After bragging about it’s new C-X16 Concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show, along with its facelifted version of the XF and XK, Jaguar has decided to come up with another reason to be gossiped: the two models XF and XJ, will get the all-wheel drive technology.

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Jaguar XF and XJ are geting All-Wheel Drive

 

That's superb news and good decision

 

From sales, marketing point of view - could not come soon enough.
From driving dynamics stand point - probably will not be as good in the handling dynamics , + more weight, + poorer gas milage, + more $$.
My previous 3 cars before the 2010 FX were the Infiniti G35X (AWD). Before that, I had the M45, and before that the Q45. I was very dissapointed in the driving dynamics of the G, compared to the rear wheel drive Infiniti's. Specially the understeering tendencies. The Infiniti ATESA AWD system suppose to be a very advancded system, also rear wheel drive biased, etc. But I was not impressed.
Also, with the all weather tires, the AWD was not that great in the snow either....the traction control was also too sensitive and had to be disabled completely all the time on snow.

 

I currenty drive an Infiniti G37xS with AWD and have the exact opposite of your experience. It's one of the best and most transparent AWD systems I've experienced.

I guess Jaguars getting AWD is a good thing as many people are always asking about AWD. Personally, It's far from a deal breaker. if a car has it as an option I'll get it but it's not like it's something that'll prevent me from buying a vehicle.

Common sense and a good set of tires (all seasons are OK but dedicated snows are better) are all you really need for winter driving in most places.

The biggest issue with winter driving is stopping; that's not something AWD will help you with.

 

I saw somewhere else that Jaguar had suggested a 3 year time frame. 2 wd should be in the history books by then!

Bruce

 

awd is extremely overrated. The only time awd is an advantage on a road car is under very slippery conditions. Otherwise it is a complete waste of money.

I have two fwd cars, an awd car and a rwd car. My Audi S4 is inferior to my old X Type from a dynamic perspective. The X Type was highly entertaining and effective in winter. The Audi is highly effective and stultifyingly dull in winter.

The fwd cars are superior to either the X Type or the Audi in winter for the simple reason that traction is not relevant for winter driving as the limit of usability is braking, not going. Fwd is superior to awd due to the predictability of the fwd handling in snow or on ice. Awd can give you nasty surprises unless you are an expert winter driver. Trouble is, most people aren't and get an entirely false sense of security from awd. The vehicles I see most in the ditches in winter are awd SUVs.

So, although the market seems to see awd as superior, it just isn't. Extra weight, tricky handling at the limit and additional tire wear, all for very slight (and actually dangerous) traction advantage in winter.

There is a slight advantage in off the line acceleration from awd but that is quickly erased by the extra weight.

 

Everybody probably drives in "very slippery conditions" regularly. Just starting off from a stop to merge with traffic in my FWD Sienna was met with crazy wheel spin...traded it for the same vehicle with AWD and it's great. That alone used to drive me crazy after having owned 2 AWD vehicles previously so I went back to AWD. Big improvement in getting through snow also. Couldn't get up a fairly steep hill by my home with the FWD but the AWD claws up it, no problem. That extra performance, safety and peace of mind does come at a cost...but it was certainly worth it to me.

It would be nice if manufacturers would offset the extra weight of AWD with a corresponding weight reduction. Toyota eliminated the spare tire and uses a smaller fuel tank in the Sienna AWD, but that's not the ideal solution.

Bruce

 

RWD+LSD will get you anywhere that a sane person should go in snow. It's a matter of experience.

 

Stopping is the important winter driving characteristic. If you truly cannot get going with 2wd then you shouldn't be driving at all.

Also, before you get too enamoured with awd you need to go out into a big snow covered parking lot and push it over the limit somewhere safe. I guarantee you will be surprised at how unpredictable awd handling is once the limits of traction are exceeded. Only very skilled winter drivers should be using awd in winter, IMHO.

 

You're right about the ability to brake safely being a priority, and one always has to adjust their driving to suit low grip conditions. It's a good suggestion that everyone driving in winter should hone their car control skills on snow covered parking lots, whether they drive 2wd or awd vehicles.

I did a winter "car control school" where participants did braking, slalom, skidpad and accident avoidance exercises. The AWD Previa handled like a champ on all season radials. I felt like I had an unfair advantage as many of the others really struggled. Perhaps some AWD systems perform better than others, and driver skill certainly varies widely, but the key is to become skilled with whatever you drive.

When considering the virtues of AWD it's important to make the distinction between traction to get the vehicle moving, and safe braking to stop it. For example, twice last winter I left the cottage to go home only to turn around because freezing rain reduced grip to practically nothing. In that case I could still get going but couldn't stop or turn. When you try to get in or out of your unplowed driveway after a snowfall you're concerned about traction while still having excellent braking. Parking in unplowed mall or doctor's office parking lots, or rather getting out of those spaces, can be an iffy proposition. Worse yet is coming back to your car to find the plow has made a good attempt at blocking you in. And finding yourself on the side of the highway on an unplowed shoulder...not good.

So there are a multitude of reasons to consider AWD for the added measure of safety and security, and the extra bit of peace of mind that offers. If Jaguar offered a well-implemented AWD on the current XF I would choose it, but the ideal is to tuck it away for winter anyways, and use the AWD van for the nasty stuff.

Bruce

 

Full winter tires are more valuable than awd with all seasons.

Objective tests show that 2wd with full winter tires will substantially outperform awd on all seasons in all areas, on snow or ice. I really enjoy out accelerating SUV type vehicles on their all season rubber with my 2wd SAAB with full winters on.

The problem with awd is that the extra traction you get creates the illusion that you have a better handling car in slippery conditions. That can be proved to be incorrect.

Having said that, I find awd a lot of fun to drive in winter. There is no doubt that feeling of superiority is very pleasant. It is just misleading from a safety point of view. Ordinary drivers are convinced that awd is safer and it just isn't.

 

I totally agree. The first time I took my wife's E class 4matic out in the snow, I couldn't believe how well it accelerated. Then I hit the brakes and realized how the great acceleration ablity gives you the illusion of traction where it doesn't exist. You just have to keep reminding yourself that it's still very slippery out there.

 

All vehicles now have awb (all wheel brakes!) so awd gives no safety advantage in winter.

It does, however, make one cocky as heck when accelerating which means you are going much faster than a 2wd car when it comes time to brake!

 

An AWD XF wagon would be an extremely attractive car IMHO. Just the thing to supplement the upcoming production version of the CX16.

 

Don't get me wrong, I loved my awd X Type 5 spd Sport. Fantastic car poorly constructed.

Jaguar has the best awd technology in the world available to it, why not market it? There is no reason for awd on a road car except for the driving experience.

I did want to make the point that awd is not safer than, or even preferable to, 2wd for street use.