Having driven my XE Sport for over a week here are a few points to share..

The first is the obvious one that I like the way it looks for a sedan, although I had hoped they would make it more distinctive. Its a lot like the XF and XJ in appearance which reminds me of Audi in that most models look the same to me. Still, it has the Jaguar beauty.

Handling is really good for a sedan and it stays rather flat in corners and is really smooth for 20" tires/rims. Brakes seem up to the task.

Acceleration is brisk, but not really high performance.

As well, the reason for the front end picture of the Ftype.. the license plate has earth magnets on the back (I pulled it off for the picture) with a steel piece epoxied to the inner black center bar.. therefore no holes.

Overall, the handling and acceleration feels really lively although not near the league of my F type R... and not expected to be.

Interior is leather and it looks good to my taste.. the side vents for air conditioning direct the air at my arm due to the door configuration, yet it was simple to dial that vent down. Dealer tells me an error was made with mine in that Sirius radio was not installed and should have been.. I assume to be corrected. Also the manual states the car has side bolster and cushion adjustment, and mine does not.. the seat comfort is just average.
The stereo has buzzing speakers with some music.

Mileage so far, is 27 mpg. / 8.9 liters per 100 approx. with mostly highway.

I note that this V-6 takes 5-30 oil which seems a departure from the usual Jaguar spec. 0-20.. With my FtypeR the 0-20 seems too thin, like water, so the 5-30 feels like a better choice.

A really nice car to drive as my daily driver.
Lawrence

 

gonna be hard pressed to turn in my daily XKR for a XE...especially when that V8 beauty is getting 22 MPG freeway .

 

I agree, the XKR I used to own was beautiful and overall a great car. The XE sport is a sedan so you have more room and it does handle really well.

Mine is not broken in yet, so I assume the mileage will improve a bit.
Lawrence.

 

Having had both, where the XE shines over the XKR is better steering, flatter and tighter around corners, better suspension, far better stereo, better infotainment generally, safer, more usable power (to someone of my limited capabilities).

Where the XKR shines over the XE is looks, oodles of power, more luxurious interior, better sound.

I loved my XKR to bits. The f type has a lot of what the XKR offered with the newer media, better handling (at my level) and more usable power (at my level), so that makes me happy. But the seats in the XKR and the XE are far more comfortable than the seats in the f type.

 

The side bolster and cushion adjustment may not be available on your model, despite what the manual says. Do the seats have electrically controlled fore/aft movement and seat back rake adjustment?

 

Yes, the seats have all the other movements and are electric and the R sport is supposed to be the top model. The tranny tunnel crowds my lower leg a bit as well, so I keep the seat well back to give me more room to adjust my position over time. Both the operating manual and the 'quick start guide' indicate the seats should have the bolster and cushion adjustment.

They are not all that comfortable on a long drive .. for instance my F type R has seats that really hug you and seem to be formed perfectly and they are good for a long drive.

I must say though, I do really like the car, not only its looks, but the way it handles is superb, and its over all quality is really good.
Lawrence

 

The best seats I've experience so far in a car of this class are the Volvo S60 R Design.

But it does not excite anywhere near as much as the Jaguar. I haven't tried the Polestar version of the S60 but that is supposed to handle very nicely.

27 mpg (I'm assuming US gallon) is pretty cool...is that with mostly with highway driving or mixed?

 

Yeah, volvo seats are generally awesome. I had an S60R, supposedly the seats were designed by some sort of spine specialist. Even our last volvo (V40T5 CC) had great seats.

I'm finding the XE R Sport seats as good as anything I've had in a Jag, a nice balance of comfort and support with good side bolsters, though the leather could be a little more premium. The comfort level might depend on what "memory pack" you have.

 

From what I can tell having sat in these cars a few times, the standards seat in the XE is pretty bad. The XE R Sport seat is decent; I would rate it noticeably higher than BMW's sport seats.

