We car fans all love a beautiful sleek prestige car and Jaguar’s certainly tick all the boxes there, so when I got the opportunity to test drive the latest Jaguar XE 2.0 all-wheel drive wild horses couldn’t have held me back.
Jaguar XS -R Sport
Jaguar, the name brings memories of style, classic lines, refined racing bred engines and now under new owners Tata they are back to their best, full of drive, imagination, style, and refinement as I found out during my time with the car.
The top-of-the-line XE R-SportAWD. is a second-generation mid-size saloon added to the range for 2017, the XE-R-Sport AWD is a twin turbocharged 2.0-litre diesel 8 speed automatic that can deliver oomph with style and comfort.
When the Jaguar was delivered it certainly attracted a great deal of attention, it’s unmistakeable lines complimented with unique body styling including a redesigned front grill sports bumpers, R-Sport badging and side power vents all giving the XE a real sporty look.
According to Jaguar the XE-R’s sports suspension boasts stiffer coil springs and progressive sportier dampers, these springs and dampers being tuned to provide outstanding handling and agility while maintaining Jaguar’s legendary ride quality
Inside the Jaguar combined sportiness with luxury, body hugging, Taurus leather sports seats that keep you comfortable and secure on long journeys or when negotiating any tight bends. R-Sport metal sill finishers and R-Sport badging on the steering wheel all in keeping with the vehicles sporting prowess. Now the talking is over the best way to put all this to the test is out on the open road.
First up we took the XE R on the scenic but testing roads around Belmont, West Houghton, on to Pendle Hill to see how it coped with some of the worst conditions East Lancashire’s weather and roads could throw at it.
The XE took it all in its stride, sure footed around the twists and turns of these country lanes it could have been on rails. Extremely responsive handling meant it took the often, sudden steep inclines and drops in the road due to the terrain, again all in its stride. Being on country roads which at times contained their share of pot holes I can say the suspension smoothed out the bumps effortlessly giving a comfortable ride. One thing we did find was the ride comfort did become better when we reduced the tyre pressures down the recommended lower setting I the company handbook.
After putting our XE through its paces on country roads it was time to put where it should be fully at home, on the motorway.
On the M62 the steering felt nicely weighted and the front end is so accurate and responsive that you know exactly where you are at all times. It’s smooth, enjoyable and exhibits deftness in all it does. What’s more Jaguar techies seem to have nailed the relationship between the supple suspension the tyres and the road giving a cohesive positive handling experience.
We took the car on a long journey from Manchester to Leeds ten onto Hull before heading back the most noticeable feature was at no point did I feel tired or fatigued from the long spells of driving. I am also told the XE R monitors the driver to warn them if they seem to be dozing, not that I needed that facility.
After the motorway runs we decided to put the XE through the ‘mundane’, it’s all well and good to do all the glam bits with the car but how does it manage in the less glamorous roles.
So taking the kids to school, well when we turned up at the school the car certainly turned heads. The XE stood out amongst the various 4X4’s, after all it was a 4x4 with racing lines, a refreshing change from the norm.
The easy handling at low speeds meant we could put the Jag in the tightest of spots with ease and dispatch the kids safely at the school gates without mishap.
Then it was off to the supermarket to get the shopping, again the car turned heads as I parked up getting many admiring looks. My only concern was that no one would get to close and catch the car when they opened their doors, but hey that’s the reality of life.
On returning no minor dents, the only point I would make, though the boot is ample I did need to use the back seats the get all the shopping in – but that was a minor compromise to make, and after all its first priority is not to be a shopping trolley.
So to sum the experience up.
The Jaguar lives up to its hype, the cars handling is second to none, positive and sure, inside you are immerse in luxury making for a stress - free journey whether it’s around the corner to the shops or across the country on a long journey you will arrive feeling fresh and relaxed.
Jaguar certainly have a winner on their hands and the XE S AWD will certainly make their competitors take notice.
The car was a Jaguar XE R-Sport AWD 2.0 4 cylinder twin turbo charged diesel.
Check out this and other Jaguar models at www.jaguar.co.uk
Tagged in Motoring Reviews Jaguar