Hey folks. Here's a can of worms I'm opening up. I am an avid Jaguar fan. Mainly due to its style, performance and also - general audience it appeals - car drivers! Now, I'm not here to spark all out british vs german car war.

But it seems to me that many reviews are 'knee-jerked' to favor the A7. I'll admit. It's a fancy piece of gear with a doubt. But reviews constantly post comments on its immediate superior looks and all those fancy bells and whistles in the car (i.e. google earth, wifi, night vision, wiki search, etc.).

Now, perhaps more and more pretentious tech nerds are flocking to the A7 as the mecca of sport sedan triumph but I just don't know if I can agree.

Pros: It is sleek (I'll give it that). 310HP V6 SC w/Quattro isn't too bad. The headlights do look real nice. It is a step up in technology. Is it more reliable?

Cons: I just can't talk myself into thinking the back end looks good. It just doesn't sit well aesthetically. This "hatch-coupe-sedan" thing might be too faddish for me (and I'm 29!)

The Jaguar appeals to me because I like the drive! I enjoy a car that focuses on just that. And plus, that snobby image never escapes my mind when I think about having an Audi. You know that guy, we all know that guy - that guy with the Audi he leased and knows nothing about it other than trying to show off his status in society.

Well anyway, call me culturally sensitive about the Audi A7 but I'd like to really hear some insight. I'm on the verge on purchasing an black XF 3.0 sport portfolio and of course I got friends go nuts that I should get the A7 like I'm a mad man for not. They're responses being: "but man, it's Audi!" and "it's got Google Earth and wifi dude" doesn't really make get it - it's like driving a laptop - but they do keep chipping away at me about hence causing me to seek refuge here in search of some supportive responses.

Over to you guys...

 

Of the German fastback sedans, which include the A7, the BMW GT and X6, the A7 is certainly the nicest looking and best driving. However, none of them, in my opinion, looks as good as the XF. (Actually, the 1988-89 Merkur Scorpio was the nicest looking inside and out of this genre of German hatchback sedans) Even the Tesla S, which obviously borrowed many of its styling cues from the XF has a better profile than any of the German offerings. The obsession with "whiz kid" electronics which seems to have infected car magazine reviews, as well, puzzles me. Who cares whether or not you can play 240,000 of your favorite songs, or whether the navigation takes an extra millisecond to respond, or that you can retrieve your email, it's a car, for cryin' out loud. How does it drive? The 4 wheel drive of the Audis is a big plus and worthy of note, but the XF, especially in 'R' spec, is a more attractive, less expensive, more exclusive, automobile.

 

A person I work with has an A7 and it is a nice car, but in my opinion, rather homely. The truncated rear just doesn't work for me and Audi styling is pretty blah.

Of the fastback sedans, I think the Panamera or Tesla Model S are about the only ones that I find visually appealing.

The car rags have more than a bit bias toward shiny new things and whiz bang technology. I'm not sure where all the people who like to drive have gone, but there don't seem to be many working for magazines.

Between your two choices, I'd pick the Jag, hands down.

 

The Audi A7 is the best Volkswagen CC I've ever seen but in the end it is simply a very nice VW.

 

The problem I have with pretty much every car made, certainly all the mass produced ones, is that they no longer have soul!
So really it comes down to which badge you prefer to have glued to the boot/hatch lid.
I'm not even sure that my X350 XJ has that much soul and that does at least resemble its distant relative.
When I get bored with this car (if I get bored?), I don't really know what I'll have? Although I have to say, of all the different cars I've had over the years, I have enjoyed all of the Jaguars, despite every one of them having some kind of issue..

 

I am not an Audi fan, but A7 is the only model i actually like from the line up. The exterior design is very artistic.

The interior in the Jaguar is the nicest out of any German car or any manufacturer for that matter. Which is extremely important, as that's where we spent most of the time.
As stated, drive them both and see what you like. Jaguar is going to be the more driver focused car out of the two. Like you, i personally don't care about the electronics bs that only causes distractions anyway.

 

The Audi A7 is very ugly though.

Who needs a hatchback that expensive?

 

So many Audi's out there. Jaguar puts you into the not so common on the road car. As far as the electronics in the 12+ models, I don't think Audi has much of an electronics advantage anyway, if that is your concern.

 

a7and a5/s5 are best looking Audi's. Interiors used to be best in class ten years ago. Look closely and you'll see the jag is higher quality and better designed. Jag is more comfortable. Vote Jag (get the supercharged)!

