimley111R]

All I have ever read on forums about these are good things. They do seem to be very good cars.

[mybrainhurts]

PH said:

Plus you won't be obliged to FeelXE on every journey

Que...?

[Turbobanana]

DoctorX said:

Oval headlights - can't think of a car on which these look good. X-Type is the worst by far though.

I Googled "oval headlights" in an attempt to prove you wrong. I couldn't.

[Gorbyrev]

DoctorX said:

Oval headlights - can't think of a car on which these look good. X-Type is the worst by far though.

Was very fond of the front of my dad's 1300XL mk1 Escort Estate which had the oval headlights. Would have suffered the round headlights for a Mexico though!

Two guys I know who ran X-types suffered from cracking alloy wheels. Other than that they seemed happy. One of them was a former Impreza devotee.

[DeanoX]

Ran a 2.0D estate as the family wagon for several years. loved it and had no major issues.

Stone leather interior with piano black dash was a very nice place to be.

[r11co]

schmalex said:

X Types are utterly hateful things with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. I owned a 2.5 auto for a year or so back in 2003 and it was simply horrible.

There's your mistake. The JATCO autobox was terrible and the 2.5 engine wasn't good enough.

3.0 manual is the way to go with these things. Even better if you can find a pre 2005 model with the viscous diff rather than the electronic traction control braking system they replaced it with.

[xRIEx]

mybrainhurts said:

PH said:

Plus you won't be obliged to FeelXE on every journey

Que...?

Something to do with cringeworthy XE launch event, I think.

[bertiedee]

I ran a 2.0 diesel estate for 3 years. I bought it with 60k miles and sold it at 135k, No faults, just routine maintainance. Not an exciting car, but very comfortable and practical and reasonably economical. I only sold it as I reached the point where I needed a service, 4 tyres, discs and pads all round and the shocks were getting a little tired so I traded it in.
The downsidewas being called Grandad for having one!