For people who choose their cars for great driving dynamics, the indifferent sales of the Jaguar XE have always been a bit of a mystery. Spend quality time in this car and you’ll soon start regarding it as a kind of baby F-Type, a smallish, low and sporty car with brilliant steering, taut suspension, lots of cornering grip and a very decent turn of speed.
I’ll never forget going to an early reveal in Solihull, where the car is built, and feeling a frisson of excitement when Ian Callum told the assemblage of hacks that this car was as absolutely as low and as small as they could possibly make it, while getting in the good stuff like the front engine/rear drive layout, and especially the classy new independent rear end, so good at killing road noise and playing its part in the classy handling. That feeling of a car being reduced to its essentials always makes it feel special.
But what was always missing was an eye-catching look and a plush interior – and now the XE has both. If there’s any justice, these things will make a big difference. Everyone agrees the XE looks great, what with its sporting stance and sinuous, mostly aluminium body. Look at it on your drive, and it’s terrific. But it was never an eye-grabber, until now. What it needs from here on is for buyers to take a second, more open-minded look at a car that has never been the default choice.
Of course, stuff like the deal, the colours, the marketing procedures and the dealer experience remain as important as ever. They can still kill or cure. But for sure, there’s now nothing wrong with the XE itself.
Read more
Bolder looks, classier cabin, more tech for 2019 Jaguar XE
Insight: Q&A with Ian Callum, Jaguar design director
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Very Happy owner
I have had my new 20t R sport since October and I am so impressed with the car. The handling and ride is just so well set up, the car flows along roads everyne who gets in the car coments on how comfortable it is. This is the first auto that I have had and now that it has learnt my driving style there are few times its not in the right gear. Real world Fuel economy has surpassed my expectations coming from manual diesel, it easily gets low 40's out of town. I have specked the car with split fold seat and even my daughters double base fits in. I think the facelift and improvements to what is already a great car will improve sales and this will dependant on marketing more agressively. I think from an engineering perspective its spot on though most of the style driven badge snobs wouldnt know if a car they were driving had rearwheel drive double wishbone suspenion etc. I have had BMW,AUDI, VOLVO and MAZDA with out doubt this is the best car a san overal ownership and enjoyment package. If Jaguar can market to a new audience which when you look at the brochure it looks like they have had a shift change with younger people pictured then sales should improve. I will sum up by one of the most surprising things about the car and the marque, everyone who has seen or has been in the car coments on how impressive it is "Wow you have a Jaguar" I never got this with the other premuim manufuctures cars i have had. I think its now down to Jaguar to put them selves out there, the halo effect of the ipace has to be used to the Max before its diluted by other launches.
Generic styling
The problem I've always had with the XE is that if you took the badges off it, you wouldn't really know what it was. From various angles, it could quite easily be a BMW 3 series, a Ford Mondeo, a Volvo, a Seat, or a Skoda.
Yes!
Of course a re design has improved it, it looks more like a three series now, can only be a good thing?, who knows, the staring price is a bit high, but, I guess you’ll be able to get a discounted one somewhere.