 

I know if I wasn't driving a XFR I would be driving an S7. Have you priced the two cars out???

My XFR (brand new, as I bought it) is in the same price range as a fully loaded fully loaded A7 (not S7, for the S7 I would be looking at spending another 25k... This is in my market, Calgary, AB, Canada)

XFR wins hands down over an A7.

Would the new XF 3.0 SC be head and shoulders above an A7. Honestly I don't know as I only drove the N/A 5.0 V8, and with RWD, I would say the A7 is better, as it should be given how much more it costs...

Style, is very subjective... Very few people will say the XF in any trim is not an attractive car. And I honestly think the same can be said about the A7.

My advice drive them both, price them out the way you want (options), and in the end if you don't mind paying more for the A7, because its the car you want, then go for it.

One other thing to note is Jag's Platinum coverage...

 

I am personally a very big fan of the s7. I almost bought one but the xfr was a much better value and ultimately better to drive. if i had to compare them

The s7 interior layout is well done and uses extremely high quality materials throughout. I would say comparable to my xfr or slightly better at first glance. My one complaint regarding the audi dash / console layout is complexity. Simple tasks like changing the ac fan speed, temp or heated seats which should use a rotational knob or on off button, has to be done through the MMI screen. After 3 years owning an S6 my wife still couldn't figure out how to do these things. I do love the xfr's interior and other than the cross stiched leather used in the s7 after a few months of owning the clean layout, modern design and futuristic lighting in the xf won me over

Exterior styling - The a7 / S7 is one of the best looking cars on the road. It does look odd from some angles but overall the low wide stance, low swooping roof line is a beautiful design. I think they xf is just as attractive with a look that appeals to a larger audience but I would say its a coin flip and comes down to personal preference. Either will turn an equal number of heads

Practicality - its a toss up hear as well with the xf coming out slightly ahead. The larger trunk in the a7 is nice and easier to get things in and out of but i have yet to carry anything that was difficult to manage in the xf. The xf can seat 5 (uncomfortably) where the a7 is a 4 seater and is impossible to get car seats installed if that is a concern due to the roofline and rear center console. The a7 awd is better in bad weather but the 19 or 20 inch rim options with low profile tires that are needed to make the car stand out make it completely unusable in snow. Your will need winter tires and I imagine the awd xf would handle just as well with them.

Driving experience - Jag wins hands down. S line audi's have an extremely firm ride which makes city driving very unpleasant. Even with the firm suspension steering is rather numb and it doesnt corner nearly as well as you would expect. My xfr rides nearly as soft as my range rover but put it into dynamic mode and it can take a corner much faster than Im capable of driving it. You get great steering input and the backend kicks out just enough to keep things amusing. I also much prefer how the jag delivers its power. Acceleration is almost instantaneous, the car always seems to be in the right gear, and while its amazingly fast it does not feel twitchy when driving at low speeds. Even with the 480 HP I had in my s6 it never amazed me with its acceleration and overtaking abilities. The base v8 in the xf felt much more capable and the xfr blows it out of the water

Reliability - i might have had a bad experience but I had constant problems with my audi. Carbon build up became such a problem we had to replace coil packs, plugs, injectors, and the entire intake manifold twice to the tune of $8,000! I would go through a set of tires and brakes every year to the tune of 2k. The a7's engineering is much different so i cant comment it they experience the same issues but due to my experience with the s6 and audi's refusal to accept these as inherant design flaws and cover some of the repair costs i could not recommend buying another one

price - the a7 drives and comes equipped like a 50k car yet its hard to build on for less than 68k. The s7 drives like a 70k car but is impossible to get one home for less than 95. The xf's matched or exceeded the a/s 7 in every category and costs 20% less

Sorry for the long post but I spend dozens of hours going back and forth between these two options and though i would share my thoughts why I went with the jag.

 

I've seen a very nicely equipped A7 in a showroom and was impressed by the car, seemed special, low and of very high quality. The styling was definitely much more attractive in person...not unlike the XF.

Then, yesterday I followed one on and off for 100 kms....it looks positively ridiculous from the rear with the spoiler up. Its kind of sad that the car is designed so that it doesn't work at highway speeds without a deployable spoiler. I can't wrap my head around it, for a while I found it innovative....now I just don't see the common sense...or any beauty in the design of the rear.

