Hello Everyone

Today I received my subscription of the latest Road & Track magazine issue (November 2016) and to my surprise I found an article/comparison between North American version of XE S (XE 35t) vs one of its main rivals - BMW 340i.



I could not wait to read it so I stopped whatever I was doing and read the article. Sadly, I was unpleasantly surprised by the opinions and conclusions expressed by the reviewer...



To give you a short summary, R&T writer said that Jaguar is nowhere near as composed, nimble and balanced as BMW through the corners. They mentioned how unsettled the Jag's suspension was and disliked eager throttle response deeming it "too sharp"



I was very surprised hence every review I have seen and read mentions how big of an advantage XE has over its main rivals when it comes to suspension, chassis composure and overall balance...



Since R&T has not published that comparison on their website yet, I took some photos of the magazine.

I mean, I know that 340i is faster in a straight line and that its engine is more flexible due to turbo setup. However, this is the first comparison that disliked Jaguar's chassis and driving dynamics compared to BMW (which I think was a regular 340i with a manual transmission, not an M-spec car.)





What do you all think?
Are you happy with XE's dynamics and chassis?
Has anyone driven F10 3 series (ideally 335i or 340i) to compare?

By the way, It would be great if us, the XE owners could meet and discuss our cars somewhere in the Boston Metro area

 

They picked the wrong car for the comparo. And that is really VERY unfortunate for Jaguar, especially since they are trying to establish themselves as a fun to drive car.

First it looks like they are pitching a RWD 340i (not the AWD 340i Xdrive) against an AWD Jaguar. That's just unfair to begin with.

Second, the AWD Jaguar has gotten bad reviews in the past. See:
The 2017 Jaguar XE Is Good But Definitely Not The Best
That same article rates the XE 20d RWD higher for handling!

The best handling Jaguar, which should have been the one used in this test, is the 35t R Sport, RWD with Dynamic dampers.

There's not much data on the AWD, but I have a feeling the steering and suspension are tuned differently with that car.

I have been waiting since July to test drive a RWD 35t R Sport and there has not been one at my local dealer. Only AWDs have been coming in. Have no idea why since we don't even get snow around here. I have refused to test drive the AWD because I don't want to go away disappointed by driving the wrong car.

In contrast, look at this review for the RWD -- all praise, perhaps more than it deserves:
http://www.motortrend.com/cars/jagua...-s-comparison/

 

BTW, the XE S is a different car from the XE 35t R Sport RWD. Both are available in Europe and many other countries, but in the US we only get the R Sport. The main difference I can tell are interior and exterior trim (e.g. alcantara seats and a different front bumper) and also the XE S has better brakes (with red calipers). It's possible there may be additional differences in steering and/or suspension. Bottomline, the XE R Sport is a separate model on its own, not the the US version of the XE S.

I have driven the XE S (Mexico spec) which was a demo car back in July. I have been waiting to drive the R Sport version since then. I loved the way the XE S handled--it reminded me of my old 3 series.

 

Do you really believe in honest journalism anymore? Be it automobiles, politics, wine, sports... Everything has a slant or angle.

 

Over the years, I have read with amusement the many articles written about various cars the automotive journalists have praised because when I drove the cars, I was frankly underwhelmed.

To me, most of the automotive journalists I have met are frustrated Formula One drivers with very little training on driving skills or engineering. Some of the articles are actually very funny because they must be personally biased toward one marque or the other, be it BMW, Honda or Mercedes-Benz.

When shopping for a vehicle, you must drive each of your choices and see how they feel for your comfort, driving style, level of skill and overall enjoyment. It actually doesn't matter what the journalists think or say because it is your money after all that is being spent.

 

I have tended to trust Car and Driver. They have been quite accurate about BMW's fall from grace as the undisputed driver's car.

 

My only complaint in my XE is that I feel it is unfinished and not polished enough for release. A few more months was needed to get the electronics and other small items polished and ready for consumers. I still rather my XE over that BMW for many reasons and fee this article was biased. Thats just my 2 cents of course.

 

I thought the Motor Trend posted video above was quite complimentary of the XE. 3 Series is hard to beat and has been for decades.

 

I guess one has to drive them back to back to really get the sense which one feels better.

These reviews tend to be inconsistent. In R&T article, XE weights 4096lbs. That is just way too heavy. Jaguar manual says 3795lbs for 35t AWD. I have read other sources that quote low 3700lbs for AWD XE.

The 340i they tested here was 3680lbs and with a manual so no wonder it felt sportier.

I live right next to the BMW Dealership. I just have to find time to schedule a test drive of 340ix.

 

I test drove a 340i xdrive with m suspension and XE 35t AWD back to back. I liked the bmw's handling better. The XE's handling just felt loose, not as buttoned up. I really wanted to drive an RWD version of the XE, but my dealer told me they will never have one on the lot. On top of the handling differences, I personally did not care for the XE's engine note. It just sounded metallic, as if it was running with no oil. It was disconcerting.

 

I've made my bed for the next 3 years, so I don't care if the BMW is better handling now... If the Alfa Guilia was on the market here, I would've considered that.

 

That's interesting. Thanks for the insight. I will share my thoughts on BMW once I drive it.

 

I should also add that the XE had 18" wheels while the 340i had 20" wheels, so that likely accounted (at least in part) for the crisper steering response on the 340i. I loved it on a quick testdrive, but if I had to live with it as a daily driver, I don't know that I'd like it that much. Going over road irregularities was pretty rough in the BMW.

 

I thought the much-ballyhooed dynamic suspension on the XE was supposed to give a much crisper ride, eliminate body roll and make it feel like it was running on rails....and be much superior to the BMW's? Is that not the case?

I've been thinking of picking one up for my DD....would like to know. I haven't gotten around to a test drive yet.

 

Believe it or not I have been waiting to drive a RWD 35t R sport since July and haven't been able to find one. We have only one small dealer locally. Every time they get one of these in, it's already sold.

I did try an S version which is not available in the US but was a demo car from Mexico. I was definitely blown away by the handling of that car. But before spending ~$55K which is much more than I have ever spent on any car before, I want to test drive a US spec version.

 

You will only know for sure by driving the car yourself, but yes. Based on my own experience, one of the things that undermines the credibility of that test is the evaluation of the Jag's handling.

 

If you have driven S and if you drive an AWD 35T; there won't be any surprise if you order one blind IMO.