Things were not off to a good start in “Operation Impress the In-Laws”.
The Jaguar XJ I had expected, and which promised ample long wheelbase
accommodation for their legs, was no longer arriving; instead, Jaguar‘s
brand new 2017 XE R-Sport, the automaker’s entry-level sports sedan and
rival to the BMW 3 Series, was on its way. My extended family may not be
especially swayed by brand cachet, but could the smallest Jag be too
compact a kitty to keep four adults happy?
Jaguar has been on
something of a reinvention kick over the past few years. A process
arguably begun by the beautiful F-TYPE coupe and convertible, it’s seen
new and more invigorating engines be clad in sharper, more beguiling
bodywork, not to mention a welcome improvement in build quality and
reliability.
Launched at the same time as the F-PACE, though,
the XE was overshadowed by Jaguar’s first SUV. A design that’s close to
that of the larger XF – itself a condensed version of the range-topping
XJ – meant solid good looks on the road, but added to the feeling of
“more of the same” from the automaker.
Away from the F-PACE,
though, the XE holds its own. The front is its strongest aspect, both
the gaping maw of the grille and the angry squint of the headlamps,
sending flowing creases back over the heavily-sculpted hood.
From
the side the XF cues are clearer, and by the time you reach the rear
it’s all gone a little bland. The big, two-tone alloy wheels of the
R-Sport version help with the stance, at least, even if I’m not
100-percent on their design.
Jaguar has been waging a war between
heritage and modernity for some time now, and nowhere is that clearer
than in the XE’s interior. The center stack, with its vast, widescreen
infotainment touchscreen – an option; the regular version is a
significantly smaller panel – is the most geeky part of the cabin, while
the wraparound dashboard design is pure, old-school XJ.
Despite
the big screen, Jaguar has wisely provided physical buttons for the
HVAC system. They don’t feel the highest-quality of switchgear in the
segment, especially the ocean of unpleasantly glossy black plastic
they’re surrounded by, but they’re at least easy to stab without
distraction from the road ahead.
Jaguar’s excellent HERE-powered
navigation system goes beyond the parking lot, offering to hand over the
final steps to your destination to your smartphone. Switch on the
auto-learning commute mode, meanwhile, and while it won’t give you
directions you already know, it will keep an eye out for potential
hold-ups along the route.
With two average sized adults
up-front, mind, rear seat legroom is on the compact side. Trunk space,
too, is limited. My in-laws are indeed average size and they fit, though
the steeply raked rear glass and sculpted seats meant it felt fairly
tight back there.
Though I’m a diesel fan in general, having
tried Jaguar’s oil-burner at the XE’s launch I can’t say it’s the engine
I’d choose from. Diesel’s big draw – lashings of torque – is hardly
evident, and the whole thing seems tuned unduly for economy. Along the
way, the XE’s eagerness has been declawed.
Better, then, to opt
for the 3.0-liter, supercharged V6 that the XE 35t R-Sport shares with
its F-TYPE cousin. That nets you 340 HP and 332 lb-ft. of torque, for a
5.1 second 0-60 mph time and a 120 mph top speed.
Jaguar’s pop-up
transmission knob is still a neat party trick, and so is the 8-speed ZF
automatic gearbox. It shimmies neatly through the ratios, happy to keep
you moving as the agile and smooth handling underscores the sporting
ambitions of the car.
Indeed, in Sport mode the transmission is
almost too eager to play, holding lower gears even when you’d think it
would be patently clear that you were cruising, not competing, in
traffic. Pick the right roads, though, and it’s plenty of fun.
Jaguar
says you should get 20 mpg in the city, 29 mpg on the highway, for a
total of 23 mpg combined. In my mixed driving, I saw an admirable 22.5
mpg.
The 2017 XE is certainly priced ambitiously, kicking off at
$34,900 for the RWD version with Jaguar’s healthy 2.0-liter turbo
four-cylinder and its 240HP. By the time you get to this 3.0-liter
supercharged car, however, you’re looking at $49,200 for the RWD or
$51,700 for the AWD.
Jaguar then heaped on the $2,100 Comfort and
Convenience package with its climate-controlled front seats, heated
rear seats, power trunk lid, and electric rear sun-blind, along with the
$2,700 Technology package that upgrades to the 10.2-inch display,
navigation, WiFi, and excellent 825W Meridian sound system.
$1,000
apiece for the Adaptive Dynamics and a set of 19-inch wheels, $990 for
the head-up display, and another $900 for the gloss black trim and fancy
metallic paint push the total to a hefty $61,385 with destination.
Personally,
I’d temper my hunger in the options list, even if for the most part
Jaguar undercuts its BMW and Mercedes-Benz rivals in the segment
spec-for-spec.
That’s because, at its heart, the 2017 Jaguar XE
is about crisp, comfortable speed. Don’t be confused by the passenger
seats or the luxury appointments: this is a way to get the
corner-chomping, exhaust-howling fun of the F-TYPE into a more
family-acceptable package. My in-laws were happy and, grinning
discretely behind the wheel, so was I.
MGCLS - LAX Car Service
