mmarshall

A Review of the 2009 Jaguar XF


http://www.jaguarusa.com/us/en/xf/mo.../xf_luxury.htm



In a Nutshell: A beautiful, drop-dead gorgeous car inside and out, but with quirky, hard-to-use controls and a somewhat disappointing chassis.






















There seems to be a fair, though not huge, amount of CL interest in the new Jaguar XF series, which replaces the former S-Series, whose basic platform was shared with the also-defunct Lincoln LS. I confess that I also had some interest in checking it out myself (although it is more car than I would probably buy or lease for myself), for I wanted to see how this car compared with the S-Series, long one of my favorite sedans for sheer classy looks. And, in sheer looks alone, the new car is is a worthy replacement, and yes, delivers in spades...but more on that later.

Jaguar, a classic British marque, has not really been "British" for some 20 years now, as Ford took over the struggling Jaguar works in Coventry, England, infusing badly needed cash and American quality control measures. These measures, though not equal to Japanese quality levels, were far better than the traditional British leak-out-everywhere fluid seals, devilishly unreliable (and sometimes dangerous) Lucas electrical systems, and trim pieces that constantly fell off. Jaguar quality improved significantly in the 1990's, as Ford instituted the better assembly-line measures (and some Ford parts-bin interior features), yet allowed the company to keep most of the classic British looks and trim. But Jaguar reliability dropped again after 2000 on all of its models, particularly the X-Class AWD model. The X-Class also featured a first-for-Jaguar wagon that unfortunately had few sales in the American market....Jaguar dropped not only the X-Class wagon but the entire series as well, despite the fact that the AWD sedan did sell, at least to an extent. However, I reviewed an X-Class some years ago and liked its looks, but I wasn't impressed with its build quality....it tended to creak and rattle. I also liked the larger S-Class, but it too was plagued with reliability problems, to the point that Ford, recently, decided that enough was enough, said "Ta-Ta" to Jaguar, and sold the entire company off to.....yep, you guessed it......India's Tata Motors. Tata's long-term commitment to Jaguar, of course, is unknown, as well as the quality of its management, but, personally, I'm not impressed with the 4-year/50,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty (which includes the drivetrain) that new Jaguars now come with. Tata does not seem to be willing to give Jaguar a comprable drivetrain warranty to that of many of its competitors.....perhaps because of its history of below-average reliability, although a number of German upmarket vehicles are also below-par in reliability.

OK, now to the matter at hand.........the new XF. The XF, as I stated above, replaces the old S-Series, which had been in production for some time. In the American market, two trim models are offered, a base XF and a supercharged S/C model. Both have a 4.2L V8, the base model with 300 HP/310 ft-lbs. of torque, and the S/C with 420 HP/408 ft-lbs. of torque. Both use the same ZF 6-speed automatic Sport/manual-mode-shift with paddle-shifters, the S/C model, oddly, getting a slight taller 3.07:1 final-drive ratio vs. the base car's 3.31. A number of interior and tech-option packages are available, as should be in a car of his class. And looks?..............Good Golly, is this car beautiful (was there EVER an ugly Jaguar)? The pictures really don't do the car justice.....you have to see and examine this car in person the appreciate its stunning and seductively good looks, especially the interior trim. Unfortunately, here are some not-so-pleasant quirks that come with it as well, and, like with any vehicle, you have to take the minuses with the plusses. I chose a base, non-supercharged model for the review, as it seems that the majority of Jaguar buyers are not particularly interested in drag-strip performance, although it bears mentioning that Jaguar's normally- aspirated 4.2L V8 has roughly the same power level as Nissan and Acura normally-aspirated V6 engines in the 3.5-3.7L class.

.........Details coming up.





Model Reviewed: 2009 Jaguar XF


Base Price: $49,200


Major Options:

Cold Climate Pack: $800

Sirius Satellite Radio: $375

Advanced Vision Pack: $1800


Destination/Freight: $775


List price as reviewed: $52,950





Drivetrain: RWD, Longitudional-mount 4.2L DOHC V8, 300 HP @ 6000 RPM, Torque, 310 ft-lbs. @ 4100 RPM,
6-speed automatic transmission with Sport-mode, automanual mode, and paddle-shifters.


EPA Mileage Ratings: 16 City, 25 Highway




Exterior Color: Azure Blue Metallic

Interior: Dove/Charcoal Bondgrain (Jaguarspeak for two-tone light/dark gray)






PLUSSES:


Stunning looks, inside and out.

Beautiful, ultra-classy interior and exterior trim.

Superlative fit/finish.

Lexus-grade paint job.

14 classy exterior paint colors.

5 different leather color-combinations, 4 of them two-tone.

Butter-smooth steering.

Butter-smooth brakes.

Smooth, refined, flexible transmission.

Road/wind noise well-damped.

Well-designed trunk hinges.

Excellent stereo sound.

Widely-adjustable drivers' seat.

Relatively good front and rear legroom.

Attractive, easy-on-the-eyes, aqua-blue gauge lighting.







MINUSES:


Questionable long-term reliablity.

Long-term commitment of parent Tata Motors unknown.

Second-class warranty.

Suspension not as well-done as its German competition.

Stiffer ride than expected.

4.2L V8 HP/torque comparable to 3.5/3.7L-class V6 engines from competitors.

Peek-a-Boo rear visibility.

Ultra-raked roofline robs rear headroom.

Clunk-clunk turn-signal noise.

Interior seat leather not as silky-smooth as previous Jaguars.

Temporary spare tire/wheel.

Wiper blades don't go full-out for windshield cleaning.

Poor underhood layout.

Unusual, quirky controls on the console and steering wheel.

Gimmicky, flip-open/closed air vents.

Complex, digital stereo and climate controls.

Audible exhaust drone.







EXTERIOR:

Jags will be Jags. No matter what angle you approach this car from, the only way to describe its styling/looks is stunning, although the rear roofline is raked back so much that it eats into not only rear-seat headroom/rear vision but the trunk lid as well....more on that later. Still, about the only way you can describe this car is beautiful. The classy, oval-shaped, chrome, wire-mesh grille and cat symbol, though made of thick, durable plastic, has the look and feel of real chrome. The headlights have an ultra-handsome look without a cheesy, excessively swept-back look. The lower-front air-dam has two quarter-length, chrome bars. The hood has beautiful taper-lines and a slight centerline bulge. The fenders, doors, roof, trunk lid.....basically the whole body is handsome and well-done. Sheet metal solidness, apart from the lightweight aluminum hood, is first-rate. The doors and trunk lid all close with a heavy, solid "thunk", and even the somewhat lighter hood closes rather solidly as well. The paint job is likewise first-rate, virtually equalling that of Lexus. The paint-color choice offers 14 classy colors, Jag having found a way to make even the duller ones look classy as well. The low-gloss metallic/chrome trim around the windows appears to be real brushed-metal instead of plastic. The dual outside mirrors are solidly-made, snap-swivel and lock easily, incorporate turn-signal indicators, and, with the optional Advanced Vision Package my test car had, incorporate orange laser devices to highlight vehicles in the blind spots for safety. About the only thing on the outside I saw that I didn't like were the windshield wiper arms, which did not pull up and lock for easier windshield cleaning. Like many past-generation American-designed cars, they just pull up a few degrees and hit a stop. That means you have to hold them up, off the glass, with one hand, against a spring-load, while you clean/wipe the glass with the other. On most cars, that design went out years ago.




UNDERHOOD:

Open the lightweight aluminum hood, with its thick underhood insulation pad (a nice feature) and double-gas-strut supporters, and a disappointing layout greets you. The longitudionally-mounted 4.2L V8 is crammed in with no room to spare. A big plastic engine cover and smaller covers/panels block almost everything except dipsticks, filler caps, and a few fluid reservoirs. The battery is back in the trunk with the temporary spare tire. Definitely not a car for do-it-yourselfers......but, of course, most of today's Jaguar buyers don't work on their own cars anyway. Still, IMO, car manufacturers, in general, should give more thought to actually reaching things underhood........it would make it a lot easier for the service technicians, as well as for those few owners who DO work on their own cars. The Kia Rondo I recently looked at, for example, was just superb in this area....IMO, it is the model for other manufacturers to emulate underhood.





