2020 Jaguar XF

Jags are exceedingly rumored executive sedan who was ruling the market even before the XF was conceived in 2007, to be specific the Audi A6 and the BMW 530i. The XF is estimated lesser than those two at just $54,285 and goes as far as possible up to $63,195. How about we see whether it can deal with the challenge.

XF’s trims are very incremental and their prices are very closely packed. The official trims of the XF are given below-

There are a total of five trims excluding the diesel option, namely the XF, XF Premium, XF Prestige, XF R-Sport, and the top-of-the-line XF S.

Also, note that each of these trims come with an RWD or AWD option. The XF S possesses the twin-turbocharged rendition of the 3.0 liter V6 pumping out 380 hp which is on par with the gorgeous F-type.

What’s more, is that this trim also gets a special S-Bodykit that looks aggressive enough to hint the extra performance.

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All the trims are loaded with a decent number of creature comforts and tech gizmos but the trim to place your money on would have to be the XF Prestige as it has all the features of XF Premium and a couple of much-needed extras such as the 19-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, and front and rear park assist. You don’t have to break the bank here either at a reasonable $57,145.

On the other hand, if you’re a buyer who couldn’t choose the F-type because of family pressure and would love to have a four-door equivalent to make school runs and grocery shop trips a little more interesting, choose the XF S at $63,195 and you won’t be disappointed.

“The 2020 XF offsets its powertrain deficit with supple suspensions and sharp handling.”-Car Connection

The Brits have nailed it when it comes to the performance aspect of the XF and is one of the reasons why it is a better performance sedan when compared to the Audi A6.

As mentioned earlier, the supercharged 3.0 liter V6 unit makes 340hp @ 6500rpm which means that it stands above the A6 and the 540i making 333 hp and 335 hp respectively. If that isn’t enough, the twin-turbo 3.0 liter V6 will put a smile on your face when 380 ponies are let loose at the same rpm count.

The case is similar when it comes to the net torque produced. The XF makes 332 lb-ft of torque which is more than the A6’s 325 lb-ft and is the same as the 540i’s net torque. The 5 series also makes 332 lb-ft despite being twin-turbocharged.

The power may be transferred to just the rear wheels or all the four wheels of the XF depending upon your choice of spec but they all use an excellent 8-Speed Automatic ZF transmission that exhibits quick response at any gear. The Germans also offer a similar 8-speed transmission in both the A6 and the 540i.

Acceleration

The 0-60mph timings show significant improvement from the previous generation XFs as it reaches 60 mph from a standstill in just 4.9 seconds on par with the 540i and also happens to be two-tenths of a second quicker than the A6.

The quarter-mile run is completed in just 13.3 seconds which is also the same as the 540i and is a lot quicker than Audi’s 13.8-second run.

Handling and steering

The new Jaguar XF has phenomenal driving dynamics for an executive saloon of its kind due to a number of technical improvements such as the 50-50 weight distribution, the lightweight aluminum chassis and a modern torque vectoring system that reduces any amount of understeer on corners.

Both AWD and RWD drivetrains of the XF handle well on any road condition. The AWD directs most of its power to the rear wheels unless the front requires more. The Suspension cleverly adapts to the driving style and road undulations by constantly switching from stiff to a soft setting.

Although the folks at Jaguar have focused primarily on performance this time, the ride offered is as refined as possible and will live up to the expectations of luxury car buyers who are usually very hard to please.

The steering feedback is adequate and does a great job of inducing high levels of driver confidence on any type of road that faces this new Jag.

Braking

The 60-0 mph timings are pretty decent as it comes to a standstill from 60mph in 123 ft which is slightly better than the 5-series’ 124 ft but admits defeat to the A6’s 109 ft. The numbers here could’ve been improved considering that the Audi weighs a lot more than the XF and still manages to put up a shorter stopping distance.

The brake pads at the front are 13.8 inches in diameter while the ones at the back are 12.8 inches in diameter. When we’re talking about Curb weight, the XF weighs in at 3880 lbs which is lighter than the A6 but slightly heavier than the 5 series as shown below:

Although Jaguar has paid a lot of attention to boost fuel economy with features such as the stop-start system which works well in traffic, it falls short of the A6 and the 540i as it delivers a combined MPG of 23 while the other two give 24 miles to the gallon. On city drives, expect 20 MPG and 28 MPG on highways.

“The Jaguar XF sedan and Sportbrake are useful mid-sizers, we’d just wish the interior would cheer up.” –Car Connection

Jaguar has a rather well-appointed and modern, feels too subtle in comparison to its rivals and you’ll feel the same once you get into the XF. Sure, the materials used are top-notch with beautiful leather-wrapped on to everything you see contrasted by smooth piano black finishing on the dash and the door handles but it just looks like they didn’t spend enough time making it look appealing.

The center console has very few buttons as it is dominated by a large 12.3-inch infotainment screen that controls all the major audio/video operations. Jaguar has its very own version of the ‘Apple Car Play’ called the “In-control” app that is almost as good as the real thing but lacks finesse.

