2021 Jaguar XF

The Jaguar XF is the leaping cat brand’s sole remaining sedan, a five-passenger, midsize luxury four-door that competes with vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW 5 Series and Audi A6. The first XF was introduced in 2007, as a modern replacement for the retro-themed Aughties S-Type. The XF’s slick styling presaged the reinvented full-size XJ sedan of 2010 and the smaller XE of 2015, and hardly changed at all when the evolutionary second-generation model was introduced in 2015.

As demand for sedans has fallen away, so have the XF’s siblings, and 2021 sees a pared-back lineup for the XF itself. The elimination of the more powerful and sporting supercharged V6 leaves Jaguar without a competitor to the up-powered mid-size sedans offered by the Germans, let alone their high-output AMG, M, or RS iterations. And even the more performance-oriented XF-R Dynamic SE is lackluster. The XF Sportbrake wagon is also gone.

What remains, however, costs less. The base XF P250 S starts at $45,145 including a $1,150 destination fee. This includes a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine producing 247-horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. It drives the rear wheels—very standard for the category—through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

There are also expected niceties like heated leather power front seats, a power sunroof, a power tailgate, 18-inch wheels, a large 11.4-inch infotainment touch-screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a wireless cell phone charging dock. 

All XFs come with driver assistance technologies expected in this class, such as forward automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts, lane keep assist, a surround-view camera and a driver alertness monitor. Adaptive cruise control is a $1,200 option, but not on the base model. The XF’s safety bona fides have been tested by the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP), but not by NHTSA or the IIHS.

Stepping up to the $48,245 P250 SE yields upsized 19-inch wheels, heated folding side mirrors, light-up sill-plates inside each door, a power-adjustable steering column, more power operations and a memory function for the seats, an interactive LCD instrument panel (instead of analog gauges), keyless entry, and the ability to add adaptive cruise control.

The top-of-the-line, $51,145 R-Dynamic model ups the power on the turbocharged four cylinder to 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque while also adding all-wheel-drive. It also features special five-spoke 19-inch wheels, contrasting stitching on the leather seats, and a dark headliner. 

All of these prices are down from last year’s 25t base model, which was similar to the P250 S, but there are also plenty of options. A $1,000 Convenience Pack adds additional power outlets, soft close doors, and a rear window shade. An $1,800 Extended Leather Upgrade adds more hide to the interior on the dash, doors, and center console. The $1,350 Dynamic Handling Pack adds a configurable dynamics switch (sport, comfort, eco), adaptive handling, a rear spoiler and red brake calipers. A Wi-Fi hotspot, 20-inch wheels, heated rear seats and a head-up display are all stand-alone options ranging from $400 to $1,200. 

The a-la-carte buffet approach works well for the bottom line, but the Jaguar XF exists in a highly competitive category and suffers in comparison even to the subtle Audi A6 and upstart Genesis G80. Before the world abandoned sedans for SUVs, this was the meat of the luxury car market, featuring Goldilocks’ “just right” sizing and positioning, between the more dynamically oriented smaller sport sedans and the more luxurious full-size executive barges. 

The XF does have core three positives on its side in contrast to these German competitors. First, is starting price is significantly lower, by as much as $10,000. Second, its more generous width and wheelbase give it an edge on passenger comfort, with more front and rear legroom than any of the Teutonic rivals. It also has a pretty big trunk for this class, though the load opening isn’t so great. Finally, its lower weight (100 to 350 pounds) gives it a fuel economy edge.

Sadly, the XF squanders much of these advantages. Though it has a lovely and compliant ride, it never feels quite sporty, even in the highest output R-Dynamic trim. 

The chassis, transmission, brakes, and engine have decent merits individually. The body motions are controlled and don’t crash over rough bumps, displaying the longer travel suspension that is traditional to British cars. The transmission’s shifts are smooth and precise; it’s the same ZF 8-speed that several manufacturers in this category share. The brakes are grippy, maybe even overenthusiastic. The motor has a decent amount of propulsion and an exhaust note with more character than most turbocharged fours. It returns slightly above-average fuel economy.

Yet, somehow, especially in spirited driving, these components feel disjointed in their collective operation, lacking the cohesiveness that the best sport sedans offer. The car feels like it’s arguing with itself, misunderstanding the instructions each system sends to the central brain. It never feels quite at ease in the driver’s hands. It wasn’t unbridled, like a wild horse—that can be fun. It was more like driving a team of horses, all with slightly different ideas of how to approach the terrain, and navigate toward the destination. 

Moreover, the interior of the XF, while pleasant enough, lacks specialness. It feels almost generic, especially when compared with the Mercedes, Audi, Genesis. Even BMW, long a source of austerity in interior design, has found ways to offer spaces that celebrate and delight a driver. Jaguar interiors have long been wondrous places. This one feels upscale but quotidian. It’s like visiting a Westin, when the competition is offering the five-star service, attentiveness, and attention to personal detail of a Four Seasons.