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Jaguar XF

Expert Rating: 5 out of 5

What is it?

Potentially the saviour of the great Jaguar brand. That may sound melodramatic, but the XF saloon is responsible for Jaguar's healthily improving sales numbers - recession aside - and the company has significantly updated its svelte four-door for the 2010 model year.

You'll not notice many changes on the outside of the XF, as Jaguar has left well alone. It's still one of the better looking cars in the class - despite an opinion-splitting face - with a highly distinctive look that manages to be sporting and elegant at the same time. The new Diesel S model features a few restrained sporting additions, but you'd have to be told about the new rear spoiler to notice it. That's not a criticism; we love the discreet image offered up by the XF.

The Diesel S model is possibly the most significant development. It features an all-new twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 under the bonnet that develops 271bhp and a massive 443lb.ft of torque, putting it on a par with BMW's formidable 535d. The same engine is available in a lower state of tune too (237bhp/369lb.ft), which will be cheaper and hence the most popular with European buyers. There's also a new 5.0-litre petrol V8 engine, though its availability on special order indicates how few Jaguar expects to sell in this part of the world.

Is it any good?

Oh yes. We already liked the XF. Its styling - inside and out - makes it feel more special even than the more expensive rivals in its class. Our only real bugbear was with the engine line-up and that issue has been well and truly resolved. The new turbodiesel is just as quiet as its 2.7-litre predecessor, but now it features significantly more pace, even in the non-S model. In Diesel S guise it takes the fight to the BMW 535d, previously the performance diesel benchmark in the premium saloon car class. In comparison to that car the XF is more comfortable, though perhaps not as exciting to drive. Saying that, the Jaguar is an enjoyable steer, but it's more satisfying to cruise along on the effortless torque than try to eke out every ounce of performance in every gear.

To accompany the new engines, Jaguar has significantly updated its six-speed automatic transmission and it's very good, allowing manual control when you want it or smoothing out shifts if that's what is required.

Should I call the bank manager?

He'll not be best pleased to hear that you'll want £33,900 for the new entry-level 3.0 V6 turbodiesel, though you should point out that that's less than the asking price for the BMW 530d, Audi A6 3.0 TDI or Mercedes-Benz E 320 CDI. Yet the XF is on a par with these rivals in terms of performance, economy and emissions. If the chat is going well you might want to ask for £3,000 or so extra to move up to the Diesel S - it's worth the premium and undercuts the comparable BMW 535d. Running costs aren't too bad given the car's abilities, with 42.0mpg combined economy and CO2 emissions of 179g/km - that's for either of the diesel engines.

Summary

When Jaguar launched the XF, it was powered by a range of engines that were just about acceptable, but the market moved on quickly. Thankfully, Jaguar's new powerplants are no longer just average, they're class-leading. Naturally, the diesel models will make up the vast majority of sales in Europe, though the new 5.0 V8 petrol engine is also a gem. Jaguar has carried out other detail changes to the XF, but the rest of the package was pretty good as it was. Now it really can stand up and be counted against its German rivals.

Shane O' Donoghue