Road Test Written by Richard Gooding
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Clean and compact cat The Jaguar XE ushers in new technology and a new series of cleaner engines. Richard Gooding finds out that Jaguar’s compact executive car for the modern era resets the company’s template for its fleet-minded offerings What is it? Launched in 2014, the XE is the first modern-era compact executive from the now Indian-owned Jaguar, and follows on the heels of the larger and successful XF and XJ which brought advanced aluminium body and platform architecture. The pair also heralded the re-birth of the once proudly British manufacturer, and the XE is also the first compact sports saloon since the backwards-looking X-Type of the early 2000s. However, unlike that car, it is thoroughly contemporary in both its styling and make-up. It’s also one of the first Jaguar cars to offer a sub-100g/km CO2 rating – the car tested here is rated at 99g/km. How does it drive? Step into the Jaguar XE R-Sport and the first impression is one of premium quality. The cabin is very nicely finished, the centre console borrowing 1930s Art Deco styling flourishes, while the wraparound dashboard, high transmission tunnel centre console and dark headlining makes the driver feel cocooned, helped by the low seating position. Leather trim on the dashboard and hooded
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instrument binnacle as well as chrome accents add to the upmarket and sporty feel. The new 161bhp ‘Ingenium’ diesel engine has 280lb ft/380Nm of torque and offers really muscular performance: 0-60mph comes up in just 7.9 seconds. The pace feels effortless, and the engine is strong though the mid-range. The steering features Jaguar’s first electrically-assisted system but there’s little complaint: nicely weighted, it doesn’t feel artificially electric. The sports suspension ensures the baby Jaguar corners flatly with very little body roll, and changes in direction can be done quickly and sure‑footedly with very little fuss. It’s comparatively comfortable, too, for one so sporting, so delivers the best of both worlds. On the move, the Jaguar XE is refined – the engine spinning at just 1,600rpm at 70mph – although a fair bit of road noise is transmitted into the cabin, even with fatter side-walled 205/55 R 17 Continental ContiEcoContact
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tyres to keep those emissions down. Wind noise takes a back seat, though, and although rear legroom is more on the limited side, most average height bodies should be comfortable on shorter journeys. Separate air conditioning and heated seat controls along with twin 12V power sockets give rear seat passengers something to play with. The electrically‑opening 455-litre boot is nicely square-shaped, but features a higher ‘platform’ at the back with a slope down towards the 2 front of the car. Four driving modes also help get the most out of the XE, depending on the situation and conditions. ‘Dynamic’, ‘Normal’, and ‘Winter’ deliver more involving, every day performance, and added stability and grip driving experiences respectively, while an ‘Eco’ mode adjusts the car’s systems to exploit economy and therefore give more favourable fuel returns.
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