I am planning to buy a 2018 XF Portfolio and have a choice of RWD and AWD, for about the same price. Is there an advantage of AWD, living in the Bay Area of California, between San Francisco and San Jose?
Thanks
Ian

 

Advantages of AWD: Safer handling in adverse conditions. Sometimes improves 0 to 60 times (better grip).
Disadvantages of AWD: Increased complexity of mechanical design. Increases weight of vehicle. Slight increased in fuel consumption. Usually more expensive (apparently not in your case).

This may look like AWD is not the right answer, but the key is the first advantage of AWD cars. Your area has hills/mountains near to it and you get rain. An AWD vehicle will handle it better. My view is that if it costs no more to buy, I would go with AWD. Most AWD systems for sporting luxury cars have a real wheel drive bias until the car detects conditions that will require the front wheels to be driven and the Jaguar is such a system. This way you get some of the sometimes perceived handling feel benefits of a RWD car when conditions are good and the AWD benefits when the conditions are not so good (e.g. rain causing slick road surfaces). However those handling benefits perceived for RWD cars are not always real in normal real world driving. Again just my personal opinion.

Hope this helps.

 

 

That helps a LOT - thanks so much for taking the time to write that. I think I wouldn't have sought out an AWD or paid more for it over a RWD, but I wanted to make sure it wasn't a disadvantage to get an AWD, all other things being equal. Hard to find a direct comparison online, so I really appreciate hearing your thoughts.
Thanks,
Ian

 

Thanks for that - the decision is becoming easier!

 

I live in the Bay area and needing AWD for safety is negligible, in my opinion. The XF without AWD already has excellent traction and stability controls built in that are more than adequate for normal driving in our area. My XF is a very capable car and has performed extremely well during our winter rains. I grew up in the harsh Midwest winters and have traveled the East Coast extensively in some incredibly nasty conditions, without the use of 4WD or AWD, and survived just fine. I have not been in a safety or weather-related situation where I wish I had AWD in the Bay area. I would not subject my car to winter trips to Lake Tahoe, since the last time I was plastered with stone chip and windshield damage from salt and cinder trucks. I rent for these situations. Braking, handling and overall control with RWD is excellent. Yes, it gives you peace of mind, but is debatable whether AWD is necessary in our mild weather.

One area I believe AWD would be beneficial for the XF is during hard acceleration in dry conditions during spirited drives. I have not driven an AWD XF S to compare, but imagine it would be better than the RWD during hard acceleration. This may not be a factor for you, but one that has me considering if I would get AWD in my next car.

I have an XF S RWD and F-Type S RWD with the same 380hp engines. The F-Type has a larger tire footprint and launches like a jet off an aircraft carrier. The F-Type is surprisingly excellent in heavy rain conditions with RWD, better than I ever thought. The XF is also very quick but really struggles for grip off the line. You can feel the traction control working extra hard to keep the rear wheels planted and from breaking loose. I am not knocking the traction in the XF during hard acceleration because it runs well, it just has a much harder time controlling the power. This is just an observation and not really an issue I have with my XF.

Also, I have not experienced the same loss of traction in my XF RWD in rainy conditions because I drive more reasonably to suit the poorer conditions and the car performs great. And let's face it, traffic is usually heavy just about everywhere keeping speeds lower, especially in the rain.

In the Bay area, it comes down to whether spending the extra dollars for extra peace of mind you probably don’t need is more important than the extra weight and slightly less performance and mpg. The standard traction and stability controls in the XF RWD are already excellent for normal driving.

I get bored easily with cars and switch out frequently. I have had my XF a year a half now and still love it, with zero issues to report, and I plan to keep it longer than previous cars.

I highly recommend the XF and good luck with your decision.

 

Thanks for writing that - I'm happy to hear your positive evaluation of the XF. I've lived in the Bay Area for over 20 years and have never had (or missed having) an AWD car - I wouldn't pay extra for it, but at the same price point, it seems that there's not a strong disadvantage of AWD over RWD. I love the look of the F-type - actually took one for a test drive 3 years ago and the *only* thing that kept me from buying it is transporting golf clubs + grandkids - bought an M4 instead and have been happy with it, but have never stopped wishing that the F-type had more cargo room :-)

 

I was in the market for an M4 convertible before deciding on the F-Type. The M4 convertibles were not quite available at the time and the local dealers with the newly released M3 coupes had them marked up $8,500 over MSRP. I test drove the F-Type and never looked back. The F-Type is awesome but highly impractical for me at times, which is why I have two sedans.

I’m not sure if you are ordering or buying a 2018 off the lot. Sedans are not hot for dealers right now and there are some good deals to be made on dealer stock, especially on the XF. Depending on the specific model, I am seeing anywhere from $10k - $12k off without negotiating. You may be able to do better since Jaguar offers dealers heavy incentives to clear way for new models. I would have to look at my paperwork again, but I recall negotiating $14k off my XF at Jaguar San Jose, plus $1,000 Jaguar club discount.

