Having some warranty work done on my XJR and have been driving an XF loaner for the last few days.

I've always loved the looks of the XF and had considered going that route before buying my XJR.

I can't say a bad thing about it. It's tight, rattle free, good looking and well appointed. (The four cylinder is not very thrilling after the XJR) The XF is a wonderful car.
BUT: It doesn't seem like a Jaguar to me. In my opinion it is more like an Infinity, Lexus, Toyota, Acura or many of the other competitive cars when it comes to the interior look, feel and smell. To me, Jaguar always stood alone. (Like them or not)

Guess that's where the money is, marketing to the buyers of the above mentioned cars and I can't argue with that. Old folks like me (57) with a taste for tradition, I imagine, is a dwindling market. Not knocking the car in any way but I am glad I had the opportunity to compare, makes me very pleased with my choice to pick up one of the last of the TRADITIONAL Jaguars.

Plan to keep my XJR and XK8 for a LONG time!

2X

 

Perfectly put..
I have only driven an XF for a couple of days (the company hired me one) and it was a very good car. Sadly, as you so rightly say, it felt like pretty much any other car out there and didn't look too much different either!

 

Sorry, but did I read "4 cylinder engine" ? Surely they only supply V8s or V6s in the USA ? There is a 4 in the UK, but it's a diesel.

 

Yessir.
It's a two liter 4 cylinder.

 

And couldn't pull a greased string out of a cats butt!

 

You're right, regarding the XF! I looked at one late last year and it felt small, even though it did have a V8 engine. Did not buy it.

I also looked at the new XJs in May of this year. While they are bigger than the XF, they just seem too cheap and tacky: tons of plastic and plastic-coated-chrome. (No disrespect to any new XJ owners: each to their own.) I think I'll stick with my 350: it's go the soul, fit-n-finish, character and profile of what everyone visualizes for a Jag!

 

Since buying my latest X350 (a 2005 XJR) back in July I've had both XF and new XJ courtesy cars from the dealer (due to some unfortunate problems with my car's heater - now sorted thankfully!).

When the XF and new XJ were launched I wasn't one of those who thought that Jaguar had 'gone too far' in terms of changing from the 'traditional' three-box, original XJ styling. I really like the new direction and understand why Jaguar decided to look forwards rather than back.

But...having spent some time with the XF and new XJ I agree with the others on this thread. Somehow, they just don't have that same 'feel' as the X350.

The XF looks great (not 100% sure about the effect of the daytime running LEDs on the look of the front though), goes well (I had the 2.2 diesel) and has all of the latest toys you could want. It's just that when sitting in the driver's seat I didn't feel like I was driving a Jaguar!

Same with the new XJ. I had the 3 litre diesel and was pretty amazed by the performance (even compared to my XJR) and stunned by the fuel economy (especially compared to my XJR!). When you first see the interior it looks incredibly stylish and it's hard not to be initially impressed by the clever instrument panel etc.

But again, actually living with one for a while is different. The initial lustre of the gadgets and gizmos wears off and you start to notice the things that don't seem very Jaguar-like - the 'plastic' chrome interior trim (particularly the feel of the parking brake switch - nice and metallic in my XJR, very plasticky in the XF and new XJ), the quality of the instrument graphics (clever tech but still just a screen pretending to be 'proper' dials - an imitation if you will), the lightweight feel of the doors (particularly on the XF) which seem to 'clang' rather than 'thud' shut, the way the threshold plates on the XF are half exposed/half hidden when you close the door (so you see the top half of the 'Jaguar' script), the misalignment of the CD slot and the wood trim on the XF when viewed from the driver's seat (the same on each of the four different XFs I've driven).

And my pet hate - the use of the 'leaper' as a 'flat' badge on the boot/trunk and steering wheel boss. As someone else has said, the Jaguar leaper should be forging ahead, not looking to the side for a parking space!

Having said all that, I'm still a huge Jaguar fan, and no doubt when my XJR has become long in the tooth and the new XJ's second-hand prices fall into the range that I can afford I'll be tempted by the lure of the new generation of Jaguars. It was also pretty telling that the reaction of my neighbours to the various XF and new XJ courtesy cars on my driveway over the past couple of months was - 'I like those sporty new Jaguars, shame you have to get your 'old' one back!'. So the folks at Jaguar, it seems, are doing the right thing to appeal to a wider market.

At the end, it's 'each to their own' and very hard to define what a Jaguar (or indeed any car) should 'feel' like as it's ultimately a subjective judgement.

But I'm very happy with my X350 XJR - like all of the Jaguars I've owned it makes me feel good when I drive it and is always 'worth a look back' when I park it up.

Rambling over!

 

That's pretty pathetic. If I ever get an XF it will be the earlier ones with a proper V8.

 

They can still be bought with an eight. The four is just the cheapest option and that was what my loaner was. I don't think I would be interested in one without an eight either!
2X

 

The XJ looks like a proper Jaguar. The XF looks like a Volvo in a slutty dress.

 

two tone, that made me laugh!

I agree, I'm fine with them going modern....but the XF is just not attractive to me. It doesn't say 'wow, that is pretty'...even if I don't recognize it as a jaguar.

