2018 Jaguar XF Video Review

2018 Jaguar XF Video Review by Auto Critic Steve Hammes

Diesels, turbos and a supercharged V6, the XF now has 3 engine offerings to satisfy a variety of tastes. And of course the introduction of the all new Sportbrake wagon is the big XF news this year. But if you’re into the sedan, this is exactly how I’d spec mine.

I like Jaguars. Well, not the F-PACE so much, and come to think of it the XE didn’t impress me either but the F-TYPE, XF and XJ are cars I would seriously entertain purchasing if I could.  They’re exclusive, powerful and as my British friends would say, bloody sexy.  I reviewed this same exact car last year so I won’t rehash all of my thoughts but the XF line sees a couple of changes this year.  First, there are the engines.  The base model is now the XF 25t with a 247hp 2.0-liter turbo.  Then there’s the 20d with the diesel, the 30t with a 296hp tune of the 4-cylinder and this; the S with a 380hp 3.0-liter supercharged V6, with or without all-wheel drive.  It’ll do 0-to-60mph in 5.0 seconds, so yeah it’s quick.  Not quite as snappy as a BMW 540i or a Mercedes-AMG E 43 but it gets the job done.  With the 8-speed auto, it returns a respectable 20mpg city/28mpg highway.

So I said earlier this is how I would spec mine and here’s exactly what I’m talking about: the XF S AWD in Yulong White, Ebony/Light Oyster interior with carbon fiber veneer, Black Package, 20” gloss black wheels, and a trifecta of hard-hitting packages; the Comfort & Convenience, Technology and Driver Assistance for an as-tested price of $79,635. With the power dome hood, red brake calipers and dual exhaust, how amazing does this look?  It’s turned a lot of heads and made me the envy of the middle school dads, where I pretend to own it.

As fast and agile as it is, the XF still presents as more of a luxury sedan. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. Challenge the car on your favorite backroads while in Dynamic and it’ll carve them right up in big sedan style. And who doesn’t love a supercharged engine; so immediate in its responses. The ride is silky smooth and the cabin is quiet. I just wish I could hear a little more of that Jaguar growl.

So here is the aforementioned Gesture Controlled Trunk Lid with its sensors placed far to the sides. And the 2018 car also receives the driver assistance technologies Forward Vehicle Guidance and Forward Traffic Detection.  Driving modes include Eco, Normal and Dynamic as well as something Jaguar calls All Surface Progress Control – kind of like land Rover’s Terrain Response but for on-road.  The gauges have 3 selectable layouts and the touchscreen has Dynamic pages for tracking performance.  And when driving for sport, you can suck the side bolsters in to hold you in place.  It feels a little big and heavy at first but trust it and its reflexes will surprise you. This isn’t the easiest car to see out of so the 360 degree camera is a welcome addition.  I like cars that do stuff for me so I appreciate features like auto high beams, rain sensing wipers, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition and park assist.

If you’re sitting in the back there’s plenty of room for a midsize and the seats are sculpted for greater comfort.

An attention grabbing Jaguar with a luxuriously mild purr that can be driven year-round; who wouldn’t sign up for that?