RE: Jaguar XE: Driven

[dukebox9reg]

daveco said:

Agree 100%. I think this looks far better than the 3 series (which has date quite rapidly), and the A4. And this is coming from the owner of a German exec.

Would be interesting to hear if Jaguar have done their exhaust magic with the top of the range S model too.

They have, as the article says and I confirmed a couple of posts up. In loud mode its not much quieter than the F-Type V6S. Does make a very good noise.

[apotts]

chandrew said:

Jaguar's biggest problem with the XF was that it didn't bring out AWD or an estate until a long time after launch. It was then an old car.

I don't hear any messages that there will be AWD or an estate any time soon with the XE.

A quick look at nearly new cars (dealer stock etc) here in Switzerland shows some of the issues:

> 90% of all Audi A4s are estates
> 65% of all BMW 3 series are estates
> 60% of all BMW 3 series are AWD

OK so Switzerland is small. If I do a similar search in Germany the majority of 3 series are estates and over 80% of Audi A4s.

Doing the same in the UK for the 3 series (nearly new):

22% estates
12% AWD

OK, so the UK is small-ish, but we haven't gone bust and it's the home of Jaguar.

[ZesPak]

jamieduff1981 said:

They're both blue?

Exactly what I was thinking. WHAT, they both come in the SAME colour?

As for the people re pricing. Jag comes a bit better equipped, priced comparable to the C-class from what I've seen, but I was comparing the Diesel 180 to the C220.

The "not launching an estate" just yet is a big let down for the dealers here. Spoke to a Jag dealer the other day and he reckons he sells 4 XF estates for every XF saloon.
I liked the car very much, thought the interior was miles better than the 3-series, but not on par with the C-class.

jl34 said:

So exactly which cars in the XE class do you find well styled then ?

Exactly. Can't think of a lot of cars in this class that actually look like they're designed by anything else than a wind tunnel and some computers.
Maybe the Mazda 6, in the "non-premium" bracket.

[Cotic]

ZesPak said:

The "not launching an estate" just yet is a big let down for the dealers here. Spoke to a Jag dealer the other day and he reckons he sells 4 XF estates for every XF saloon.
I liked the car very much, thought the interior was miles better than the 3-series, but not on par with the C-class.

My understanding is that if you're holding out for an XE Estate you're going to be disappointed. The XE Estate is the F-Pace...

I like the XE though, and it seems to ride and handle well enough without splashing an extra £750 on 'adaptive ride' suspension, which is refreshing. A back-to-back test couldn't come quick enough though.

[British Beef]

jamieduff1981 said:

jl34 said:

Very depressing to hear negative comments from people who havent seen or driven the car. It has a nice sporty profile when put next to a 3 series or A4 with the rakish front pillars. I think in terms of packaging constraints and requirements of the fleet market they have a done a great job. It was never going to look like an e-type or Mk2 was it ???? !!!! Today you have strict crash safety and aero constraints before you even start on the styling. As for comparing it to a mustang, why not compare an Audi A4 to a Mustang ?

Double wishbone suspension , aluminium body, app controlled functions, 99g CO2 engine , you dont get those on the Germans so whats the matter with you lot?

The British love to pan British products. All a car needs is to not be German to automatically be rubbish. How can we expect other nations to denigrate everything we produce if we don't condemn it before it's on sale ourselves?

The British can't get enough ass-rogering from German car makers it seems.

Edited by jamieduff1981 on Wednesday 28th January 08:17

Very true. Like the Evora Vs 911 debate. I have tried both, and the difference in how they feel and drive is no where near as marked as the difference in sales success (in UK or globally). For me this is purely down to brand prejudice, and the misconception that anything German is built superior to all else, and this despite continual known problems and weaknesses in the 911/boxster/Cayenne engines (scored bores / RMS) over the past 15 years.

[thiscocks]

Zad said:

So, let me get this right. I could buy a 420bhp V8 Mustang, with 10 grand left for coke and hookers (or petrol). Or I could buy this?

The front end is fine, the interior is okay, the rear is 5 years ago. Maybe the estate version will be the one to get then? Maybe. I hope Jaguar's designers and stylists are retained to do a pretty quick refresh, because this is looking very much like the "new" Mondeo; 2 or 3 years old already, both in terms of technology and aesthetics. The EPAS tells you (with both cars really) that the marketers, managers and bean counters have insinuated themselves back in front of the engineers at both companies.

How did you work out that the technology is 2 or 3 years old? No its not as quick as a Mustang in a straight line but I know which I would rather drive around in. Practically every new car has EPAS unless you hadn't noticed.

Although I agree they have done a st job on front and rear styling.

[hornetrider]

Massive shame there is no estate version at launch - surely that's a major booboo from JLR?

Otherwise the review is encouraging in terms of handling and sounds like a car I'd want to own.

[DLovett]

Speaking as a European motoring journo, it appears to me that the British press have a habit of rating Jags insanely high. Autocar mentions the handling, ride and steering of the XF being best in class... They clearly haven't driven a 5-series in some time.

I'm sure the handling and ride are good but the europeans want a nice cabin and this one looks decidely former-gen, coupled with a infotainment system that looks and feels like something that wouldn't look out of place in a Chinese knock-off.

A Jag for sure, for better or for worse...

[Nors]

GTEYE said:

Front - distinctive, but too similar to the XF to me, which comes across a bit last generation

Side - see above

Rear - disappointing, looks like it could be a Honda Accord (or similar) if the badges were swapped

Interior - pretty generic - and if the infotainment is a bit iffy, might well be a showroom turnoff. The Germans are pretty good at this stuff these days.

Still better to have more choice rather than less though, so I wish it well.

