RE: Jaguar XF S: Driven
Discussion
Wait... I feel like i'm missing something here.
What's wrong with the interior exactly? The seats look well designed ergonomically, it has contrast stitching and the grainy leather is certainly no less than the Dakota offering from BMW and the Artico offering from Mercedes. I personally think that the way that they've done the two tone leathers is great.
What's wrong with the interior exactly? The seats look well designed ergonomically, it has contrast stitching and the grainy leather is certainly no less than the Dakota offering from BMW and the Artico offering from Mercedes. I personally think that the way that they've done the two tone leathers is great.
I really, really want to like Jag - I've had many previously - but they seem to do everything in their power to keep me away. Bland styling on the outside (F-type excepted, just) combined with very bland and poorly styled (very dated) interiors that don't go anywhere near justifying the price point on the inside, mean they hold no attraction for me, even before you look at their very ambitious pricing. Yes, they mostly drive well, but there's not enough there over and above the competition to make up for the shortcomings outlined above. This car is an absolute case in point.
All in my opinion of course!
Do they discount to the same extent as BMW, Audi and Merc? They will certainly need to, to capture market share I think - and of course that will only impact residuals, which historically for XFs haven't been very good, which of course impacts the all-important lease monthlies.
To me, it's very disappointing from a company who can quite clearly do it when they want to - their latest offerings feel (mostly) like half-hearted efforts.
All in my opinion of course!
Do they discount to the same extent as BMW, Audi and Merc? They will certainly need to, to capture market share I think - and of course that will only impact residuals, which historically for XFs haven't been very good, which of course impacts the all-important lease monthlies.
To me, it's very disappointing from a company who can quite clearly do it when they want to - their latest offerings feel (mostly) like half-hearted efforts.
Jags problem is they concentrate too much on making the car drive well - smooth, flowing, quality interaction with the road. Such an old fashioned concept.
They have to realise that TV screens and types of switches (as well as warning gimmicks of course) are what make cars really special or their days are numbered.
They have to realise that TV screens and types of switches (as well as warning gimmicks of course) are what make cars really special or their days are numbered.
Ex Boy Racer said:
Jags problem is they concentrate too much on making the car drive well - smooth, flowing, quality interaction with the road. Such an old fashioned concept.
They have to realise that TV screens and types of switches (as well as warning gimmicks of course) are what make cars really sell or their days are numbered.
Corrected that for you. It's a shame, but it's true. Yes, they have good driving dynamics, but the vast majority of buyers would not be able to differentiate between the dynamics of the Jag, or the equivalent Merc, BMW, etc, - which leaves the operational/aesthetics/connectivity stuff as the buy/lease criteria. This is where Jag are lagging badly.They have to realise that TV screens and types of switches (as well as warning gimmicks of course) are what make cars really sell or their days are numbered.
For the 'purists' the Jag will win often, but then I'm one of those, and yet I'm not prepared to put up with the compromises. The quality of the drive makes up a big part of why I'll buy (or lease) a car, but it's far from the only thing.
I do wonder if Jaguar interiors are not as good as they should be because of the high rate of new product introductions in the past few years - F Type, XF, XE, F Pace, E Pace with the I Pace to come. Has this over stretched its interior design resources? From my own experience of test driving some of these they are not as appealing as the Land Rovers I have driven and the Discovery Sport I now drive. That said, they are very nice to drive.
I don't get the reasoning behind complaining about Jag's 'Tech' being behind competitors. Its a car not a computer. It needs to do car things + Bluetooth, DAB and Tom Tom quality SatNav, ipod connect, job done.
Jag know this and after driving XE, XF against a 5 series and A4 is clear to see where Jag prioritise. The Chassis, drive and ride quality really is a class above. The Germans know how to do fit and finish. The 5 series is a great car but BMW have prioritise the Tech not the drive like a XF.
Jag know this and after driving XE, XF against a 5 series and A4 is clear to see where Jag prioritise. The Chassis, drive and ride quality really is a class above. The Germans know how to do fit and finish. The 5 series is a great car but BMW have prioritise the Tech not the drive like a XF.
