Jaguar XE 2019 Review

Jaguar is rumoured to be merging its XE and XF models for an in-betweener that would cover more bases for a lower developmental cost.

It makes a lot of sense in a country like Australia. Priced and packaged as it is, the XF just doesn't sell in the same numbers as BMW's 5 Series or the Mercedes E-Class. The XE does sell significantly better in absolute numbers, but its relative sales performance against the Germans is even worse, in percentage terms.

Part of the problem could be the XE's packaging.

One obvious compromise is the rear seat of the Jaguar, which is pretty snug, as noted in the past. Headroom is marginal for adults of average height, and legroom is limited too. There just isn't a lot of room to stretch out, compared with BMW's (current model) 3 Series.

Even taking a seat in the rear is troublesome for those around 180cm or taller, needing to duck more than expected to clear the cant rail, since the Jaguar is at least 10mm lower overall than any of its obvious competitors.

The boot is another example of the packaging constraints for the Jaguar XE 300 Sport tested.

At 415 litres it falls well short of the 480-litre capacity that seems to be the norm for its rear-wheel drive rivals in the VFACTS mid-size segment for passenger cars costing more than $60,000. That includes what is arguably the nearest direct rival to the Jaguar XE, the Alfa Romeo Giulia. The Infiniti Q50 leads the way in the segment, with as much as 500 litres.

Big gooseneck hinges don't help the XE's load volume in the boot either, but at least they're tucked away inside the moulding that lines the boot so they cannot possibly crush anything loaded within. Nor has the space-saver spare under the floor liberated much space.

That said, the boot of the Jaguar XE features one element that is a clever piece of engineering. The lid lifts all the way up on its struts from a press of the release button on the dash, finishing at the peak of its climb in a softly-damped glide – even without power operation.

If the Jaguar XE 300 Sport is unlikely to appease a family of four six-footers, it does make up for that with a very enjoyable driving experience. This is where the XE excels.

Compared with the XE 25t Portfolio tested over three years ago, this 300 Sport variant rides better, but the roadholding is at least the equal of the older variant. The newer model has nailed the ride/handling equation.

On rippled bitumen out in the country the Jaguar's body control is commendable and the overall ride quality is preferable to the firmer suspension set-up of the Alfa Romeo Giulia tested back in July of last year.

The mid-size Jag sedan tips in neatly and is basically neutral, with the wider rear tyres and stability control ensuring that any 'tailiness' is comprehensively quashed. Yet the Jaguar's stability control system works hand-in-glove with the car's suspension and steering for faster exits from tight bends. The XE also corners flatter than the larger XF and is just that little bit more communicative and secure.

Similar comments apply to the brakes. They're powerful but progressive and provide plenty of feedback through the pedal.

Driven conservatively, the XE 300 Sport is a very quiet and docile car. In fact, aside from the mild whine from the turbo on light throttle, the Ingenium engine is almost too unassuming in this application. Light the wick and throttle up in Dynamic mode and the engine reveals its sporty character. There's abundant power right through to redline and the soundtrack is much more in keeping with what customers will expect from a Jaguar.

In Normal mode the engine is impressively flexible around town. There's a touch of turbo lag that most owners will barely notice.

On hills the Ingenium powerplant has enough torque to pick up the pace from below 2000 revs, when you would expect it merely to maintain speed. The engine is also ludicrously refined at speeds below 1500rpm, and about the only flaw to pick with the turbo four is the shaking when the idle-stop system restarts the engine.

While the fuel consumption was as high as 11.3L/100km in congested traffic for the daily commute, it fell as low as 8.7L/100km on flowing arterial roads on an outer-suburban drive. Over a 70km test loop the average was 10.3L/100km.

On the freeway the engine is running at around 1800rpm for 100km/h and is almost inaudible. The Dunlop tyres are fairly quiet also, on par with the rustle of wind noise at the legal open-road limit.

Jaguar has specified an eight-speed automatic for the XE. The transmission in the test vehicle was occasionally prone to clunkiness at parking speeds, but was usually very smooth and responsive at higher speeds and under heavy load. It wouldn't change up when set to Sport mode, tagging the rev limiter once the driver began using the shift paddles. But left to its own devices it would change up at full throttle with no sign of shift shock.

The driving position of the XE is comfortable and the digital instruments are informative, although the driver's seat base would be better if the cushion weren't as flat – something unchanged from the XE 25t Portfolio tested three years back. But the side bolstering for the driver's seat squab is well contoured to hold the occupant in place under higher cornering forces.

The Jaguar's instruments are exemplary. They're stylish but easy to read and comprehend at a glance. In normal mode they're blue in colour, but with the transition to Dynamic mode they change to red and the digital speedometer moves from the centre of the binnacle to the gauge on the right. It's all singing, all dancing... but it works...

At night, the XE's headlights were set a little low, but they were more effective on low beam than those of the Giulia. For the money – and the XE is actually more expensive than most of its competitors – adaptive headlights and intelligent high-beam assist would have been nice to have. Both the Giulia Veloce and the BMW 330i offer the latter as standard, according to RedBook, but the two features are optional for the Jaguar.

Living with the XE is generally fine, but the low-slung stance results in the front apron grating when leaving the driveway in the morning. The XE is marginally wider than most of its rivals, according to RedBook specifications, but it's not difficult to reverse or park in confined situations.

There's Park Assist installed as standard, and this system copes with either parallel or perpendicular parking (plus exiting the parking space) with ease. It doesn't take long to set up and find an appropriate space, but as we've observed in the past, if you can't park the XE manually you should hand back your licence.

The Jaguar's navigation system is practically a benchmark for cars in the XE's market segment – although voice recognition isn't. The satnav's mapping data seems better than any we've sampled to date, and voice prompts don't mispronounce street names.

I tried entering a couple of different addresses using voice recognition, however, and got nowhere with it. Back to stabbing at the touchscreen...

Speaking of which, the touch screen is very easy to use for the various different functions, with icons at the base of the screen to switch between each function. It's an upgrade from the unit fitted to the XE tested three years ago, and so much the better for it.

But the infotainment system was frequently reluctant to restart music on a USB stick from the last song played previously, instead returning to the start of the alphabetical listing. This wasn't a problem that presented when streaming music from a smartphone, however.

The XE came fitted with $8250 worth of extras. Chief among those was the Active Safety Pack for $2920. This is a suite of features including Blind Spot Assist, Reverse Traffic Detection, Lane Keep Assist, Driver Condition Monitor and Adaptive Cruise Control with Queue Assist. While the adaptive cruise is optional, the XE does come with autonomous emergency braking and forward collision alert as standard.

Build quality seems to have improved slightly since the last review of a Jaguar XE, although painted metal is visible between the door card and the door seal when seated in the rear of the car... if you look closely enough. It appears to be a design oversight rather than a manufacturing flaw.

After several days driving the Jaguar XE, I remain a fan, despite the packaging concessions. It's a sedan for younger families or empty-nesters, but it's also a fantastic drive and more comfortable than some of its similarly-specified rivals.

Don't think of it as an impractical alternative to the BMW 3 Series, it's more Jaguar's version of a 4 Series Gran Coupe – but with a vestigial boot.

How much does the 2019 Jaguar XE 30t 300 Sport cost?
Price: $70,900 (plus on-road costs), $79,400 (as tested, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 221kW/400Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 153g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP, 2015)