INTERIOR:

Open the doors and.......Wow.........you are treated to an interior with looks just as superlative as the exterior....even better, in a number of places. Three different wood trims are available (yes, they are real wood, not fake, and they LOOK like wood). My test car had the exquisite, matte-finish Satin American Walnut, which was as good or better than anything I've seen on the finest walnut furniture. It is liberally used, in wide swaths, all over the door panels, console, and lower-dash. Running across the whole upper-dash, above the wood, is a wide light silver-gray belt of textured aluminum/carbon-fiber trim....again it feels real, not fake. It is also used on the door panels, along with the wood and chrome. The round primary gauges, with a nice aqua-blue panel lighting, have jewel-like trim, surrounds, and needles. The leather-covered steering wheel has a superb grip and feel to it, along with three silver-trimmed spokes that neither look or feel cheap, although I didn't like the feel of the thumb-wheel controls on them, some of which were confusing and poorly marked. The console trim and materials are equally superb as the dash and door panels, with the walnut wood, chrome, and brushed-metal trim applied liberally as well. But the beautiful looks of the console mask some unpleasant quirks as well. Many of the car's controls and adjusters are integrated into the console and trim itself, and it's hard to tell, at first glance, what is what, and what controls what. The electronic parking brake handle (which goes off automatically when the car is in gear) is a recessed, metal-finish, pull-up tab in the metallic trim. The chrome transmission-shift ****, on the console, looks like Audi's MMI controller, and is rotated left or right to choose Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, and Sport (or manual-shift with the paddles). I'm not sure which is more awkward......that, or the old Jaguar J-gate shifters. The identical, chrome/metallic-finish, stereo/climate control *****/buttons take up the forward part of the console and lower-dash and are confusing to decipher, even with minimal markings. What's more, they operate the digital graphic display in the upper-dash, which is standard even without the NAV package, and are quite complex to adjust. The power door-lock buttons, with matching metallic/chrome trim, are also in the lower-dash, just above the console, and poorly marked with open/closed padlock symbols. A back-up camera comes with the Advanced Vision Package, and displays the rear view when the car is in reverse........one of the few cars that have this feature without a NAV option. Stereo sound quality is superb.....I wished I had stopped on the way, at Wal-Mart, and picked up AC/DC's new rock album Black Ice, their first in 8 years, which went on sale Monday (available only at Wal-Mart)

The Connally Leather Company, which used to supply Jaguar's ultra-smooth hides, went out of buisness (why, I can't imagine), and the leather used on the XF's seats, while nice, is not quite as soft in comparison.......it has a slight textured look and feel to it. But the seats themselves are quite nice, with a very large range of adjustments, which, fortunately for me, allowed me to adjust the driver's seat cushion WAY down so my 6' 2" frame and baseball cap cleared toe standard-equipment sunroof housing. This, of course, is not a sports car, so the seats don't have particularly sharp bolstering, but, nonetheles, are comfortable and supportive. Legroom, in general, is fine, both front and rear. Headroom, in front, like I mentioned, is OK for tall people if you get the seat cushion all the way down, otherwise tight. And headroom is definitely tight in the rear for tall people, because of the coupe-like low rake of the roofline and the higher position of the non-adjustable seats themselves.





CARGO AREA/TRUNK:

The ultra-swept rear roofline, which digs into rear-seat headroom, also digs into the size of the trunk lid itself (and rear visibility out the Peek-a-Boo effect), but the opening is large enough for all but the bulkiest luggage and packages. The trunk lid is solid and well-made, and also has well-designed, scissors-type, articulating hinges that allow the lid to go up to vertical for added loading clearance. Inside, the trunk is fairly roomy once you get past the opening. As befits a car of this class, there are remote release pull-levers just under the lid for dropping the 60/40 rear seats for added cargo area. As does NOT befit a car of this class, a temporary spare tire/wheel assembly, along wth the car's battery, lies under the floor's pull-up panel....cars like this should have a real spare. The carpet used in the trunk's lining is OK, a rather thin grade, but you would expect a little more from this class of car. To make up for it, though, a nice, thick insulation pad, under the trunk lid, helps to dampen road and tire noise.