TheTyreAbuser said:
otolith said:
The latter two are fairly objective - what aspects of the perceived quality did you think let it down?
It is objective, subjective too but he is right, the "perceived" quality is worse in JLR vs the German big 3. Personally, I do not care but I can see why someone might, when asking a £65k (or whatever it would be per month) question you want a nice feeling answer.
Case in point: My dad has just gone from a 15 plate AMG premium plus C class wagon to a 17 plate HSE Lux Disco sport. On paper, one was £40k with all options, the other was a fiver short of £50k, again, on paper. The difference in material quality, is quite surprising. The economies of scale in the little details is where they win. They can use the same Burmester laser cut metal speaker grilles in their S class as they do in the C class and the person in the C feels that quality. JLR don't have that level of finish. The speaker grilles in on the top end Meridian audio upgrade in the Disco are hard and cheap "feeling" black plastic. The same goes for the metal, solid "feeling" window switches in the Merc, in place of the cheap "feeling" plastic on plastic ones in the LR.
It's all part of the "soft plastics" brigade of "ooh isn't that nice". Most of us don't give a toss. Some people do and for those people, the JLR stuff isn't good enough.
Having had 5 Audis and now a Merc (cos it's Hybrid), I'd say the interiors have got less "solid" as each model has come in. My C Class has a horrible shining black plastic centre console, and that crap stuck on Tesco touch pad. And the on board computer stuff is very unfriendly to use. I've had it 7 months and still struggle to navigate it. And the sat nav is worse than my 5 year old portable TomTom.
In reality you look out through the windscreen rather than the interior...thankfully.
The gap to German build quality has been considerably narrowed, I think it's a myth on certain ranges these days.
In reality you look out through the windscreen rather than the interior...thankfully.
The gap to German build quality has been considerably narrowed, I think it's a myth on certain ranges these days.
Wills2 said:
Limpet said:
The interior is a big step back from the original, IMO.
I'm sorry but that looks bloody awful, a dated mess of materials and finishes. The current XF is a good looking car but the interior needs to be more like this:
Big GT said:
I don't get the reasoning behind complaining about Jag's 'Tech' being behind competitors. Its a car not a computer. It needs to do car things + Bluetooth, DAB and Tom Tom quality SatNav, ipod connect, job done.
Jag know this and after driving XE, XF against a 5 series and A4 is clear to see where Jag prioritise. The Chassis, drive and ride quality really is a class above. The Germans know how to do fit and finish. The 5 series is a great car but BMW have prioritise the Tech not the drive like a XF.
A car is a car first, which you drive. All the rest of the gadgets are just distractions which people can brag to their mates at the pub about. And cause accidents while focusing on their 47 speaker sound system when they should be looking where they're driving.Jag know this and after driving XE, XF against a 5 series and A4 is clear to see where Jag prioritise. The Chassis, drive and ride quality really is a class above. The Germans know how to do fit and finish. The 5 series is a great car but BMW have prioritise the Tech not the drive like a XF.
And with the law coming down harder and harder on people for speeding, is the incessant march of hundreds of horsepower really necessary in what is essentially a family car?
I mean, I can understand it if you want a pure sports car and maybe want to do track days, etc. By all means fill your boots. But THIS isnt that car.
And whats with the price for, as I may have mentioned, what is essentially a family car? Madness.
65k and so bland. Unfortunately everyone wants to be seen as the lifestyle or sporty individual and saloons just look so old man or company rep done good..
Yet dynamically they run rings round SUVs and are so much nicer to drive and efficient too.
Can't wait till the SUB curse is over. Proper 4x4s like the Range Rover I get but each time I have bought an SUV I feel like it was a mistake. There is just no hiding the weight if the things. At least a Range Rover uses this to improve its ride whereas all the others try to be sporty and dismally fail.
Yet dynamically they run rings round SUVs and are so much nicer to drive and efficient too.
Can't wait till the SUB curse is over. Proper 4x4s like the Range Rover I get but each time I have bought an SUV I feel like it was a mistake. There is just no hiding the weight if the things. At least a Range Rover uses this to improve its ride whereas all the others try to be sporty and dismally fail.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff