I'm curious what your experience is with actual mpg on a 2007-2009 XK or XKR. I'm looking at the 08 XK but am test driving the XKR today. I drive 12K miles per year (blend of suburban and highway, the later with moderate commuter traffic), so mpg can be important if there is much of a difference between the XK and XKR. I think my average speed calculated in my current car is 38-40.

On a side note, I noticed the insurance costs are the same between the two cars, which I found rather odd.

I'd love to hear any real world experiences.

Thank you!

 

Let us know what your impressions are...

 

The car will tell you if you scroll through the turn signal stalk. The average mpg on my 2007 XK is comparable to my 1997 Vanden Plas; in other words, LOW. 23-24 mpg highway at best. I'm not looking forward to $4+/gallon gas this summer!

 

However, if you look at many mainstream midsize and large cars they don't get much more than 24 mpg highway. E.G. 2007 Ford Taurus 20 mpg combined city/highway (EPA). vs. 19 mpg combined for a 2007 XK.

 

I had an 07 XK for 6 months before trading up to an 08 XKR and I'm not seeing much difference in mpg but most of my driving is in the suburbs (i.e 30mph but not stop/start city driving) but my house is at the top of a 1 mile fairly steep climb. I think I lose some efficiency on the flat but get it back going up the hill since the XKR can do it in 3rd gear and the XK needed to be in second.

FWIW I'm seeing 17 imperial mpg (which, according to wikipedia is about 15 US mpg) and, as a comparison, my old 97 XK was struggling to get 13 imperial mpg.

 

Thank you for sharing your experience. So it seems you pretty much get the claimed city mileage of 15 mpg based on your type of driving. Nice to see an improvement over the 97 XK!

 

Nice tip on the signal stalk - thx I will try it on my next test drive. I understand there is an Auto mode that calculates average MPG from last start.

 

So I test drove the XKR just now. I'll make a few quick observations in comparison to the XK I test drive:

-Ride was every so slightly tigher/rougher than the XK - both had 20" wheels. So it seems you don't give up anything really in the way of comfort. That's a plus!

-Wonderful exhaust sound that is different and more complex than the XK's sound. Don't think I'd say I liked it more than the XK, but it is difinitely more athletic sounding.

-Definitely effortless fast. You really need to manage how much you're pressing on the accelerator. I can see, however, that if one is doing a lot of city driving, there is (dare I say) too much power under the hood...but then again, is there such a thing as too much fun???

-I found it a little challenging to get a nice smooth start from a stop light. If I was accelerating faster from a stop, it was a harsher shift to second. If I was accelerating slower, it was a nice and smooth shift to second. I found the shifting under faster acceleration smoother in the XK (although in all fairness, I didn't test drive them back to back). I'm definnitely going to pay attention to this on my next XK test drive.


Overall, a really nice car! For my commuting purposes, I think I will stick with the XK where I can save a few $$$ and keep it for pending maintenance/repairs...plus, it is an easier sell to my better half

 

Ha, that made me laugh, then cry!

Ours has now hit the £1.32 Litre / £6 per gallon mark

That's $9.76 according to the current exchange rate!!

 

JimATVS,
I'm a new owner of a 2007 XKR (since December 2010) and am getting 15-16 mpg in nearly all city/suburban driving. I agree with your assessment about acceleration off a stop - I am still learning how to caress the accelerator to get the smoothest start. She does want to "jump" into second, it seems. That said, I am completely in love with the XKR growl, and the power. When I am doing interstate driving, I see such lovely accelerations, not only from 0-60 but also from 60-85 (when needed to get out of the way of a semi, not that I'd ever just routinely drive so fast...ahem).

 

"City driving" is a crapshoot based on traffic, hills etc, but highway should be relatively consistent. I find it hard to believe XK's only get 23mpg on pure highway drives when I get 25++mpg in my 2004 XJ doing 80+++ down south on flat roads. In normal driving ie cruising with cruise on at 75 I routinely get 28+mpg. At 70mph I get 30mpg. This is a consistent observation over 6+yrs of driving!
XK weight is even lighter than the 3800lb XJ! Jaguar got screwed by the new mileage rating system IMHO. Highway means just that. Not a 20mile run on highway with exits and entrances, but pure highway ie tankfuls of gas.
I would fully expect an XK or XKR to get 25+mpg under pure highway conditions! Most folks think its highway mileage being in heavy inconsistent traffic, NO!!
Wildcats average mpg is based on what conditions?? See what I mean. Is it flat highway, congested highway, a mix of all his driving?? 23-24mpg as an overall average is pretty damn good for a luxury esp if that includes highway runs at 28mpg and local driving at 15.

 

US gallons (3.78 litres) are a bit smaller than imperial gallons (4.56 litres) which makes mpgs different between the UK and US. So that makes your petrol price about £5 per US Gallon which is still pretty steep. Down here in New Zealand it works out to US$5.99 per US gallon.

 

I know, couldn't be bothered to do the conversion at the time, but at about $8.14 per US gallon, it's still bloody expensive

 

Obviously I can't complain about the price of gas in the US...I'm guessing I can't also complain about the weather in S. California

Thx for the mpg estimates. Seems to be about what I expected. I agree that compared to most other vehicles the XK is actually pretty much on par and maybe even above average thanks to its aluminum frame.

 

How about somebody out there telling us what they got on a 500mile roadtrip via highway in an XK and or XKR at ~75mph cruise controlled speed.

 

Averaged 26 miles per UK gallon when on holiday in France. Largely at 70/80mph on the Autoroutes.


Now, don't start me on toll prices LOL.

 

Thx for the reply. Assuming you're 26 mpg is for an Imperal gallon, that comes out to about 22 mpg US. Not too bad as it sounds like you had some other non-highway driving mixed in.

 

*sigh*

OK two roadtrips in the fall of 2010 in the 2007 XK - one was about four hours on mostly flat/gently rolling highway around 75-80 mph. 24 mpg

Second roadtrip was over six hours (NOT comfortable, I think five hours is the max for my butt in this car) up the Pennsylvania Turnpike and into NE Ohio (i.e. hilly), between 65-80 mph (depending on speed traps). 19-22 mpg, but we hit a couple of long traffic jams including heading into Allegheny Mtn. tunnel and of course Breezewood, PA

Does that help?

 

Wildcat, unfortunately, that isn't respective highway driving. First wicked hilly in PA, second traffic jam. Is the gearing lower in the XK v. the XJ. The 4.2 is same motor and I easily get 25mpg anywhere on a highway. Like i said earlier, I got 28.6mpg on a trip from CT to FL and back with some local driving down south. Yes , I am smooth. Yes, I live on Cruise on a highway. Also yes i have 6+yrs of mileages consistent with this. Why would a XK get such lousy highway mileage v an XJ unless gearing is way shorter?

 

You asked a question, I answered it with information I have. Not a debate, not an argument. Others may post their averages and you can go from there.