The Volvo's R Design seats are in a different class altogether. I have never sat in any seat like that, and getting into my car after a brief test drive was like going from business to coach...instantly noticeable.

Here's some info on Volvo's seat:
http://www.volvocarstempe.com/blog/2...c-surgeons.htm
(I have a bad back so I'm very sensitive to seat comfort/support.)

 

Thats mostly highway at our 'retarded' low speed limits .. on a two lane highway we need to keep to 100 kilometers hour (in an 80) or Barney slaps us with a road tax fine. So its about 60 mph re: 100Kilo.

At a fairly steady cruise without hard acceleration and few stops, the reading was 8.9 litres per 100 kilo. I'm assuming the readout was US mpg. on the car, however I don't remember the conversion formula to work it out manually to check if U.S. or Imperial.

Once the car is broken in, it should get better, but then I'll be pushing it a lot harder on acceleration.
Lawrence

 

I checked and it matches for the US gallon. That is pretty good for a car rated 30 mpg. You'll probably get closer to the spec'ed 30 once it's broken in.

 

Just curious, have you test driven any other cars before deciding on the XE? If so, what made you choose the XE in the end?

I'm looking at the 340i as well.

 

I currently have a F type R and now this XE sport is my 4th Jaguar.. all of them have been great driving experiences and they look really good. So, I guess its around the look and feel of the car ... the XE really does handle well for a sedan and has brisk acceleration.

The other issue is that they are quite rare and I get tired or maybe I should say bored with seeing so many Porsche , BMW and so forth.

I have driven a few Merc gullwings, BMW's, Lambo .... and I found the Jaguars are simply unique and in my opinion far better to look at.
Lawrence

 

I actually cross shopped the 340i, S4, C450 AMG Sport and the XE R-Sport. Other than the C450, I really liked the XE a lot more than the Bimmer and Audi (I'm coming from a'14 A5). Interior, acceleration, and just the fun to drive factor were all there, which surprised me as I never thought I would get a Jag!! The Merc and XE were almost equal in my opinion, but the '16s were all off lots near me and if I ordered a '17 it wouldn't get here until November, so the timing just didn't work out. I should get my XE in the next couple weeks, so will post my thoughts.

 

How do your Jags stack up from a reliability/cost of repair perspective, compared to say a BMW?

I tend to keep my cars a long time (my current BMW is 14 years old), so the upkeep costs do factor into the buying decision somewhat.

For sure. That is why I'm looking at a Jag as well. The 3-series is just too common place.

 

Because of the amount of tech in these cars, I think that kind of longevity is a thing of the past...is there a computer that you have owned for 14 years? That's why manufacturers now pride themselves on what percentage of the car is recyclable.

 

This is my fourth Jaguar (XJR, XKR, FtypeR, XEsport) and I have not spent a dime other than tires/oil etc..

With all the electronics, I have had a couple of small issues that warranty took care of .. can't remember what it was.
Lawrence.

 

How long have you owned each of them?

 

I agree with both of you. I dont think modern cars will last as long because of all of the tech (and a lot of that is unavoidable tech because it is needed for the safety systems) but then I've had a great run with Jags.

My first - 2008 XF - plenty of trips to the dealer in year one with teething issues and a persistent sunroof issue, but then from probably 18 months into ownership until it was sold in 2012, no problems at all. Second XF I only had for a year but no issues save it needed a baffle in the fuel tank. The XKR I bought 2.5 years old and kept until it was 5, it has an occasional warning light come up for the adaptive headlight which was ultimately fixed with a new module, but otherwise a perfect car, with about 70000kms on it when I sold it.

The XE has been flawless, up around 8000km now, just a tremendous car and looks amazingly good on the road when I see my missus driving it. The F type has had no issues save for when I left a tray of shabu shabu meat in the hatch for 4 days before the smell reminded me...

 

Minimum 3 years each.. with the F type still with me from 2014 (2015 model year) and the XE 1 month.
Lawrence