Jaguar XE Portfolio diesel 2015 review ~ station of gear

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23 Apr, 2015 1:30pm Jonathan Burn

Our first drive of a production Jaguar XE reveals that it's certainly the compact exec of choice

Jaguar has arguably never launched a car that bares the burden of such expectation as the new XE. It has a significant challenge on its hands in attempting to topple the mighty BMW 3 Series, compete with the swish Mercedes C-Class and fend off what will be a brand new Audi A4 next year.

But this not a case of déjà vu. We have already driven the XE, but those were early pre-production prototypes designed to give us a brief insight into what we could expect from Jag’s new compact exec. It showed real promise, but wasn’t quite the finished article. However, this time there are no excuses – the model we’re testing here is the very car that will arrive in showrooms in May, so promise and potential won’t cut it here.

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Referring to the XE as ‘new’ doesn’t really begin do it justice – it’s new in almost every sense of the word. From its aluminium architecture and the engines which power it to the factory that builds it – which produces those engines as well – is all part of a near £2billion investment from Jaguar Land Rover.

You can have the XE in many different flavours, starting with a wallet-friendly 161bhp 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel and stretching up to an F-Type powered 335bhp 3.0-litre V6 S model. Prices start from £26,995 and rise to £44,870 for the range-topper.

In the pre-production models we drove in January, we spent most time getting to grips with the more powerful of the two diesel engines on offer – the 178bhp version of the 2.0-litre Ingenium engine – so we’ll pick up where we left off. Early foibles centered on interior fit and finish as well as overall refinement. Jaguar said it would right its wrongs and upon inspection here it’s difficult to make a case against them.

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Prodding the starter button brings the engine to life without the agricultural shudder that plagued the pre-production models. Vibrations are well isolated form the cabin, and once up to temperature the engine become almost inaudible from inside. Jaguar’s engineers have clearly been hard at work, delivering what could be the smoothest and most linear diesel engine in the compact exec market – and for a four-cylinder diesel that’s quite an achievement.

There may be 450Nm of torque at your disposal from 1,750rpm, but jabbing the accelerator doesn’t retort with a savage surge of acceleration you’d expect from a powerful diesel engine, instead there’s a far more cultured sense of power delivery. Only when extended beyond 4,000rpm does the traditional diesel din make itself known, but it’s a notch up in terms of refinement when compared with the equivalent diesel-powered Mercedes C-Class.

You can spec the 178bhp engine with an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox in place of the standard six-speed manual for a £1,750 premium. We tested both and its worth forking out the extra cash for the auto, which, unlike rivals, comes without the detriment to fuel economy, returning the same 67.3mpg and CO2 emissions of 109g/km as the manual. The lesser-powered 163bhp diesel will please the tax man even further, emitting only 99g/km of CO2.

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On the move, the XE remains unflustered and composed whatever the speed. The adoption of the lightweight aluminum architecture allowed Jaguar to fit more sophisticated front and rear suspension meaning the XE is able to glide with the composure of a C-Class, while covering ground at the pace and precision of a BMW 3 Series. It’s exactly where Jaguar set out to position the car, and they’ve nailed it.

The steering is light but has real consistency and is incredibly direct, with a front end that responds with plenty of grip. The manual gearbox lets the side down a little with a long throw and a stubby level that’s too short meaning you have to crane your arm over the high and wide centre console to switch between ratios. The auto may have eight-ratios to deal with but changes are swift and well-timed if a touch lethargic on the downshift. The more delicate you are with throttle inputs, the cleaner the changes.

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Interior fit and finish is also in contention for the top spot in the sector, too. It’s far more pleasing on the eye than the 3 Series, with fewer gloss black plastics than you’ll find in the C-Class. The new infotainment system isn’t the most intuitive to navigate through, but becomes more familiar the longer you spend with it and is a major upgrade from the systems used in Jaguars of old. But BMW’s iDrive setup is still the far more accomplished system.

Those in the front will have little to complain about thanks to the superbly crafted and supportive seats and logical layout of all the switchgear, however, those in the back may not be so cheery. The cab rearward design of the XE looks great but does impact on passenger space, two adults in the back will have sufficient legroom but headroom will be a little tight for anyone taller than 6ft. A chunky transmission tunnel means seating three abreast will be a challenge. Having said that, the BMW fares no better but the 3 Series’ 480-litre boot trumps the XE’s 455 litres.

Despite this, the good news is that Jaguar has listened to the criticisms levied at the pre-production models and acted – the production XE is a far better than car than the car we drove in January. What’s even better news is that Jaguar hasn’t broken under the pressure of building what’s probably the most important car for the company in decades. This could be the new class leader.

The amount of investment, man power and resources Jaguar has poured into the development of the XE meant it owed a lot for the British brand. The minor issues that niggled the pre-production models have been thoroughly resolved, it’s effortless on the move, forever composed and sharp to drive. Throw in a beautifully crafted cabin, best in class efficiency and there’s little reason why the XE isn’t the compact exec to have.

Price: £33,675
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl diesel
Transmission: Six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power: 178bhp

0-62mph: 7.8 seconds
Top speed: 140mph
Economy/CO2: 67.3mpg/109g/km
On sale: Now

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