 

Thanks - my M4 is a coupe - bought it with 5K miles on it from someone in Texas so avoided the bay area markup. Thanks for the info about the Jaguar club discount - was excited until I read that it doesn't kick in until you've been a member for 12 months, so unlikely to work for most people for a first Jag... but maybe for the next one :-)

 

I didn't go with AWD because like you I don't have snow/ice to worry about. Cornering is more sure footed with AWD but you also pay the price with increased tire wear and the handling is so good on the XF RWD I doubt you'd notice the difference unless you drive extremely aggressively. AWD adds weight and complexity to the car. AWD systems are not without problems and the power distribution systems generally have wear items to achieve the balances. Although with a 5 year warranty (is that still the norm in the US?) you wouldn't have to worry about extra maintenance cost for a while. Either way you will be satisfied with the XF, good choice.

 

Thanks for that response - the 2018 xf portfolios in the US now seem to be about the same price with AWD or with RWD - I think given these responses and my reading, I would not have paid extra for AWD but at the same price, and given the 5-year warranty, I think that's the drive option I'll choose.
Really do appreciate the informative responses on this forum!

 

AWD can also be useful when you have to go or park at an event somewhere on dirt and/or grass when it has or starts raining. Basically, unexpected off-roading.

Then again, the last time I was in San Francisco, it started snowing, so you never know.

 

 

IHG90, having come from an X-Type (AWD) to my XJ (RWD), I didn't give the RWD only a thought. Like others, I grew up in the snow belt and drove RWD/FWD cars in adverse conditions with little struggle. Also drove the X-Type in adverse weather. While the X-Type was more sure footed, if you want to play, that sure-footedness can make things more challenging. I was also able to drive the new XE-S (AWD with the 3.0L supercharged engine). I was on a closed course and was given the opportunity to challenge the capabilities of the car. The Jaguar AWD system is great and you will be able to take corners like no body's business. The only negatives that I will give the AWD system is that if driven hard, you have that many more things that can break and if you are after power, the AWD option limits what you can get (ie, the V8 engines are out of the question). The engine choice may or may not be of concern. For me, I was after the sportiness of the Jaguar line and the V8 was essentially a must. I pondered the supercharged V6 in a 2013 XJ, but I am glad I got the RWD 2012.

As with any vehicle, there are pros and cons. Sure my XJ gets a little wheel happy when it is slick out. That just reminds me how much traction I really have and to take it easier when driving and to keep more distance. AWD helps you get traction to take off, but it does nothing for braking. When I lived up in the Pacific Northwest, most of the cars in the ditch were AWD/4x4 mini-suv's thinking that they had all the traction in the world because they could accelerate while the high powered Camaro drove past them at 5 mph on ice.

 

Thanks Chris (and all) - these were really useful and helpful comments - so appreciate the time you all took to give your input. I've only had RWD cars (currently a BMW M4 coupe) and was looking at a new 2018 XF portfolio for my wife. Had it narrowed down to 3 (2 were AWD, 1 was RWD), and all within a few hundred dollars of each other. Just locked down one of the AWD 35t XFs and should be loaded for transport here to california in a couple of days. She is really looking forward to driving this - we were able to drive an XF (the XJ was just too long for her) and she loved it.
Thank you all again for your input - made the decision about which one to buy *much* easier!
Best
Ian

 

You made a wise decision, congratulations!

I had a brief buyer’s remorse after taking delivery of XF because I had my heart set on the XJ. I could have purchased a beautiful one for the same price as my XF. The XJ was ruled out strictly due to its larger size, mainly the length. Not a problem for me, but I needed something my wife could drive occasionally, and she felt uncomfortable with it. I did feel the XJ’s interior was more luxurious. After driving my XF, I quickly realized that I made the right decision for me. I would have been happy with either one, but I do like the XF.

 

Thanks - that's comforting to hear. The length of the XJ was a real problem for her (coming from a MB E350) - would barely have fit in our garage! We stopped looking at Jaguars after the XJ because the salesman told my wife that no other model was a luxurious as the XJ, and that's the 'feature' she wanted. Only after she saw the interior of an XF online did we go back to a dealer to see one - they didn't have a portfolio in stock, but the catalog sold her. She is looking forward to delivery!

 

Please post some photos when you get it. I have only seen the portfolio interior on the Jaguar web site. The better quality leather looks to be a needed improvement Jaguar should have made standard on all XF’s to eliminate some of the complaints about interior quality.

 

I'm happy to do that - scheduled for east-coast pickup tomorrow - will be a couple of weeks to CA. Will also post first impressions of the car.
Best
Ian

 

I’m curious to know what is actually leather on the portfolio model.

I understand it has the premium Windsor leather, but does it have leather door panels and dash? The web site and brochure are not clear. If Jaguar would have offered an extended leather package for at least the R sport and S models, they would be much better, and it probably would have reduced the number of complaints about the interior quality for those people who care. Don't get me wrong, my XF is a great place to be when driving, but I would have paid extra for better leather seats, dash and door panels. It is nice Jaguar now offers the portfolio model, but it seems to be in very limited availability, especially on the west coast. I am guessing this is why you are buying from the east coast.