Anyone following my threads as of late, will be aware that I've migrated over to the other side and am no longer an XJ6 owner. I'm now happy to be driving another Jag, a 2009 3.0D XF. I mentioned that I'd post a comparison of sorts, not that any real comparison is possible, in that I'm not comparing like with like. I'm fully aware of the fact that there is an age difference between the two cars. My XJ was almost 22 years old whereas the XF is 9 years old. For the record, the XJ had a lowish mileage of 140,000 miles. The XF has 76,000.

Let's just regard it as my experience of both cars and how they both stack up.

To start with, readers will know that the €2,000.00 annual road tax on the 4.0l Sovereign was getting to be a bit of a pain and hard to justify at times. In "American" terms, petrol costs here in Ireland would equate to almost $7.00 per gallon. ( It's a tad dearer in the U.K. but their road tax is far less punitive.)

So, running costs aren't light to start with. On the other hand, the 3.0l XF costs €750.00 per annum in road tax. This is actually less than the 2.2l as it's based on CO2 emissions and the 3.0l is lower! Diesel is 10 cent per litre cheaper than petrol and the XF is returning an average of 41 MPG. I know I can do better than that as I'm enjoying some spirited driving at the moment!

And on to the driving. It's a very different experience in the XF. Much more spirited and progressive. Possibly due to the relaxed, laid back attitude I might have subconsciously adopted when I slid into the XJ. The Sovereign was no slouch, but it is certainly more of a cruiser, whereas the XF is described as a "sports sedan".

The XJ wafted along, effortlessly, quietly, but wallowed a bit on the twisting, winding, back roads that I use a lot. I would never be fully confident pushing it too much in these conditions, always aware of the weight of this beast, building up momentum, and fighting against centrifugal force. This is on a car with rear shocks etc. replaced, new A frame bushes, wheel bearings etc. etc. The brake pedal always felt soft, standard XJ symptom, regardless of how effective the brakes were. This is with new pads front and back and a flush and refill with new brake fluid, and very recent tyres. I prefer the immediate response from the XF's brakes.

The XF on the other hand, drives like it's on rails. It positively hugs the road without throwing you about the cabin. You feel like you're an extension of the car, or a part of it. It soaks up the bumps very well, almost as well as the XJ did. But contact with the road surface is much more assured in the XF. It also has a nice exhaust note when you push it a bit, adding to the "sports car" feeling/illusion.

As far as size and weight goes, there isn't a whole lot of difference between them. The XJ is about 1/2" narrower, 2 1/2" longer and has a 3 1/2" shorter wheelbase. It is also lighter than the XF by about 50kg, or 79 lbs. The shape of the XF is radically different, and the sloping "disappearing" bonnet takes a while to get used to. With the XJ, you got four distinct corners!

The steering in the XF is very tight and precise, more responsive than the XJ and I imagined that the steering wheel in the XF was a good deal smaller, whereas, in fact it has a diameter of only 1/2" less. But it's chunky and solid.

The interior is as you'd expect. All wood and leather and pleasantly, my XF shares the same Burr Walnut interior trim as my XJ had. But it also has a lot less plastic on show. It's leather everywhere. The dash is very different, with polished aluminium and chrome (or chrome effect plastic!) The built in touch screen houses everything you need, as in Audio, Climate, Sat Nav, Vehicle Settings, Bluetooth Phone etc. some of this can also be accessed via the usual dash controls and or the steering wheel. The steering wheel is also home to a pair of paddles, just like a race car, if you want to drive like a manual, with one paddle for up the gears and one paddle for down.

I like the Bluetooth on the phone. So easy to dock your phone with the car and then you can make calls with the press of a button on the steering wheel. After that the systems talks to you and you simply answer, telling it to call a particular name or number in your phones' contacts.

Another little plus is the folding rear seats in the XF, complimenting an already generous boot. I'm still getting used to the whole "keyless" thing. With the car locked, you walk up and just open the door. The car senses the fob in it's proximity and then you sit in and press the start button. No "key" no "ignition". You can also lock the car with the fob or via the small buttons on the door handles, but the car won't allow you to lock the fob inside. It senses it and unlocks the doors again

Likewise, the lack of a regular gear stick is odd to begin with. Instead, a rotary dial emerges up from the centre console when you start the car and the handbrake is an electronic switch also. It releases once you release the footbrake and press the accelerator. No lever sticking up between the seats. So, for a little while, my left hand was floating about, looking for something that wasn't there.

Another nice extra is the docking pod in the centre armrest cubby, allowing the use of an auxiliary music source, an Ipod and a USB input.

An oddity, though not across all engines, is the electronic oil level sensor. No dipstick to check, smell, examine etc. Just a message on the touchscreen, telling you how much oil to add. I think I prefer "old school" in this respect.

My XF is the "Luxury" model, so it's not at the top end of the spec range, but it still offers a lot. Rear parking sensors, automatic exterior lighting and wipers, which are great. No more switching on and off, intermittent, continuous, fast, slow. On the drive home from Dublin to Kerry, in all sorts of weather, they worked excellently, as much as was needed, and only when needed.