ON THE ROAD:

With your foot on the brake, start up the 4.2L V8 with a proximity "key" and a START/STOP button, Saab-style, on the center console, just forward of the transmission ****. The engine comes to life with the silky-smooth idle expected of a V8, but was not as quiet as I expected...the engineers left in a little exhaust drone. Get everything adusted (that alone will take awhile with the quirky controls), rotate the transmission **** to DRIVE (the parking-brake tab pops off automatically), and you're ready to go. The transmission **** does not seem to have a built-in stop or detent to block out Park or Reverse while you are moving forward, but perhaps I just didn't notice it if it did, and, of course, I didn't try anything stupid with a brand-new $52,000 car.

The engine has enough silky-smooth power, once warmed up and on the road, to give you at least a mild shove in the back, but the car's weight (4100 lbs not including me) and the fact that its HP/torque ratings aren't any better than some competing 3.5/3.7L V6's, means that you aren't going to run with Mercedes AMG or BMW M-cars. In addition, the exhaust drone, present at idle is also heard, more forcefully, on the road, especially under hard acceleration. The supercharged S/G model, with its 420 HP and 408 ft-lbs. of torque, is available if more power is desired, but, IMO, the standard engine is fine for all but speed freaks. it is not exactly a gas miser, though, with a 16/25 EPA rating. Jaguar quotes a 6.2 second 0-60 time with the standard engine, 5.1 with the supercharged one.

The 6-speed automatic transmission is silky-smooth, as one expects in a car of this class, and, as I mentioned above, is primarily operated with the twist-**** on the console. Rotate the **** all the way to the right, to S for "Sport", and you then shift with the gray paddles behind the steering wheel....left one for downshifts, right one for upshifts. Using the paddles will override the **** setting, even in "Drive", and pulling the right paddle out for a couple of seconds resets the transmission back in normal full-automatic 'Drive".

Road and wind noise, as befits a luxury car, are well-sealed off, partly a result of the superb tight fit and heaviness of the doors themselves, and partly because of the aforementioned thick insulation pad under the trunk lid in back. The general chassis, which came with the standard suspension and 245/45-18 all-season tires, however, is somewhat of a disappointment, and does not seem to have the ability of German-designed upmarket cars to combine a good ride/handling compromise. There was nothing wrong with the steering itself, which was immediate, butter-smooth yet slightly firm, and responsive, but the suspension, even with the correct tire pressures, seemed to ride firmly and uncomfortably over bumps yet still allow some body roll.........this is almost unheard of in most upmarket German sedans. This car seemed to prefer smooth roads and straight-line cruising rather than the twisties.....it would be a good car for long Interstate trips.

Brakes were buttery-smooth, as was the steering. There was no sponginess, response was immediate, and braking ability was good-to-excellent, at least in the limits I gave it. An unusual feature of the standard car was that it had the same ventilated rear 12.8" discs as the supercharged models.....usually, non-high-performance cars don't have ventilated rear brakes. The supercharged model, though, uses 14" front rotors to the standard car's 12.8" ones also up front. Brake/gas pedal placement was fine.....no big, clown-shoe hang-ups on either like I had in the Mitsubishi Ralliart a few days ago.





THE VERDICT:

This car is obviously, first and foremost, designed for its looks and interior elegance, which it excels in like few, if any, other 4-door sedans on the road today, especially in its price range. The Mercedes CLS, a much more expensive car, tries to, but, IMO, ends looking awkward and silly compared to this car. And, in doing so, the XF only carries on a long Jaguar tradition of designing less-than-ugly cars....like I said above (and many agree), there never was a bad-looking Jaguar. This car, for a sedan, will turn some heads....and people will be even more awed when they sit inside. Guys, if you want a 4-door sedan to impress a date or your girl friend with.........here's your car. And it offers some nice things behind the wheel, too..........buttery-smooth steering, brakes, noise isolation (except for the exhaust), and general refinement.

But all is not roses and champagne. There is too much quirkiness in the console/dash controls, the suspension needs a better ride-handling balance, headroom in back is too tight for tall persons, there are too many things under the hood that block access, and, while I myself find no problems with the engine's power level, it could be argued by some that Jaguar should be offering something that, even without turbo/supercharging, should be able to outrun the Nissan 3.5/3.7L V6s. And, of course, lurking in the background, is the long-term reliability question, the shorter-than-average (for a luxury car) standard warranty, and the question of Tata Motors' long-term committment to the Jaguar name.

