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Jaguar XF Review & Prices

The Jaguar XF is great to drive and now comes with improved tech and a cheaper price. There are some fiddly switches mind, and don’t expect the petrol cars to be particularly economical

Buy or lease the Jaguar XF at a price you’ll love
We take the hassle and haggle out of car buying by finding you great deals from local and national dealers
RRP £35,660 - £48,145
Carwow price from
Monthly
£527*
Used
£29,950
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wowscore
7/10
Reviewed by Carwow after extensive testing of the vehicle.

What's good

  • Looks great inside and out
  • High quality interior
  • Decent touchscreen infotainment

What's not so good

  • Road noise with larger wheels
  • Fairly uneconomical petrol engines
  • Some fiddly switchgear

Find out more about the Jaguar XF

Is the Jaguar XF a good car?

The Jaguar XF is an upmarket saloon with a flash interior and decent space. It’ll likely be on your list if you’re also considering cars such as the Mercedes E-Class, BMW 5 Series and Audi A6.

Jaguar and premium saloons go together like curry and Friday night – there’s a long history of such a pairing in the UK, with, er, good and bad results. The XF first appeared in 2007, but today looks like this following a mid-life update of the latest car.

And it’s a bit of a looker. Probably more so than the German offering. Its striking grille, air intakes, slim headlights and bonnet creases give it a sporty look, but it’s somehow a classier effort than from those across the water.

The XF’s insides never used to be much cop, but that update has changed things. Sure, there’s still the odd bit of cheaper plastic about the place, but it’s mostly very nice. An Audi A6 and 5 Series are a tad nicer still, but it’s now a very close-run thing.

Part of the visual drama is the XF’s new 11.4-inch curved touchscreen. It’s located nicely on the dash to help when driving and make it integrate seamlessly into the sleek design. BMW’s iDrive and Mercedes’ MBUX systems are both easier to use while driving, but as touchscreen’s go, Jag’s effort is sharp, responsive and very easy to navigate. Importantly, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard.

Spend more cash and you can have your Jag with slick digital driver’s dials and a rearview mirror you can flip from a standard glass reflection to a camera mounted on the tailgate. It looks cool, but also works well, so is more than just ammunition for the pub. It’s a shame the XF’s steering wheel buttons are a tad fiddly to use, though.

We know petrol is fashionable at the moment, but honestly, diesel is a better option for most people, and R-Dynamic SE trim has all you need and more

All saloons this size seat four adults well, but you’ll have slightly more room for three adults across the rear seats in an Audi A6. The XF’s boot is pretty much the same size as its German alternatives’ too, but those cars do have slightly squarer access should you need to lift bulky items inside.

You can have your XF fitted with either a 2.0-litre turbo petrol with 250 or 300hp, or a 2.0 diesel with 204hp. You can also have rear or all-wheel drive depending on your choice, but an eight-speed automatic gearbox is standard across the range.

If you don’t cover many miles each year, or do most of your driving in town, then the smooth, quiet yet punchy petrols will do the job. Just don’t expect amazing fuel economy whichever road you drive them on.

The diesel with its mild-hybrid technology is a much better bet for the majority of buyers. It’s quiet for a four-cylinder diesel and feels decently quick thanks to its hybrid tech assisting at low revs, while those doing big motorway miles will like that it uses less fuel than the petrols. 40mpg is possible without much fuss, and more is achievable on the motorway.

Thankfully, if you enjoy driving, then the XF remains one of the best cars of its type to chuck down a country road. It steers with precision, it keeps its body tidy through bends and it’s comfortable over bumps in and out of town. Only some tyre noise from the larger alloy wheel options frustrates on the motorway.

Nevertheless, the Jaguar XF is as good as it’s ever been to drive and sit in, and now to own, too, because Jaguar has simplified the XF range and dropped prices across the range. To see just how much, and how much we can save you on top, head to our deals pages for new Jaguar XFs and used Jaguar cars.

How much is the Jaguar XF?

The Jaguar XF has a RRP range of £35,660 to £48,145. Monthly payments start at £527. The price of a used Jaguar XF on Carwow starts at £29,950.

Since Jaguar updated the XF, it’s been priced more keenly than most other upmarket saloons from the likes of Audi, BMW, and Mercedes. It’s good value for a premium-badged car.

