Jaguar XF 2010 Review

The arrival of the XF was a seachange moment for Jaguar and every fan of the British brand.  Life has not been the same for anyone since the classy mid-sizer landed, bringing a new style of design and a new commitment to class and quality for customers.

It's no surprise that the XF has been a global winner for Jaguar, even during the Global Financial Crisis, and has also lifted it onto shopping lists which would previously have been reserved for Benz, BMW and Audi. And maybe Lexus.

The high point of the XF development is the go-fastest model, the XFR, which is intended to lure people away from some of the most charismatic performance cars in the world, led by the BMW M5 and Benz's latest E63 sledgehammer.

The deal is done with a transplant that puts a supercharged and direct-injection 5-litre engine into the nose of the XF, with 375 kiloWatts and 625 Newton-metres for R-car duty. It's easy to pick the car by its 20-inch alloys, a punchier front end, bonnet louvres, four polished exhast tips and a bootlid spoiler.

Mechanically, the upgrade to XFR brings everything from quicker steering and giant disc brakes to an active differential and adaptive dynamics in the suspension.  The idea is to make the car much quicker - the 0-100km/h run takes 4.9 seconds - but also easier to drive and more responsive for people who enjoy their driving.

But no performance sedan can live on its speed alone in 2009, so the XF also comes with a full list of luxury equipment including leather seats, automatic aircon, a Bowers & Wilkins sound system unique to the XF, as well as safety gear including front-side-head airbags, anti-skid brakes and ESP, with an iPod connector for the sound system.

The XFR arrives as part of an upgraded 2010 XF range that gets upgraded engines, all with more go and less emissions, and even an acoustic laminated windscreen.

But the cost of the XFR is considerable, as it comes in at a rampaging $208,450. That's right on double the price of the basic V6 XF, although it undercuts the E63 and M5 but enough of a margin to make it look like a bargain.

Driving - Paul Gover

The XFR is, no question, the best Jaguar I have driven. And I've driven a few.  What makes it so good is the combination of a tight body, good looks, real quality and the sort of get-up-and-go that makes you want to go driving.

It's also modern on the inside and suitably chunky with the R-car additions to the external bodywork, including the lovely grille work in the nose.

The supercharged V8 gives the XFR real thumping performance, but the electronics and suspension work keep it easily under control. It's nowhere near as hard to handle as some early go-faster XK coupes, but lacks the fully-brutal impact of the latest AMG Benz.

Actually, it is a pretty sweet package. It is happy to trickle in traffic but if you flick the switches to sport and take control of the six-speed auto with the column paddles it becomes a real driver's car.

You can brake late with the classy discs, the nose follows the wheel without complaint, and it puts all the power on the road without bucking or resistance.

The car is quiet, apart from some roar from the low-profile tyres, easy to park and has good cabin and boot space. It's not ideal in the back, where it's a bit short of legroom against the new E-Class, but is fine for family work.

The driving position is very good and I love the touch-screen infotainment package, which is just about the best in the business. The B&W sound system is a real thumper, even if the brand is barely known in Australia.

But I find the speedometer really hard to read, particularly with blue lighting in daylight, and something as quick as the XFR needs a digital speedo readout for Australia.

I still find the gearshift controller a gimmick, but it is easy to use and gives most people a laugh.  The XFR can be very heavy on fuel, which is no real surprise, but generally it's ok in the 11-12L/100km range.

I currently rate the XFR a little ahead of the aging BMW M5, although it is no match for the E63, which is an impressive result. But I still find myself wondering how the car will wear over time and if Jaguar has translated Ian Callum's excellent design work and its R-car fast parts into long-term quality and reliability.

She says - Alison Ward

I have to admit I'm not the biggest Jaguar fan, so I rolled my eyes when the XFR arrived.  Why? I cannot shake the feeling that Jags are a bit unreliable, and the earlier XF I drove was a disappointingly sluggish drive.  There, that's the bad part mostly done.

The good news is that Jaguar has improved a lot with this car. For me it's a headier mix of stylish fittings and sportier grunt.  It looks great.  Both sleek and sophisticated, just as the Jaguar name suggests.   It drives beautifully and gets going at the slightest hint on the accelerator.

The comfortable leather seats, sexy swede roof and easy-to-navigate touch-screen display are well refined but I didn't see anything really new.

It does have plenty of legroom and boot space which is a surprising bonus on its sporty external appearance. The attention to detail with the interior and exterior design will rival its competitors and so will its cheaper pricetag.  But would I buy one?  Maybe, or maybe not. 

The unreliability reputation reared its head again when I heard the rear suspension rattle after just four days on test. I worry about what else would start to hum and squeak given enough time.

The 'James Bond' styled dial called a Selector (that I would usually call a gear lever) rises out of the centre console. Most men will love this feature, however I think its over-the-top, as are the air vents that also open when you start the car.

The glove compartment has a secret silver button that was temperamental to open as well.  I could see these useless items failing in the future and I would hate to think of the costs to fix them.   Overall, Jaguar has done a great job here but I would say this car is definitely one for the boys.

BOTTOM LINE: The best Jaguar since . . . forever, really.

SCORE: 82/100

Jaguar XF-R

PRICE $208,450
ENGINE 5.0-litre Roots supercharged V8
POWER  375kW at 6500 revs
TORQUE 625Nm from 2200 revs
TRANSMISSION Six-speed automatic, rear drive
BODY Four-door sedan
SEATS Five
DIMENSIONS  Length 4961mm, Width 2053mm, Height 1640mm, Wheelbase 2909mm, tracks front/rear 1559mm/1571mm
STEERING Servotronic ``fast ratio'' rack and pinion power steering
SUSPENSION Double wishbone front; multi-link rear
FUEL TANK 69.5 litres
FUEL TYPE Premium unleaded
FUEL CONSUMPTION 12.5/100km combined
WEIGHT 1891kg
SPARE TYRE Space-saver spare
BRAKES Anti-skid all-round discs
WHEELS 20-inch alloys
TYRES Front 255/35 R20, Rear 285/30 R20
SAFETY GEAR Dual front, side, curtain airbags, bi-xenon headlights, active damping, electronic stability control, traction control, brake assist, active differential control
CO2 EMISSIONS 292g/km

Rivals

Audi S6: 78/100 (from $204,900)
BMW M5: 80/100 (from $241,816)
Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG: 84/100 (from $234,900)