But, for roughly 50K, you have a car that has the looks and trim of something far more expensive, is an excellent cruiser, and is a delight to drive as long as you aren't on rough or winding roads. If that meets your driving criteria, there are lots worse ways to blow that kind of money.

pbm317

Nice review. I remember test driving it when it first came out a while back. The car drove pretty solidly, very European in feel. To people who get the premium package XF, the Supercharged is only a few thousand more, and thus quite an attractive model for those looking for the power. Pricing is in line with rivals. Most of the auto mags loved the XF, some ranking it above even the much loved BMW 5 series.

The only nitpicks I had were that in the car I drove, those wooden doors down on the center console felt light and cheap, and were already creaky on the brand new car on the lot. Could've just been an early production issue.

And then the software behind the touchscreen system was very slow, each push of a button had a delay in the processing. The screen could also be an inch or 2 bigger in my opinion.

I felt the XF was light years ahead of the S-Type that it replaced though. Is it enough to save Jaguar? I don't know. They'll probably need a small engine variant in some sort of supercharged V6 to get any sort of volume out of the car and an All Wheel Drive variant.

farquad

i love jaguar for the slabs of wood they put in them lol

mmarshall

There was nothing LOL about the wood trim in my test car.....some of the best I've seen. The Infiniti M45's and Acura RL's wood also ranks way up there too. But its rare to see the high quality wood, chrome, carbon-fiber, and brushed-aluminum combined all together like it is in the XR.

mmarshall

Thanks.

I guess it depends on what you mean by "European" in feel....you may define it a little different than I do. I didn't think the ride/handling combination of the standard, non-supercharged, XR's chassis came anywhere near the better German cars, despite the buttery-smooth steering and brakes.

I agree that the little flip-open console doors feel a little light, but they do on virtually all cars. I have yet to see a really good one.

I also agree that the XR is indeed better than the S-Class in a number of ways, but I thought the S-Class rode much better, especially on rough surfaces.

The supercharged model is definitely more money, almost any way you look at it. There were a couple of samples on the lot today that went for some 65K. For your needs, it might be worth the money.....I respect your opinion on that. For most everyday drivers, I see little reason to spend substantially more money for a boosted engine, more aggressive tires/suspension, and some more brightly colored seat-color options on a car that already has enough power and rides quite firmly as it is. But I agree that Jaguar has some explaining to do when Nissan/Acura V6s in the 3.5-3.7L range have no problem keeping up with a standard XR.

knihc2008

iTrader: (1)

Mmm good review. The car it replaces is the S-Type, not to be confused with the Mercedes S-Class. Also I'm surprised about your comment concerning the ride quality; every review I've read has said the ride quality is pretty good, definitely better than what you get from BMW or Audi, in fact a better compromise of sport and luxury than BMW. I guess it is all personal preference.

Also about the wood, when I checked out the XF when it first came out, my sales guy told me that not only is the wood in the XF real, the wood from the left and right doors come from the same slab of wood, so the grain will match. Also, if you need a door replacement (for an accident or something), they have all the wood they used in each car on hand in England and will cut you a new slab of wood from the same wood originally used in your car.

mmarshall

Thanks.

Yes, I know. Sorry if it appeared to say otherwise....that was not the intention.

The tire pressures in the car I drove may not have been spot-on (that can affect ride and handling). The dummies in the dealer's PDI had not bled the tires like they should of when the car came off the transporter...they were sitting there on the lot at 48 PSI (I always carry my tire gauge with me on a car review and check them first). Jaguar recommends 31 PSI front and rear. I bled all four tires down to 33 PSI or so, to allow for some gauge error. 2 PSI shouldn't make much of a difference, though. I took this into consideration when I drove it, and even still, the ride seemed firm over bumps, with some impact harshness, though it was not nearly as harsh as, say, a Mitsubishi Evo or Honda S2000. And the suspension on my test car allowed a little more body roll than your typical BMW or Audi....something you don't normally get with a firm ride. German cars typically are the opposite.....a good combination of both ride and handling. BMWs, for instance, are excellent at both soaking up bumps and quelling body roll.....a difficult combination to do.
I respect the opinions of auto magazines and other publications very much (especially Car and Driver), but when I do a review, I have to go by what I actually experience myself, under the conditions that I drive it.....and, of course, I don't do track driving on my reviews either, like enthusiast magazines do. My reviews are not designed for max-performance track conditions. I try to give a good overall picture of what the car is like in street conditions, with some moderately hard acceleration, handling, and braking...........and, of course, what you get for your money.