Regarding magazines...recall the last 15 years, horsepower and torque charts disappeared from the publications, and cars which are now deemed as bland as washing machine, with very little power or appeal won every comparison and recommendation till a few years ago.

So...I don't pay much attention to what they write. German cars are today's slice of the day, you need to pay immense amounts of cash to get only decent power, many of the black on black on black interiors (Mercedes anyone?) are inferior to many of current domestic offerings and much of what made them special is gone.

But...they are doing nice things with sheetmetal...

 

Wanna jag has some good points. I think you need to pay a serious premium to get a BMW or Audi to have something less than ordinary. I cross shopped a BMW 550 and needed a 7-10k premium to achieve what my Jag gives. I admit some of the tech is better (heads up display for instance) but in the end those features were not the reason to buy a car. The Jag is a nice value package. Although there is no dealer in my city, I am starting to have company. Jags will not be so exclusive with the new line up in the near future

 

No way! I greatly appreciate all your posts. Even if an Audi owner can throw in some counter-arguments, that'd be great. It is a forum after all! You guys thankfully provide some rational 'fresh air' to the thought of why exactly someone buys a car. The value argument is undoubtedly there. In the new-school world of having the best menu options and heads up display, I still lean towards 'the car' itself (i.e. engine, handling, transmission, etc... and of course, style). The shift to tech gadgets seems to be a clever veil for car makers as the they shift the people's focus from under the hood and on to the dashboard.

I think the XF is still on top - for me anyway. I too though feel that there will soon be more XF's on the road. But hey, that's how the world goes around, new things come, old things go. I'm pretty excited getting a build slot order put in. The value and Jaguar's overseas deployed military pricing is awesome. For any active duty members, they do offer it. They basically put a build order for you and slash a good 10% off the model price and ship it to the states to your nearest dealer free of charge. You just have to be overseas while ordering. Many car companies do this obviously. I mean here in this undisclosed area of Afg., there's a GM/KIA/Harley tent waiting to get your order for cryin' out loud. It's just funny I thought - surrounded by hesco barriers and all in the middle of a desert. I'm coordinating everything through a great helpful Jag rep from the UK via email/skype and has personally worked with me since day one on customizing exactly what I want with upfront discounted quotes and exact steps on what to do. He's made it beyond easy to be honest. I pay Jaguar direct in the UK... and I couldn't be happier with the final price! No local US dealers... ...other than showing up to one when I get back to pick up my paid XF from his lot = win

 

A7 looks nice. Like someone else said, if I wasn't driving a Jag xf I would be driving a a7. But get what appeals to u. Not ur friends because at the end of the day, YOU have to be happy.

 

S7 is the one I'm loving and it can be ordered with 2 fold flat rear facing jump seats in the hatch making is a 7 passenger! But for the money I am going to be replacing my Jag with a Tesla Modle S right before I go off warranty.

 

After the service issues with my 2001 S4 I will never, ever look at any VAG product again in Canada. The design, construction and quality control of initial manufacture and the servicing of these cars once off warranty are all just appalling. The engineering is very poor as is the parts quality. Audi makes a great showroom car but don't buy one to keep as you will regret it once the warranty expires. All hype and no substance.

Audis are also incredibly dull to drive. They steadfastly refuse to corner adequately and the ride is very poor.

 

I have to say I was pretty impressed with the Tesla Model S when I saw one drive by recently. Looked much better than I've seen online (lowered maybe?) I wonder how well it drives...

 

I really couldn't more strongly disagree with everything you said, especially having just sold an A4 I owned for over a decade. I will, however, give you that the turbocharged S4 and RS6 are vehicles to stay away from or only buy if you are competent with a wrench. They turbos inevitably will go and are expensive to replace if you do not do it yourself. The hydraulic suspension on the RS6 is also a bit of a mess. Other than that, I have had excellent experiences with Audi and the initial and continued dealer experience gives my jaguar dealer something to aspire to.

Everyone, of course, is free to have their own opinion about a car. Much of this is subjective. Buy what you like, not what people tell you.

That said, when it comes time to replace my XF, I will be looking at the XJ and A7. Unless the jaguar dealership experience improves, and probably the depreciation as well, I don't know that I will buy another. I love the way the car looks, drives and sounds. But at the end of the day, do you go with the attractive, high maintenance, moody model, or a great looking girl that treats you well and you know you can depend on?

 

I have seen a couple at my train station and around town and am very impressed. I wish they made a smaller version that I could use as a train station car and around town. For a full size family mobile, I still am not sold.