Pretty much agree with all your comments there.

I quite like it, looks classy from most angles except the back. Difficult to say from the pics, but only a C+ for the interior, looks quite dated already.

[Nors]

tadaah said:

jamieduff1981 said:

It's odd you say that because the BMW PCP rates discussed on here a week ago were eyewatering to what my Jag PCP rate is. Mine was sold "used" as it was a 1200 mile old demonstrator and I got it at 5.5%. Audi finance rates seem to be staggeringly expensive too.

Exactly!

Can't say it's the same across the board at Audi, a friend of mine got a deal on a SQ5 last July at 4% APR. It was a promotion true, but deals do exist!

[kritter86]

A lot of hate for the XE, still think I'll go for one over a 320d or A3.

[Limpet]

The XE gives you an involving drive, and decent handling and ride, without specifying adaptive damping. This cannot be said about the F30 3-series in my opinion.

[Dodsy]

Jaguar are let down by 70's style approach to servicing, very poor warranty once the car gets >60k Miles (they have NO faith in their product to last beyond 60k miles) and the ancient interior technology.

Current XJ and XF are like dinosaurs tech wise and cabin ergonomics arent particularly good. I havent driven an F type yet but I bet its no better and it sounds like this new car is still the same old Dinosaur under the skin.

Shame as I like my current old model XJ but dont see anything in the current line up to go to when I change it.

[Limpet]

I can't understand how they could screw up the infotainment system. Isn't stuff like this simply bought off the shelf and branded/skinned as appropriate?

[loudlashadjuster]

jamieduff1981 said:

It's odd you say that because the BMW PCP rates discussed on here a week ago were eyewatering to what my Jag PCP rate is. Mine was sold "used" as it was a 1200 mile old demonstrator and I got it at 5.5%. Audi finance rates seem to be staggeringly expensive too.

I know what you're saying, but my experience doesn't bear that out.

OK, this is comparing XF and 5 Series, but this has always been the way Jaguar financing has come out against BMW/Mercedes for me.

XF Sportbrake offer on Jaguar website
£35,945 list
£2,990 down
£3,555 discount
£29,400 credit
£14,726 balloon (40.1% of list)
£500 per month (£18,000 over three years)
4.9% APR

520d M Sport offer on BMW website
£37,090 list
£2,990 down
£5,164 discount
£28,935.38 credit
£16,762.50 balloon (45.2% of list)
£460 per month (£16,560 over three years)
5.9% APR

So, yes, the APR is higher, but at the end of the day the Jaguar would cost me an extra £1,500 over the term compared to the BMW. Even accounting for servicing (ostensibly free on Jaguar, £525 with BMW) there's still the best part of a grand in it, and all that time I'd be driving a car that is down on power yet more thirsty (according to friends who have run both).

My other problem with Jaguar, which I admit may be particular to my location, is that both M-B and BMW are happy to sell me a car on its own merits but my local Jaguar dealer seems almost obsessed with putting other marques down to make their car look better, even to the point of flat-out lying about some things. I was also told in no uncertain terms that a test drive would be out of the question until he was sure I had "decided on a Jaguar". Yes, really.

Such 'Del Boy' attitude isn't what I'm looking for from a dealer, especially when my experience of both the German marques' local dealers is extremely positive.

You seem to misunderstand me; I want to buy a Jaguar, and maybe the XE will really be different, but my point is that they make it very hard to be the rational choice.

Sorry to turn this into yet another 'finance' thing, but at the end of the day that's the bottom line for many. I haven't given up hope yet though and am going along to the dealer's XE launch thingy in a few weeks to have a poke around for myself.

[andrewparker]

Disappointing in the looks department. Just find it very dull, especially from the rear.

[JonnyVTEC]

Limpet said:

I can't understand how they could screw up the infotainment system. Isn't stuff like this simply bought off the shelf and branded/skinned as appropriate?

Didnt you like it when you used it?

[dukebox9reg]

Limpet said:

I can't understand how they could screw up the infotainment system. Isn't stuff like this simply bought off the shelf and branded/skinned as appropriate?

It was a pre-production system though. Will be interesting to see if the faults are still present in the production cars.

[JonnyVTEC]

loudlashadjuster said:

I know what you're saying, but my experience doesn't bear that out.

OK, this is comparing XF and 5 Series, but this has always been the way Jaguar financing has come out against BMW/Mercedes for me.

XF Sportbrake offer on Jaguar website
£35,945 list
£2,990 down
£3,555 discount
£29,400 credit
£14,726 balloon (40.1% of list)
£500 per month (£18,000 over three years)
4.9% APR

520d M Sport offer on BMW website
£37,090 list
£2,990 down
£5,164 discount
£28,935.38 credit
£16,762.50 balloon (45.2% of list)
£460 per month (£16,560 over three years)
5.9% APR

So, yes, the APR is higher, but at the end of the day the Jaguar would cost me an extra £1,500 over the term compared to the BMW. Even accounting for servicing (ostensibly free on Jaguar, £525 with BMW) there's still the best part of a grand in it, and all that time I'd be driving a car that is down on power yet more thirsty (according to friends who have run both).

Seriously? You have just bought a car with smaller payments to appear 'cheaper' yet at the end to own the car you would need £2k less to keep the Jaguar!!

[ZesPak]

Dodsy said:

Jaguar are let down by 70's style approach to servicing, very poor warranty once the car gets >60k Miles (they have NO faith in their product to last beyond 60k miles) and the ancient interior technology.

Really? Dealers here give you 3 years instead of the 2 in most manufacturers, and second hand is actually very comprehensive, including the DPF and other stuff you wouldn't see everywhere...