No arguments there. The wood on my test car was superb (better, IMO, than some fine walnut furniture).......pictures don't really do it justice. The only car in its price range that even comes close is the Infiniti M45, and, to a slightly lesser extent, the Acura RL. Lexus, yes, has nice wood, but it is shiny and polished too much...........it looks more like a brown or dark red mirror than a piece of wood.


And, once again, thanks for your input. I certainly respect your opinion as much as anyone else's.

UDel

Nice review, glad to hear the interior was very good because from the pics it looks a little too odd, techy, and completely un old school jaguar. I guess when you sit inside and examine it closer it is much better then what you see in the pics which is not all that great and not exactly luxury looking. I agree the exterior is very nice and the curves have to be seen in person because pics don't do it justice.

LexFather

Nice review. I believe the XF uses the same platform as the old S-type, its just beefed up. What made u check it out?

Its a lot of style and a big car for 52k.

mmarshall

Thanks.

The interior is, indeed, nicer than pictures give it credit for, but, beautiful or not, there are some quirky and unconventional controls on the dash and console that take a lot of getting used to. You don't just hop into this car, turn the key, and go.

I8ABMR

I love the new design. finally something fresh from jaguar. I hope they are working on the reliabilty and quality

D.Jobin

iTrader: (4)

s-TYPE! x-TYPE! not class or series! lol all in good humor

As a former s-TYPE owner, I can say this car looks like a nice breath of much needed fresh air.

mmarshall

OK.....Type it is, not series.

I didn't have any problem with the old car, except for its iffy quality control/reliability and somewhat sloppy assembly (I remember a brand-new one I reviewed had a door handle that fell off)...but I really liked its looks.


With that "breath of fresh air" you're talking about comes gorgeous styling, superb interior materials and good overall refinement, but with it a so-so chassis, rougher-riding, more aggressive tires/suspension, and some quirky controls. And the standard 4/50 warranty does not befit a luxury car.

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Mike, thank you for the review.

I am actually quite excited about the XF. Ever since the redesigned XK came out, I have been increasingly enthralled and interested with Jaguar's new designs and market presence. I would LOVE to have the XF in my garage, but I always have reservations.

I think the XF is competitively well-priced in the market against it's main rivals: the Lexus GS, BMW 5-Series, MB E-Class, and Audi A6. All are about $50-60k and offer similar luxury and "status" (I know you hate that... ). And with the term "luxury" being blurred in today's automotive market (think Hyundai Genesis), I think Jaguar has done an excellent job really defining the look and feel of luxury. I find the XF a very elegant car.

After reading your review, I get the impression that the XF skews more towards luxury over performance, similar to that of the Lexus GS (again, both define the look and feel of luxury). The German makes are more about performance over luxury (I hate their somber interiors), and I think the XK addresses this issue better than the XF. Do you think this is a good move in Jaguar's part for the XF? Should the XF be more performance savvy?

Also, with regards to Jaguar as a whole, do you think they now have it in them to survive? With its market-perception and issues with reliability, warranty, and long-term potential for growth (and potential to crash in today's market); does Jaguar have a chance?

mmarshall

Thanks.

Doesn't feel like the same platform. It's notably firmer-riding than the S-type (of course, tires are a part of that), and has far fewer creaks and rattles. That usually indicates better frame integrity/stiffness.

Several things. A mild-to-moderate level of CL interest, my own curiosity (I don't remember if Jag had one at the D.C. show last January or not), the first truly new Jag offering in years, and a desire to see how it checked out against the S-type, one of my favorites among older, upmarket European cars. With the demise of the X-Type, the XF now becomes the new entry-level American-market Jag.

The larger, full-size, all-aluminum Jaguar XJ remains. The XF is somewhat smaller on the outside.