I have had this huge grin on my face all weekend, and I haven’t been able to stop flashing my whites even as I am writing this review. And this is all thanks to a certain Leaping Cat. I’m talking about the new Jaguar XE and its here to pounce onto the entry level luxury car market, and take on its more established rivals from Germany. The XE is not Jaguar’s first attempt in this segment though. The company made the X-Type way back in 2001. Though it sold decently, it did not do as well as Jaguar expected, more so because it was essentially a Ford Mondeo under the cat’s skin. The XE however is a proper proper Jaguar. It was launched in India at the Auto Expo earlier this year and we finally got our hands on one. So why does the new baby Jag make me grin like a nut? Read on to find out.
The Jaguar XE is a beautiful car to look at. Penned by Ian Callum, it does have the current Jaguar family look. You cant help notice the similarities with the XF and the XJ. The large mesh grille is adorned by the Jaguar logo in the centre. It is flanked by sleek bi xenon headlamps with those classy ‘J’ blade daytime running lamps that remind you of the F-Type. The creased bonnet has a muscular bulge and looks fantastic especially when seen from the driver’s seat inside. There are chrome vents on the front fenders as well. The XE has a sloping roof line and short rear overhangs that give it a very coupe ish stance. The rear wrap around tail lamps get LED elements inspired by the F-Type. Dual exhaust pipes and an integrated boot spoiler complete the rear. The XE rides on 17 inch alloy wheels and high profile tyres. While the alloy design is still better than some others that Ive seen recently, a nice set of 18 inch alloys will surely transform the looks of the car. I personally love the design I saw on the XE S model that was shown in the press shots. The Jaguar XE is offered in two trim levels for India: Pure and Portfolio. The test car for this review is the fully loaded Portfolio variant.
The cabin of the Jaguar XE is clean and elegant, just as you would expect from the British marque. The rear of the dashboard merges with the door pads in a wrap around style, a la XJ. The instrument cluster is large and clear to read and the display between the speedo and the tachometer look right out of the F-Type. The door pads have the power window switches, mirror controls, locks, and memory seats buttons located on multiple layers. The chunky steering wheel has good grip but could have been a tad smaller in size. It comes with electric adjust for reach and height. The centre console is wide with an 8 inch screen for the Jaguar InControl infotainment system. The system is very easy to use and a much needed upgrade from the older unit. The choice of colours used in the interface is good too. An engine START STOP button that glows in red is located under the AC controls. The trademark Jaguar circular gear selector finds place in the centre, and the drive mode selector buttons are located further below. The AC vents on the sides also feel beautifully crafted. The Portfolio model gets the fantastic Meridian 380 Watt sound system with 11 speakers. Sound quality from the system is excellent. The 360 camera has fantastic all round visibility, and is extremely useful while navigating through tight spaces. The console near the rear view mirror houses the switches for the sunroof and the electric sunblind for the rear windshield. It is interesting to note that there are two different buttons to open the sunroof; one to open the inner side and the other for the glass which opens outwards unlike conventional sunroofs.
The front seats in the XE are very well made. They are very comfortable and offer superb cushioning. They offer great support and come with multiple adjust options. The rear seats are placed low so as to offer more headroom to the occupants. The sloping roofline does compromise on headroom for very tall people though. An average sized person will find the headroom adequate. Legroom is decent but could have been better. This is a car meant to be driven rather than be driven in. A high transmission tunnel along with the protruding rear AC console will make life difficult for a third passenger at the rear. The Jaguar XE comes with 455 litres of boot space. There is also a space saver tyre which is tucked away in the wheel well, unlike its rivals where the spare is kept in the centre of the boot, thus compromising on cargo space.
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