Had a test drive yesterday in a R Sport 180PS Diesel automatic. Only the second client to drive it (44 miles on the clock!). The guy in front of me only visited the dealership for a test drive but ended up ordering one before he left. Kept me waiting !!
What a revelation. I'm surely impressed with my Jaguar dealer. I've ordered an XE in Ultimate Black, Jet upholstery and roof lining. That is exactly the colours I was presented with to test drive. Although others might not like my choice, after having seen the colours 'in the flesh', so to speak, I am very happy that I've made the right choice for me.
There's no doubt about it, with the F-Type steering wheel and instrument dials with the central dash and 8" display and the top of the dashboard sweeping around into the front doors, the interior seems to wrap around you with every driving control easy to reach and operate.
I currently drive a Volvo S60 T5 and they are supposed to have the most comfortable car seats on the market. But I reckon they may have to think again. The 10 way (10 x 10) adjustable front seats in the test XE were extremely comfortable, and would probably be even more so with 4 way lumber support.
Generally when there are reviews available for a new product, I tend to read them with 'a pinch of salt'. But no, from a personal point of view, I would whole heartedly agree with what I've read. I have ordered a petrol model, but after driving it I'm very impressed with the diesel engine; quiet and responsive to the accelerator pedal. My previous limited experience with diesels has been tiring on long journeys but even though I haven't driven the XE on a long journey my initial impression is that the XE diesel will offer a much more satisfying experience, in fact drives like a petrol engine.
Having driven and loved a gear stick for more years than I care to think about I was sceptical about ordering a car with an automatic gearbox. I enjoy the control that a manual gives you and like to think that I can drive smoothly with a gear stick but I come nowhere near the smoothness of the 8 speed. Changing up, down and kick down performed brilliantly. Will I want to drive a manual again, I don't think so. But, unfortunately I still have to wait for delivery of my car. I initially thought that perhaps the JaguarDrive Control, allowing you to select Standard, Eco, Dynamic or Winter modes, was a gimmick. But no, after trying them, using the buttons behind the rotary control, there is a distinct difference between them in the handling and responsiveness of the gearbox. The steering is positive with a surprising amount of feedback in spite of being non hydraulic. I didn't get to try the All Surface Progress Control but the dealer rep who accompanied me said it performed extremely well when he tried it on a skid pan.
The electric parking brake was very efficient with no jerking when applied and it released smoothly when applying the accelerator. The engine stopped and started quietly with no hassle at traffic lights and could easily be deactivated if not required.
The car had a panoramic glass roof which performed as you would expect with an electric blind matching the roof lining. My only reservation is the fact that the glass doesn't retract back between the roof and roof lining but raises above the roofline - a bit odd wouldn't you say? But because the incorporated deflector rising at the leading edge of the opening there was very little wind noise. Not sure if this is so above 50mph.
As pointed out by various reviews, the rear leg and headroom could be considered limited for a tall person (maybe 6'0") when the front seats are fully back. Certainly, the central back seat, because of the front central console, is really only suitable for a short person, not necessarily a child as the centre seat does not have an incorporated load limiter.
I'm looking forward to test driving the XE S when that arrives at my dealer's in a couple of weeks time.
To summarise, from what I've seen and driven so far, I don't for one minute regret ordering a XE. I have the first 11 digits of the VIN number (apart from the check digit) and awaiting in anticipation for a delivery early July.
