NEW JAGUAR XE SEDAN TAKES ON TOUGH ENTRY-LEVEL LUXURY SEGMENT

With an out-of-town trip coming up, my last ride of the year was one of the newest cars on the market. I’d say there’s a kind of symmetry about that, a rarity in my usually disorganized life.

The car was the 2017 Jaguar XE sports sedan, which the company calls a “true driver’s car” in adding it to its lineup last spring. The company expects big things from it in a very competitive segment that long has been dominated by German manufacturers Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi. In other words, a tough market.

Early sales results put the XE right in the middle of the company lineup behind its new F-Pace SUV and its XF midsize sedan and ahead of the F-Type sports car and XJ full-size luxury sedan. But it still trails the Teutonic bunch. (All the numbers are available at http://bit.ly/2i1eWMH if you’re interested.)

The new XE comes with a choice of three engines with a 2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder serving as the base. It is rated at 240 horsepower and 251 pound-feet of torque. If that is too meek for you, there’s also a 3.0-liter, supercharged V6 that increases those numbers to 340 and 332, respectively, trimming zero-to-60 mph time to 5.1 seconds from the 6.5 in the base.

I was provided the 20d trim, which is a diesel power-plant. The 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel provides lots of torque (318 lb.-ft.) and provides top-of-the-line fuel mileage of 32 miles-per-gallon city, 42 highway and 36 combined, according to EPA testers. The gasoline versions are 21/30/24 with rear-wheel drive and a mile per gallon less with all-wheel drive. (Frankly, I’m not sure how the government came up with the same numbers for the 2.0L and 3.0L engines, but the mysteries of how the feds work (?) is a topic above my grade.)

Each of the models (20d, 25t, and 35t) is available in XE, XE Premium, XE Prestige, and XE R-Sport trim levels that carry respective MSRPs running the gamut from $34,900 to $51,700.

The 20d Prestige model I had for the week was listed at $46,395 including the $995 destination and delivery charge. Included in that were some no-charge options — satellite radio, white metallic exterior finish, and a “Vision” package that included Xenon headlights with LED signature lighting, high beam assist,  front and rear parking aids, and blind spot monitor system.

The standard equipment included 10-way power adjustable front seats (4-way lumbar) with leather surfaces and driver memory settings, keyless entry with push-button start, moonroof, rearview camera, navigation, InControl infotainment system, and a premium sound system.

The 8-speed automatic transmission is operated via a dial that rises up from the center console when the engine is started and features a Sport mode as well as paddle shifters for manual gear selection. The JaguarDrive Control system offers the option of various settings to enhance performance with the dynamic setting providing sportier performance.

And yes, there is also a start-stop mode to reduce fuel consumption when idling, though you can turn it off by pushing the button on the console. But you have to do that each time you restart the engine.

All in all, the bold, distinctive exterior and the classy, eye-pleasing interior makes the 2017 Jaguar XE a must for anyone shopping in the segment, especially those who want to stand out from the crowd.

What I liked about the 2017 Jaguar XE: It has a distinctive look and character about it. Putting in destination information for the navigation system was easy enough, though some of the other functions are a bit more fussy to operate.

What I didn’t like about the 2017 Jaguar XE: The road noise seemed a bit excessive at typical expressway speeds. (But there was no wind noise at all.) The voice commands on the navigation system were a bit on the excessive side. Do you really need to be told that in 3.2 miles you should “continue straight” on the route you are on?

Would I buy the 2017 Jaguar XE?: Probably, but I would like to drive one of the gasoline versions. The diesel engine had kind of a low, bass sound that made it seem like it was laboring at times, which, with all that torque, certainly wasn’t the case. But it was the feel I got with it.

JAGUAR JUMPS INTO LUXURY

SPORTS SEDAN SEGMENT WITH 2017 XE

I’ve always tended to look with favor on new Jaguars, even when they didn’t deserve such recognition.

You don’t have to go all that far back to come to a time when their technology (i.e., navigation and audio systems and the operation thereof) was at least a half-step, if not a full pace, behind that of their competitors, and they were late coming to market with convertibles with tops that automatically folded neatly into an enclosed compartment instead of requiring you to get out and snap in place a tonneau cover.

