Jaguar XE upgrade arriving mid 2016

Jaguar will add value to its XE sedan when it introduces the update model around the middle of next year.

Keeping the XE fresh will be a Configurable Dynamics system lifted from the F-TYPE range. This system allows the driver to change modes, to suit personal preference for throttle, transmission and the electronic dampers.

The prestige importer will also offer the 2017 XE with an InControl Touch Pro infotainment system featuring a 10.2-inch tablet style display. According to the manufacturer, this new system rapidly loads high-quality graphics from touch-screen input.

A quad-core processor and 60gb solid-state drive connected by means of ultra-fast Ethernet ensures InControl Touch Pro is up to five times quicker than systems offered by competitors, Jaguar claims. Featuring a customisable layout and a swipe facility, the touch screen is reportedly the largest in its class and provides smooth, intuitive useability. Music sources available through the infotainment system include smartphones (two USB ports), HDMI and CD/DVD.

The integrated satellite navigation can continue to guide the driver in the event that the signal from GPS satellites is lost, through 'dead reckoning' functionality that relies on on-board sensors to fix the car's relative position. Jaguar says that this level of capability is beyond smartphone navigation apps.

In addition to InControl Touch Pro, the XE will be optionally available with a 17-speaker Meridian Digital Surround Sound system boasting 825W of power. Advanced signal processing technology produces high-quality sound, and the careful balance of speakers and amplifiers result in distortion as low as 0.2 per cent, Jaguar claims.

Gracenote album art is stored within a 10gb partition of the SSD drive reserved for media storage. Users can 'play more like this', which is a feature that compiles playlists. Music Queue enhances the user's ability to search for other songs and add them to the playlist while the system is playing a track.

And new driver assistance systems will include Lane Keep Assist (LKA) and Driver Condition Monitor, the former applying low-torque steering lock to guide the car back into its lane if it wanders out of the lane. Jaguar has configured LKA so it can be easily overridden by the driver.

The Driver Condition Monitor checks the driver for fatigue, through extended periods during which there is little if any steering input, followed by an excessive reaction from the driver. This characteristic of driver fatigue, along with other tell-tales related to brake, accelerator and indicators, results in the system prompting the driver through visual alerts in the instrument cluster to take a break.

Jaguar is yet to reveal what pricing changes will apply to the 2017 XE range, but has revealed the range hierarchy will remain as it is.