I always said that I like a car that makes a statement, not an excuse and I think the XJ made more of a statement. It was/is a much more distinctive looking car, unmistakably a Jaguar and it attracted a lot of attention and compliments. The XF is much more a generic "Jelly Mould" shape, easily enough confused with many other cars on the road, following the same aerodynamic dictates. But it still is a lovely looking car, maybe not as pretty up front as the later facelift model, with the slimmer headlamps, but sharing the same sexy rear end.

On a simple, basic level, which car do I prefer? I would say without doubt, the XF, for a variety of reasons. It's cheaper (much) to run, more fun to drive and I have no regrets, so far, about making the switch.

Just my view, my experience, to date, of both cars.

 

Good review.

Those cars get very cheap very fast here in the US. Might have to start looking at them.

 

I did the switch recently too, updating by minus twelve years and minus 90,000 miles. I am seriously going to miss the x308's magic carpet ride when I sell it, but its getting to the age where everything plastic, rubber or vinyl is so crispy I'm afraid its going to crumble if I hit a large enough pothole. I have not yet had the opportunity to install on the XF my Spires Comfort suspension and 18 inch wheels but they're all sitting there waiting for completion of a dead Corvette that's currently occupying my workspace (hopefully only another month or two).

One of the first things that I noticed was taking the XF to the airport. It is several orders of magnitude more difficult to load luggage into the XF vs the old XJ8. I thought the previous owner had just not been very careful with a few scratches, but its a bear trying to aim a large rolling case through that narrow slit of an opening. The XJ8 had me spoiled for trunk access as well.

You mention the sloping bonnet (we call it the hood). I am so glad that I got one with the forward parking sensors because I can't see anything past the windshield wiper, so there's no reference points by which to judge how close you are. And all modern sedans, not just Jaguar, need to come standard with a rear view camera as you can't see out the back of any of them well enough to maneuver. The X300/308 really had us spoiled for visibility too.

I do really like the interior on the XF. I got the Portfolio package with the two-tone leather. And I like all of the modern gadgets like you mentioned syncing my phone. I like the smoothness of the 5.0L engine. Tho already six years old, I chose 2012, being the first year of the facelift and last year of the naturally aspirated V8. I was afraid that v8s would soon be a relic of the past and by the time I updated again, I might no longer have that choice.

I have come to think of it more as an update, rather than an upgrade.

 

I have that 5.0 in a Land Rover LR4. I can't even imagine how great it is in a Jag.

I need to go drive on of these things....


I would miss watching the leaper lead the way all day long.....

 

Thanks for taking the time to let us know how it compares to what we are so familiar with. I'm mentally tossing around the idea of a current XJ. I think I like them! I know it would be a vastly different experience than the X300 series.

Points taken:

There is no substitute for the view over the hood of the X300. The curves, and the shoulders of the leaper are always leading the way (Except in the UK...)! The visibility is great in all directions. That would all be gone in a new XJ.

Where will I rest my right hand (left hand in the UK)? No polished walnut shift knob? Is this an attempt to emasculate the car? I wish they would have kept the J-gate setup. I like it.

Also an excellent point, Phil, about the V8 engine. They will become more scarce in the future. Get one while you can. I like my cars to have a lot of cylinders. Some day not too far away, people will be surprised when they see a car with a V8 engine. Like the jaws that drop now upon hearing of my current car that has a V12!

For these reasons and others, I can't bear to part with my XJ12. But I suppose it would be fun to modernize in a '12XJ!

 

I went from an X350 XJ to an XF to an X351 XJ (V8) to an X351 XJ (V6) down to an XFR

the XF is definitely better than the X350, but not better than a V8 X351.
Fit and finish on the early model XF's was decent, with consistant known issues such as dashboard coming apart. differentials failing. but the facelift got better.

They definitely didnt cheapen out with the XF....using nice quality leathers, woods, alcantara, fitting it with all the good options (the best Jag had at the time, which isnt saying much). the car is heavy and clunky around town, and an absolute gas guzzler (because of its weight and small fuel tank, WHY would they put a 15 gal tank?)....but its not bad to drive. it can get fun around back roads, but you quickly feel the heavy body

i honestly feel the current model XF is a step backwards in design and quality. they're using cheaper, plastic parts....trying to really separate between the XF and XJ

 

I have several encounters with an XFR when a friend entrusted one with me for repair and maintenance. If XJR is a leaper, the XFR is a wild beast: very powerful yet ultra thirsty. Both R's have decent performance that upholds Jaguar racing heritage, but the XFR is totally different in terms of build quality, character and performance. I like the informatics on the XFR, but she has a dash that looks cheap like that of the Acura TSX. Don't know about others, I think the XJR is more superior in terms of ride quality and driver's visibility.

 

I did drive an X250 and 260 back to back at a Jaguar dealer and got the same impression.

It was just disappointing the XJ series had Marlon Brando'd itself. If the current series would have fit in my home garage, it could've been considered.