Monday 15th June 2015

Jaguar XJ MY16 facelift

Minor update for Jaguar's flagship with powertrain and infotainment tweaks too

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In a class of extremely conservative luxobarges, the current Jaguar XJ has always stood defiantly for something a little more individual. It's a damn good car too, impressing since launch and especially as an XJR.

Check out that gloss black valance

Now it's time for an update in the face of fresh competition from the new BMW 7 Series, a revised Audi A8 and the seemingly indomitable S-Class. Spotted anything yet?

For those struggling the lights are now all LEDs - the daytime running lights are called 'J-Blade' kids - there's a more upright grille and a gloss black valance with a little more chrome. Hardly drastic but then you could argue an XJ facelift didn't need to be. From here it's still the most stylish luxury saloon by a margin.

More significant updates come under the skin. The 3.0-litre V6 diesel now produces 300hp and 516lb ft, up from 275hp and 442lb ft, with emissions reduced from 159g/km to 149 also. Impressive, but don't forget a 730d emits 124g/km... The supercharged V6 and two variants of the 5.0 V8 continue unaltered. The electric power steering adopted in the F-Type and XE is now standard for the XJ, supposedly "enhancing the XJ's position as the most dynamic luxury sedan in the segment".

Jaguar promising much from updated infotainment

The InControl Touch Pro infotainment recently introduced across the JLR range also features, claimed to be "exceptionally powerful and responsive". It's controlled by an eight-inch touchscreen and through the InControl Apps, with everything from a Commute Mode to shorten the office journey to an InControl Secure tracking app available. All very promising; let's see how it functions in the real world.

There's the usual array of driver assistance tech and a mighty audio system (up to 26 speakers!) to complete the XJ facelift. Prices start at £58,690 for the short-wheelbase 3.0d Luxury, rising to £100,000 for the LWB 5.0 Autobiography. The 3.0 V6 petrol costs from £74,185 with the XJR at £92,405. And remember, the effects of depreciation become less savage the longer you keep it...

[robemcdonald]

Shame they couldn't do anything about the nasty black c pillar. Ruins an otherwise good looking car.

[KillerHERTZ]

They still havent hidden the bootlid keyhole?

Looks the same as an old Astra's.

[GilesGuthrie]

KillerHERTZ said:

They still havent hidden the bootlid keyhole?

Looks the same as an old Astra's.

Not a hole. It's a button to electrically open the boot.

[crostonian]

robemcdonald said:

Shame they couldn't do anything about the nasty black c pillar. Ruins an otherwise good looking car.

I've always liked the black C pillar, it's the Recession White paint that to my eyes ruins a beautiful car and I agree that on a white XJ, the black pillar doesn't look right.

[dbdb]

They're excellent cars. If you are going to do the driving yourself, they're the big car to get.

[MrTappets]

Loved the XJ when it came out. 3.0 diesel and a V6S Coupe F-Type with manual box would be my perfect two car garage. Completely agree that it's very colour sensitive though. I wouldn't even consider speccing one anything paler than mid-grey, let alone choosing white for a press fleet XJR. Dark metallic blue for me please.

[Wills2]

That 300hp diesel needs to go in the XE pronto...they'll shift loads.

[Shifty Bloke]

beauty

[Limpet]

One of the nicest interiors of any mass produced car at the moment. Such a wonderful place to be.

[J B L]

It's a beautiful car.

I wish they'd try to do a Merc CLS type estate version of it with this interior. Just to see.

[craigjm]

This car is getting better and is easily the best of its type for anyone that actually wants to drive. Its a shame that the follow me navigation and virtual windscreen are not ready for this update

[Jam12321]

A lovely car, haven't driven one yet but have been in several. Really nice interior and really like the rear lights on it.

[Limpet]

The car service we use at work run a couple of long wheelbase XJLs alongside the usual Mercedes and Audis. They are a joy to be driven in. The interior is a really nicely judged mix of tradition and tech, seems as well put together as anything coming out of Germany. The ride comfort and refinement are also both first class.

[craigjm]

I wonder what the retained value of the diesel autobiography will be. Its basically 80k and the only cost option is pretty much a "special" paint at £700. Wonder what discounts there will be available too. Looks a relative bargain compared to a specced S-class LWB

[RoverP6B]

Sod the bloody pigging electric steering... these (reputedly) had really lovely hydraulic steering... and nobody in this market cares about those final 1.2 miles per gallon. Oh well... I'd still rather like a LWB Supersports. Not the R, that's too vulgar. Dark red with dark grey alloys, please, as per the one Clarkson raced against the sun...

[craigjm]

RoverP6B said:

Sod the bloody pigging electric steering... these (reputedly) had really lovely hydraulic steering... and nobody in this market cares about those final 1.2 miles per gallon. Oh well... I'd still rather like a LWB Supersports. Not the R, that's too vulgar. Dark red with dark grey alloys, please, as per the one Clarkson raced against the sun...

There isnt a LWB supersports in the new range

The electric steering thing in cars like this is not about the efficiency argument its about the ability to be able to offer driver assistance options such as the parking assistance / self parking type stuff which is much easier to implement with electric steering.

[RoverP6B]

Oh dear. Has it really come to the point that even a Jaguar sports saloon must be capable of driving itself? And no Supersports - has the XJR replaced it?

[craigjm]

RoverP6B said:

Oh dear. Has it really come to the point that even a Jaguar sports saloon must be capable of driving itself? And no Supersports - has the XJR replaced it?

The supersports was basically a LWB XJR. The XJR is still there but the supersports has now been replaced with the autobiography spec that can be had either with the XJR engine or with a diesel

[RoverP6B]

The Supersports preceded the XJR and could be had in both wheelbase lengths. It had the 503bhp engine and lacked the XJR's gaudy bodykit.

[craigjm]

RoverP6B said:

The Supersports preceded the XJR and could be had in both wheelbase lengths. It had the 503bhp engine and lacked the XJR's gaudy bodykit.

Well that option is no longer available in SWB but the supercharged engine is available in the Autobiography LWB if you dont want the XJR kit