Jaguar XF: The Cat is Back

Despite its parent company's shifting fortunes, Jaguar's sleek new XF is a four-door luxury winner

By Thane Peterson

Editor's Rating:

The Good: Gorgeous interior, quickness, available supercharged engine

The Bad: No optional four-wheel drive, relatively high price

The Bottom Line: Beauty and brawn that rivals a Mercedes (at a similar price)

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Up Front

Jaguar has been something of an orphan brand since Ford (F) sold it and Land Rover to India's Tata Motors (TTM) earlier this year. Even by the miserable standards of the battered auto industry, sales are weak. Automotive News magazine estimates the combined U.S. sales of all Jaguar and Land Rover models in November at a mere 3,220, about the same as Suzuki.

It's a shame Jaguar is languishing because the new '09 Jaguar XF is one of the finest luxury sport cars I've ever driven. If you want a sporty, rear-wheel-drive sedan with a six-speed automatic transmission that can also be shifted manually via steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters—the package a large part of the buying public is opting for these days—the XF is a marvelous vehicle: Quick, fun to drive, with gorgeous exterior styling and a truly beautiful interior.

The XF isn't a classic driver's car because you can't get it with a stick shift. But it's designed to compete with premium models such as BMW's (BMW) 5 Series, Mercedes' (DAI) E Class, Audi's A6, Cadillac CTS, Infiniti M45, and the Lexus GS 460, and has similar speed, and handling, as well as styling and luxury appointments that match or surpass all of those rivals.

Not surprisingly, the XF also carries a premium price. It comes in three trim lines, Luxury (starting at $49,975), Premium Luxury ($55,975), and Supercharged ($64,475). The Luxury versions of the car are powered by a 4.2-liter, 300-horsepower V8. The engine in the Supercharged XF is a juiced-up version of the same V8 rated at 420 horsepower.

However, even the basic (if you can call it that) "luxury" version of the XF comes well loaded, with standard equipment that includes 18-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof, keyless starting, a power operated tilting and telescoping steering wheel, rear parking assist, 10-way power adjustable front seats, an upscale sound system with a CD player, auto-dimming mirrors and full power accessories.

The Premium Luxury trim line adds 19-inch heels, more leather upholstery, a navigation systems, keyless entry as well as ignition, and 16-way power adjustable and heated front seats. Aside from the supercharged engine, the top-end version of the XF adds 20-in. wheels, an even better audio system with a six-CD changer and satellite radio, cooled as well as heated front seats, a power rear window shade, an active suspension system and bigger brakes.

The main option on the Supercharged XF is adaptive cruise control for $2,200. But most of the fancy standard gear on the Supercharged XF is available as optional equipment on the luxury versions of the car. Adaptive cruise control is available at the same $2,200 price, while 20-in. alloy wheels cost an extra $3,700 and a navigation system $1,000.

The XF hasn't yet been crash-tested in the U.S. but comes with standard safety gear than includes front, side, and head-protecting side curtain airbags, antilock brakes, active head restraints, and stability and traction control. A blind-spot monitor (which alerts the driver when the car is being overtaken by other vehicles) is optional on the luxury versions of the car and standard on the Supercharged XF.

With the smaller engine, the XF is rated to average 19 miles-per-gallon (16 in the city and 25 on the highway). Opting for the supercharged V8 lowers the rating to 17 mpg (15 in the city, 23 on the highway).