And then there were the issues like about how Aunt Jane once had a Jaguar and it was always in the shop.

But since Tata Motors bought the famed Brit brand from Ford in 2008, Jaguar seems to have undergone a product revitalization, an example of which is the F-Type coupe and convertible introduced in 2014 and featured in current television ads.

The droptop is unquestionably my favorite Jaguar and one of my favorite luxury cars period.

But Tata didn’t stop there.

With the 2017 Jaguar XE, the company dives into the thick of the compact luxury sedan segment by taking on the traditional leader of the class, BMW’s 3 Series, along with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4, and others. If you’re tired of browsing in Teutonic showrooms, the XE gives you a good reason to shop around.

The XE comes in four trim levels (Base, Premium, Prestige, and R-Sport) and with three different engines offered for each, starting with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (240 horsepower, 251pound-feet of torque) and including a 2.0-liter turbodiesel (180 hp, 318 lb.-ft).

The XE Prestige 35t model I had for the past week came with a 3.5-liter supercharged V6 that is shared with the F-Type and tops the power range at 340 hp and 332 lb.-ft. of torque. It scoots from zero-to-60 mph in just 5.1 seconds, according to company clockers, and I have no reasons to doubt their numbers. With optional all-wheel drive, it’s a tenth of a second quicker. (Times for the smaller-engine 25t model is 6.5 seconds and for the diesel 7.8.)

All the engines are mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission that can be manually shifted via steering wheel-mounted paddles or put in Sport mode for some extra punch.

Fuel efficiency for the four-banger is listed as 21 miles-per-gallon city, 30 highway, and 24 combined. For the 35t, it’s the same with RWD models and 20/29/23 with AWD. Jaguar hasn’t released numbers for the diesel and they aren’t available at www.fueleconomy.gov, but they’re expected to be better than those for the gasoline models.

I’ve always liked the exterior styling of Jaguars. They have a very distinctive look about them that sets them apart from their competitors. You never have to check out the badging to confirm it’s a Jaguar.

That’s certainly true with the 2017 XE. Though it doesn’t have traditional Jaguar cat leaping from the hood — the company opted instead to go with its other signature logo, the Growler, in the front grille, the all-new XE isn’t going to be confused with any other make from any other manufacturer.

Inside, the Jaguar XE has a distinctive look as well, thanks in part to the rotary dial gear selector that rises from the center console when the start/stop button is pushed. The cabin is uncluttered, which is both good and bad. It takes a bit of time to get used to how the various infotainment features are operated, and the navigation map kept asked me to log in to my account, which I didn’t have. Response to voice commands was about average. Overall, though, the systems aren’t overly complicated to operate, and they’re a big improvement over what Jaguar offered a decade or so ago.

The ambiance of the interior is very classy, and the front seat is rather cozy. The backseat? Well, three passengers supposedly fit back there, but I’d hate to be the person in the middle. Truck space is on the generous side with a capacity of 15.9 cubic feet.

Pricing for the XE 25t (2.0 turbo) starts at $34,900. MSRP for the diesel version is $36,400. The 35t (3.0 supercharged) starts at $41,700.

The 35t Prestige model I had included optional Vision (HID headlights, headlight power wash, high beat assist, front and rear park assist, blind spot detection and reverse traffic detection) and Technology (10.2-inch touchscreen, navigation, surround sound, and Wi-Fi) packages with a base price of $45,600. Add the destination and delivery and total charges were $46,595.

What I liked about the 2017 Jaguar XE 35t Prestige: It’s beautiful on the outside and comfortable on the inside. Especially when set in Dynamic and Sport mode, its responses are quick and deliver a true sports sedan performance.

What I didn’t like about the 2017 Jaguar XE 35t Prestige: The infotainment system could be simpler to operate. A dial to flip through radio stations, for instance, would be a good addition. Somehow, I hit something that turned off the radio, and it took a while to figure out how to get it back on. Kind of reminded me of the time several years back and I accidentally turned off the audio on a BMW and I ended up pulling over and stopping the car and turning off the engine to start all over to get it back on.

Would I buy this car: Yes. It’s at least worth a look, especially if you are looking for something distinct from the usual BMW-Mercedes-Audi mold.