The entry-level rear-wheel drive diesel is the cheapest model to buy, and the price is low enough to tempt buyers out of more mundane family cars. It’s not badly specified, either, with leather upholstery, 18-inch alloy wheels, two-zone climate control and a 11.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

Spend a bit more and you get nicer leather, bigger alloys and a better stereo, but there’s really not a lot wrong with the base spec R-Dynamic S.

Performance and drive comfort

Great to drive, although the ride is slightly jiggly at low speeds

In town

Every XF comes with an automatic gearbox, so you won’t have a tired left leg from driving in traffic, whichever model you choose.

But while you probably won’t miss changing gear for yourself around town, you may be disappointed that Jaguar doesn’t offer a plug-in hybrid version. Whereas a plug-in hybrid can travel tens of miles with no exhaust emissions using battery power, every XF model relies on an internal combustion engine.

Jag hasn’t ignored hybrid tech completely, though, as the diesel comes with a mild-hybrid system. This uses electrical power to take the strain from the engine, reducing emissions. It can’t run on electricity alone, though.

You sit down low in the XF – this is a sports saloon, and has a driving position to match. Even if you raise the seat up to the maximum, you don’t have the kind of commanding view that you’d get in an SUV like the Jaguar E-Pace or F-Pace.

To help squeeze the Jag into parking spots, every model has front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera.

On the motorway

The Jaguar feels right at home on the motorway. On standard suspension the ride can be a bit busy at low speeds, but it smoothes out as speeds rise.

Petrol is in stronger demand than diesel these days, but we’d still recommend looking at diesel if you do a lot of motorway miles. The D200 diesel has 204hp, so there’s plenty of power in reserve for a quick burst of acceleration. But it’s very economical, too. For most drivers the rear-wheel-drive model is best, as the four-wheel drive isn’t as fuel efficient.

The petrols will get through fuel a lot more quickly than the diesel, but they’re a little quicker providing you rev the engine hard.  Whichever XF you choose, this is a comfortable and swift motorway car. The road noise kicked up by models with large alloy wheels is our only real complaint.

On a twisty road

Along with the way it looks, this is why you choose an XF over a German executive saloon – it’s an absolute pleasure to drive on a twisty country road.

Jaguar’s engineers have found a near-perfect balance with the XF’s suspension. It’s compliant enough to keep passengers comfortable on a bumpy B-road, but taut enough for handling that betters some sports cars. The XF flows down a favourite B-road with poise and purpose.

The rear-wheel-drive cars are all most of us need, but being able to choose a four-wheel-drive version is a definite plus if you live out in a part of the country where bad road conditions are commonplace.

Space and practicality

Lots of space, unless you need to sit three in the back

Getting comfortable in the Jaguar XF shouldn’t be a problem. If you’re in the driver’s seat (and why would you want to sit anywhere else?) you have 12-way electrical adjustment for the seat, with a memory function to store your favourite position. HSE models have even more adjustment, with 16-way movement of the driver’s seat. These high-spec cars provide the same 16-way adjustments for the front-seat passenger as well.

As you’d expect, the steering wheel moves in and out as well as up and down. If you are really tall then you might wish you could move the wheel out a bit further, but we’re being very picky. The driver’s seat lines up neatly with the pedals and wheels, so you can sit straight rather than at a slight angle.

The glovebox is a decent size (it’s lockable if you want to keep any valuables inside), and there’s a handy shelf ahead of the gear lever that will take a set of keys or a mobile. From R-Dynamic SE spec upwards this tray doubles as a wireless charging pad for your smartphone.

The door bins aren’t the biggest, though. Being quite shallow and narrow, a large bottle of water is a bit of a squeeze.

Space in the back seats

Rear-seat space is generous for two, with lots of legroom and decent headroom, despite the sloping roofline. Adults of six-feet tall or more should be comfy.

The XF isn’t quite as accommodating of three in the back. Shoulder room is fairly tight, and the centre of the rear bench is raised up higher than the seats on either side. There’s not a lot of room for the feet of whoever is sat in the middle, either, as the transmission tunnel gets in the way.

There are air vents between the front seats to keep rear-seat passengers at a comfortable temperature, and ISOFIX mounting points for fitting child seats to the outer rear seats.

Boot space

On paper, the XF has similar boot space to the likes of the Audi A6 and BMW 5 Series. However, the narrow opening is a pain if you want to load up with bulky items like golf clubs or pushchairs. If that’s going to get on your nerves then maybe the XF Sportbrake (Jag-speak for estate) will suit you better than the saloon.