The infotainment screen provides a clear display and is also convenient to use from the driver’s point of view but takes longer to respond to commands, unlike rival systems. It comes equipped with tons of features like Adaptive cruise control, a dynamic vehicle setting layout that provides information on acceleration timings, g-forces while cornering, customizable steering feedback and alterable power delivery.

Seating and comfort:

The broad, leather clad seats in the XF provide great neck and thigh support in the front and the rear. The legroom and headroom provided in the back is sufficient but isn’t exactly generous once you find out that rival cars offer more in the spaciousness department.

The XF can seat 5 passengers comfortably and can offer tons of refinement even in its hardcore ‘dynamic’ mode where the car comes alive and the exhaust opens up. Everything seems toned down and calm even in the 380 hp XF S which is no mean feat.

Interior features:

• In-control app
• 3-inch infotainment screen
• 2 inch In Control touch pro screen
• 3G Wi-Fi hotspot
• Adaptive cruise control
• Front and rear park assist
• Driver Condition Monitoring system
• Lane departure warning
• Lane keep assist
• Heated front seats
• Meridian surround sound system

Cargo:

The trunk space in the current model of the XF has been compromised for broader rear seats and exterior features making it less practical than its rivals as seen below:

“The 2020 XF’s exterior is a sight for sore eyes, its interior is just a little sore.” –Car Connection

Dimensions and weight

The rapid acceleration of the XF is a result of Jaguar’s newly developed aluminum chassis being 265 lbs lighter than the previous model and their obsession with going minimalistic to reduce as much weight as possible. Another interesting fact that contributes to the acceleration figures is that Jaguar claims the body panels weigh only a meager 13 lbs.

In terms of wheelbase, the XF is longer than the A6 at 116.5 inches. The 5-series has a longer wheelbase than the Jag at 117.1 inches.

The rest of the detailed measurements and dimensions are as given below:

Exterior features:

• Sun roof with power sun shade
• Power folding mirrors
• Adaptive headlights
• Cameras and radars for 360-degree surveillance
• 19-inch alloy wheels on XF Prestige
• 20-inch alloys on XF R-Sport variant
• XF S gets a new S-bodykit and rear mounted spoiler

This British executive saloon is packed with safety features that are nothing short of impressive. ‘Autonomous Emergency Braking’ is one such system that warns the driver and applies total braking force in case he/she has failed to do so in a critical driving situation.

‘Lane Departure Warning’ and ‘Lane Keep Assist’ will together work towards preventing the driver from drifting into another lane by visual warnings or by applying moderated counter steering to get the car back into the correct lane.

Driver Condition Monitoring keeps the driver alert by providing occasional alarms and visual cues if the system recognizes fatigue or long duration of inactivity.

A few other safety features are also given below:

• Blind-Spot and Lane Keeping/Departure Warnings Accident Avoidance System
• Child Seat Anchors
• Dual Front Side-Mounted Airbags
• Adaptive cruise control
• Front and Rear Head Airbags
• Front Fog/Driving Lights
• Post-Collision Safety System
• Passenger Airbag Occupant Sensing Deactivation
• Emergency Braking Assist
• Tire Pressure Monitoring
• ABS and Driveline Traction Control
• Traction Control

2020 Audi A6 Sedan:

The A6 Sedan was introduced in 1994 as the successor to the infamous Audi 100.Since then; it has always been a force to be reckoned with when it comes to executive saloons.

The A6 combines the driving dynamics of a sports car and the practicality of a large German saloon and as it is one of the most luxury-focused Audis out there, the Jag does have a lot of things to worry about…

The 3.0 V6 in the Audi is a phenomenal engine even though it is a couple of horses down on the XF. It certainly is more fuel efficient and reliable. All the other engine choices of the A6 such as the 2.0 liter 4-cylinder and the 2.8 liter V6 are just as great as the 3.0 liter and provide the required “oomph”.

The 3.0 liter V6 variant pumps put 333 hp and a net torque of 325lb-ft and it propels the A6 to 60mph from a standstill in 5.1 seconds which may not be as quick as the XF but considering its weight, it isn’t bad.

The Audi A6 starts off at a price of $58,550 and most buyers would be very tempted to go for one of these.

2020 BMW 5-series:

Remember BMW’s tagline, “the ultimate driving machine”? This is that ultimate driving machine. The 5-series is the big dog that has kept on dominating the executive saloon game in terms of sales and driving dynamics ever since its inception in 1972.

The standards of technology, driving and safety that the XF yearns to achieve were all initially set by the 5-series and the current generation still claims the throne in almost all those aspects.

While the Jaguar XF has focused on trying to increase power, torque and straight line speed, the 5 series focuses on spreading that power onto the wheels in such a way that it inspires driver confidence like no other car out there.

The beamer possesses a 3.0 liter, turbocharged in-line 6-cylinder that pumps out 335 hp and net torque of 332 lb-ft and it propels the 5-series to 60mph from a standstill in 4.9 seconds just like the XF.

The XF does provide great competition to the 5-series and can be considered as a direct rival. It starts off at $56,445 and is very well worth the hefty price tag.

Jaguar XF is a good car but it has been long since it has been updated. It goes well together with the A6 and 5 series, but British opulence doesn’t impress much now. The recent gen 5 series is a rather great and practical car. Only go for an XF if you want that kind of a charm.