 

Are we talking about the new XJ versus the XF or the previous XJ

I own two XJ,s a 95 XJR heavily modded and a 04 XJ8 stock and as for leg room there is none

In my XJR6 I customised the seat rails and will be doing the same with the XJ8 being 6,3 tall they are a bit crowded for such a large car

I have driven the new 4 cylinder diesel XF and really like it good front seat legroom without having to figure out how I am going to lengthen the seat rails and the economy of that little diesel especially on long trips which I do regularly and intend doing for the foreseeable future

I would like to try the new XJ but cant justify the outlay looking forward to when they are a few years old and will be looking and its going to be a diesel twin turbo V6 please love the way these modern diesels deliver their torque at low revs

Just my 2 cents worth

 

I agree with 2ndxk8 and the rest. My XJ8 warranty was running out so I brought it into jaguar to be gone over, they had it for two weeks but gave me a brand new XF to drive.
The XF was nice even a bit peppy being only a 2L 4cyl, (yeah I know in a Jaguar) the paddle shifters were fun to play with, drove and handled nice. But it looked like every thing else on the road and the interior did not feel like you were in a Jag. I'm not a fan of the X351 either, I was so happy to get my X350 back and was afraid Jaguar had lost it's vision.


Then by chance and a bit of luck I got invited by jaguar to one of their test track driving experience. They had a track set up in the parking lot of a major league base ball teams stadium. I got to drive the F-Type in both 6 and 8 cyl around the track with a professional race car driver as a coach in the passenger seat. Both cars were awesome but the highlight of the day was when I got into a XKR-S for a trip around the track and the coach said at the stating line" when the light turns green put the pedal to the floor and leave it there until I say let up brake and turn". At the apex of the turn he instructed me to let up on the brakes and but the gas pedal back on the floor. The acceleration, the sound of the exhaust, feel of the brakes. Jaguar I am so sorry for doubting you and thank you for keeping the vision alive.


P.S. I will give you a pass on the XF

 

Good story. I would like to attend one of those myself. The one time I was invited I was unable.
I haven't given up on Jaguar in any way. I'm just very glad I have a low mileage XJR to hang on to for a long time.

 

(Jaguar engines available in the XF in AMERICA) 5.0-N/A 385HP-4.2 N/A 310HP-2.0 4CYLINDER 240HP and the 3.0 V-6 turbo 340hp...I just love the blown 4.2 of the XJR......The 3.0 340hp has a eight speed tranny so gas mileage is about 30 hwy...

 

I maybe wrong but isn't the XF just a Ford mondeo chassis and hard body but with different soft panels and interior? Doesn't it use a 4 Cylinder Ford engine?

If I am correct, thats probably why it feels like every other common car on the market.... because it is like every other car on the market.

 

That was exactly my thinking ... it's now or never ... and I'm pleased to say 'now' won !

 

NO. The XF is based on the S Type which is a Ford DEW platform that was shared with the Lincoln LS. Small bits of the DEW ended up under the late model Mustang but only a few parts. The DEW was an expensive platform to build.

In fact underneath you would have a hard time telling the difference between the S Type and the XF.
.
.
.

 

Just to help out Ford DEW platform - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

No, you couldn't be more wrong. As mentioned it's the DEW platform previously used on the S-Type, Lincoln LS, Ford Thunderbird, etc...

In regards to the engines, outside of America there are quite a few to choose from.

2.0L I4 Turbo Petrol "Ecoboost" (same as the Ford Falcon, Focus, Mondeo, etc)
2.2L I4 Turbo Diesel (same as the Fords again, and the old X-Type)
3.0L V6 Twin-Turbo Diesel (replaced the 2.7L, used in Range Rovers, among others)
3.0L V6 Naturally Aspirated (no longer available, a modified Ford Duratec, like S-Type & X-Type)
3.0L V6 Supercharged Petrol (newly developed engine based on the AJ133 V8)
5.0L V8 Naturally Aspirated (Jag design AJ133, replaces the older 4.2L AJ34)
5.0L V8 Supercharged (Jag design AJ133S, replaces the older 4.2L AJ34S)

North America only got the V8 options in the XF, and now also has the S/C V6, didn't realise the 2.0L Ecoboost was available there too now, it's been out for a while in the rest of the world.

I tested a 5.0L XFR last year in Switzerland. As a drivers car it ticked all the right boxes (except for the lack of whine from the Supercharger) and in the looks department, well putting aside the old Jag / new Jag argument, it did look the business. Not a classic Jag, but not an ugly car either.

Here's the "review" https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...pointed-80330/

Would I buy one? Maybe...as I wrote back then I was a little disappointed, but in hindsight it was only a couple of little things that I was disappointed with. It had great power, great handling, the brakes were good, I loved the paddle-shift.

The interior styling was fine for me, very modern, it felt "good enough" given that it's not the top-whack XJ.

I agree on the leaper badge. I flat out hate them. Luckily the steering wheel badge on the XF is still the round growler. The steering wheel on the X351 with the leaper badge puts me off big time.

If I were to buy an XF, then the leaper badge on the boot would be the first thing to go, and i'd be putting the plinth from the earlier models with the J A G U A R lettering in it like the earlier XF's had

As for the drive itself, well the XFR was certainly much more responsive compared to my XJR. I put that down to +100HP and the diff ratio being 3.31:1 compared to the X350's lazy 2.87:1

It's a pity for me that the aural experience was not there with the 5.0L, if I do ever find myself in the market for an XF, i'd probably go for a 4.2L SV8 or XFR, they still have the paddleshift, and the 3.31:1 diff, and you still get the whine from the Eaton, just missing 80HP...most of which we could probably find with a bit of tinkering...

These are my own tastes, so it's not a case of right or wrong.