Test Drive: Jaguar XJ 2.0

MANILA, Philippines - Test-driving a Jaguar requires a certain amount of recalibration of one’s senses. It is, after all, not what you would call your average daily driver. While a BMW or Mercedes might not elicit much head-turning from onlookers and introspection from its test driver, a Jaguar—especially the flagship XJ saloon—is a much rarer sight and presents an imposing “land yacht” type of presence on the road.

It also demands an almost philosophical argument that will rage within one’s brain. The rational side will ask, “Is this car worth five Toyota Camrys (which in themselves are already exceedingly competent luxury sedans)?” The emotional side will counter with, “If you can afford it, why even bother to ask?”

Truth be told, a Jaguar XJ’s rival is not a Mercedes S-class. It’s not a BMW 7–series. Nor an Audi A8. They don’t really compete for their well-heeled buyers’ managers’ checks because buyers of automobiles that cost upwards of 7 million pesos each can most likely afford to buy all three—if they haven’t already.

It’s akin to buying a Rolex or one of those oversized U-Boat watches. They’re way pricier than a Tag Heuer or even a P7,000 Casio G-Shock, both of which tell the time just as accurately; but damn if they don’t make such fabulous wrist candy.

And that’s the beauty and essence of a Jaguar. They’re extraordinarily graceful automobiles. Fast and luxurious, too. 

I got to test drive a stunning white XJ for several glorious days and it singlehandedly raised the market value of not just my house but that of our whole neighborhood. 

It’s one long, low, and majestic ride, about as long as today’s oversized pickup trucks—and much wider. It has a hunkered down feel—like its predatory namesake tensed to pounce on its prey. 

Styling is well removed from recent Jaguars—particularly those from the Ford era, when the American car company owned the British marque. You’d have to go back to the classic Jaguar saloons of the 60’s and early 70‘s to see the family connection—specifically the tall grille and the vertical tail lamps. 

Nonetheless, the current XJ, which debuted worldwide in 2009, seems to be the least Jaguaresque among Coventry’s current lineup—despite it being penned by long-time Jaguar designer, the legendary Ian Callum. From some angles—particularly in the greenhouse treatment—it even has Audi A8 cues.

Still, there’s no denying the sheer beauty and elegance that exude from seemingly every square inch of this car.

Inside, it’s more of the same—lots of luxury, acres of wood and leather, and a never-ending list of creature comforts that pamper and caress. There’s a C-shaped strip of wood-grain trim that spans the width of the dashboard just beneath the windshield that gives the cockpit an almost nautical feel. It’s a never-before-seen design that heightens the feeling of adventure and excitement.

The leathers used are of the finest quality, as are the carpets, the headliner, and every other material that the XJ’s occupant could conceivably come into contact with. Fit and finish are absolutely the finest of British craftsmanship.

Jaguar even saw fit to install a bespoke audio system from British ultra-high-end audio specialist Meridian. While my test car had no less than 15 perfectly placed and amplified loudspeakers, there is even an option for a higher-powered (825W versus 380W) Meridian system with a whopping 20 speakers. Dynamic Volume Control is incorporated, which monitors extraneous noise levels within the cabin and smoothly and unobtrusively alters the system volume and equalization to account, for say, for an opened window or a rough road surface. Needless to say, sound quality was astoundingly lifelike and balanced—no matter where you’re seated.

The car’s Points of Interest (POI) infotainment feature can be extended by downloading POIs from the internet and then stored on the in-car system via a USB memory stick. Additional enhancements to the infotainment system include Arabic route guidance, a Russian module added to the ‘Say What You See’ voice activation function, and a full onscreen QWERTY keyboard for the search function on a paired phone.

If there are two weak spots in the interior of this car, it would be the limited headroom for both front and rear passengers (six-footers will find their hair brushing the headliner) and the plastic steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Granted that the plastics seem to be of very high quality and give good tactile feel, it’s still incongruous in a car of this class and price range—especially when you consider that everyday Japanese sedans use more exotic-feeling magnesium paddle shifters. But it’s a nitpick most owners would probably ignore. And at least the boot (you don’t say “trunk” with this British car, mind you) is big.    

So it’s beautiful and luxurious. How does it go? My test unit was powered by Jaguar’s newest XJ engine: a 2.0-liter turbocharged all-aluminum inline-four motor (yes, four cylinders in an XJ!) that develops a stout 240ps at 5,500 rpm and 340Nm of torque from 2,000 to 4,000 rpm—enough to give this big cat the speed to run from 0 to 100 km/h in 7 seconds and reach a top speed of 150 mph (240 km/h). (Six- and eight-cylinder engines are also available on the XJ.)

Acceleration is strong and steady. There is no turbo lag with the inevitable sudden push from the back when the boost comes in to unruffle the feathers of its driver or passengers. Handling, too, is a revelation. Much prose has been spewed about the brilliant balance of supple ride and sporty handling of many cars—but those words don’t apply as strongly as they do in a Jaguar XJ. It’s truly one of those special cars that cosset its passengers in absolute bliss yet retain the ability to simply lift its skirt and sprint like a track star. You can have your cake and eat it, too. Amazing.

On the car’s multi-info display, I saw an indicated equivalent of 5 to 6 km/L of fuel consumption in mostly heavy-traffic city driving. I’d extrapolate 6 to 8 km/L in less gridlocked traffic and as much as 12 to 14 km/L at cruising speeds.

The smooth and torquey motor—the engine emits a sporty snarl during hard acceleration, despite its small displacement—is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. With both a wider spread of ratios and more even spacing between them, the gearbox provides more seamless acceleration both from rest and when overtaking, while fuel consumption at high speeds is reduced. Gearshifts are executed in just 200 milliseconds while driver intervention is possible through the use of paddle shifters which allow multiple downshifts, allowing the desired gear to be selected almost instantaneously.

All things considered, the Jaguar XJ is at the top of the luxury car food chain. It’s a predator of the highest order—one that’s equally at ease just purring along and beautifying the roadscape, as it is screaming at redline and carving apexes on your favorite winding roads. It’s certainly not a car for everyone—but we’re thankful such a car even exists. The world’s all the better for it.

Engine: 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder gasoline engine

Output: 240ps @ 5,500 rpm / 340Nm @ 2,000-4,000 rpm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic with paddle shifters

Suspension: Front double wishbone / rear multi-link

Tires: 245/45R-19

Brakes: Front vented discs/rear vented discs

Safety: Dual airbags, ABS, EBD

L x W x H (mm): 5,123 x 1,895 x 1,448

Wheelbase: 3,033 mm (SWB)

Curb weight: 1,755 kg

Price: P7,000,000+