On the other hand, the XF’s rear seats split and fold in three parts, rather than the more usual two. This gives extra flexibility and makes it easy to carry long and bulky loads while still finding space for a couple of passengers in the back.

Interior style, infotainment and accessories

Stylish and high-tech, but not quite as well finished as an Audi or Mercedes

Jaguar’s update for the XF in 2021 focused closely on the cabin. Until then, the Jag had lagged behind the best executive saloons in terms of finish and infotainment. Today’s car is much improved, although still half a step behind the best German execs for luxury and in-car tech.

The cabin has a more upmarket look and feel than it used to, with plusher soft-touch plastics. The buttons and switches are well damped, too, without the brittle, clicky feel you get in cheaper cars.

However, the leather fitted to entry-level models doesn’t feel as expensive as it should do. The Windsor leather upholstery in higher spec cars is much better.

While you can still find fault with the finish if you look closely, there’s no denying the dashboard is very stylish. The three-spoke steering wheel is suitably sporty, and there’s real showroom appeal to the 11.4-inch Pivi infotainment system. To up the wow-factor further, spec the technology pack with its digital instruments and head-up display.

The infotainment looks stunning, with bright colours and a crisp and clear display. It’s quick to respond, too, with none of the lag you get with some systems.

As touchscreens go, it’s reasonably easy to use on the move, thanks to shortcut buttons that help you select the right menu quickly. However, you do still need to take your eyes from the road a little longer than you would if Jag used a rotary controller like the one you’d find in a BMW with iDrive.

If you prefer, you can connect your phone using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Whether you own an Apple or an Android phone, the connection is wireless.

The air conditioning controls are beneath the touchscreen. We much prefer having proper knobs and buttons for tweaking the fan speed and temperature. It’s a lot easier than wading through infotainment menus while you are driving.

MPG, emissions and tax

Choose the XF as your next car, and there’s no all-electric or plug-in hybrid option. So if you’re hoping for a low-emission option to compare against the BMW 530e or the Mercedes E300e, you’re going to be disappointed.

It goes against fashion, but the best bet for excellent fuel economy and low emissions is the diesel. There’s just one diesel engine, the D200. Economy and carbon dioxide output varies with the exact specification, but the best you can hope for is 56.6mpg and 131g/km of CO2.

Opting for four-wheel drive adds some weight and complexity, so these models are slightly less efficient. Reckon on 49.8mpg and 149g/km from the most frugal four-wheel drive spec.

Go for a petrol, and the best economy and emissions figures are produced by the P250 rather than the more powerful P300. Reckon on 33.5mpg and 190g/km of CO2 according to the official figures. That’s quite a thirst, although in fairness even the entry-level petrol XF is a quick car.

If you want to keep running costs down it’s worth buying an XF with a list price of under £40,000. Cars costing more than this attract extra Vehicle Excise Duty for five years once the first year’s tax expires.

Safety and security

The XF was last tested by Euro NCAP’s safety experts in 2015. It scored the maximum five stars, although the tests have been toughened up since so it doesn’t necessarily follow that the Jaguar would score five stars today. We’re not saying it wouldn’t, but you can’t directly compare an old rating with the latest test results.

Standard safety features include autonomous emergency braking. This warns the driver if a collision is about to happen and will apply the brakes if they don’t react. The Jaguar’s system is one of the more sophisticated types that can detect pedestrians and cyclists as well as other vehicles.

Security features include a tracking device with a 12-month subscription.

Reliability and problems

Jaguar doesn’t tend to cover itself in glory when it comes to reliability and customer satisfaction surveys. If you’re being polite, Jag’s results are mixed.

The XF hasn’t done anything to turn that around, with glitchy sat nav and infotainment among the problems. However, you’re more likely to experience an annoying fault than a major problem that will leave you stranded at the roadside – these are rare.

The Jaguar comes with a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty. That matches the length of cover you’d get from BMW, and beats Audi’s warranty, which is restricted to 60,000 miles in year three.

Buy or lease the Jaguar XF at a price you’ll love
We take the hassle and haggle out of car buying by finding you great deals from local and national dealers
RRP £35,660 - £48,145
Carwow price from
Monthly
£527*
Used
£29,950
Ready to see prices tailored to you?
Compare new offers Compare used deals