Jaguar XF Sportbrake
In range-topping 3.0-litre diesel form, the new estate version of the ne-handling XF combines lots of grunt with practicality On sale Now Price from £34,910
New estate is practical and good to drive
‘BUILT WITHOUT COMPROMISE’ is one of those marketing phrases commonly bandied around at the launch of a car and, in the context of Jaguar, it has been used to describe everything from the new F-pace SUV to the Special Vehicle Operations division. Strange, then, that a company famed for its dedication to function as well as form has decided to retain the Sportbrake moniker for its new XF estate.
You see, the first-generation XF Sportbrake was essentially an afterthought, released four years after the launch of the saloon; the Titanic went from Thomas Andrews’ sketchbook to seafaring vessel in a shorter time. And despite the fact that it was clearly an estate, it was one that prioritised sporty styling over outright luggage capacity, hence the compromise of a name.
This time around, an estate variant was part of the design plan from the new XF’S very beginning, allowing Jaguar to focus more heavily on practicality. And the results speak for themselves: boot volume is comparable to the BMW 5 Series Touring’s and larger than that of the Audi A6 Avant and Volvo V90, if not quite on a par with the capacious Mercedesbenz E-class Estate. And small details such as flat sides to the interior of the boot and rear seats that fold completely flat ensure every inch of space is put to good use.
Yet, despite this vast improvement in practicality, the real attraction for buyers is likely to be the Sportbrake’s sharp looks – and who could blame them? It’s one of the bestlooking estates on sale, with lovely design details such as tail-lights shaped like those of the F-type sports car, a heavily raked rear window line and the longest panoramic roof in its class. It’s no wonder that Jaguar’s chief
designer, Ian Callum, prefers the Sportbrake’s design to that of the XF saloon.
SIX BEATS FOUR
The 237bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine that we’ve tested previously in the XF Sportbrake is powerful enough, but it’s too grumbly under load, and vibrates too much at certain revs, to recommend. The equivalent engines in the BMW 520d Touring and Mercedes E220d Estate are smoother, transmitting fewer vibrations through the steering column and pedals.
The 249bhp twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 diesel tested here is a different story, though; it imbues the car with hot hatch-rivalling performance and is far smoother than the four-cylinder unit. And although it costs more to buy, official fuel economy figures indicate that a rear-wheel-drive V6 will be less thirsty than the 2.0 diesel with optional four-wheel drive, at 49.6mpg versus 48.7mpg on average.
As for the 2.0-litre petrol engine option, again it comes down to running costs. It’s smoother, quieter and more responsive than any of the diesels, but it also lacks the same level of low-down shove. As a result, you often find the eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox shuffling down the gears and the engine requiring plenty of revs before it starts to produce meaningful power. It’s no surprise that it achieves only 41.5mpg on average.
IMPRESSIVE POISE
As with the XF saloon, the Sportbrake sets the standard for handling in this class, with an innate sense of balance that makes threading the car down your favourite country road a deliciously engrossing experience. Especially when fitted with adaptive dampers, the ride is smooth and composed, expansion joints and larger road imperfections passing beneath the car’s wheels with minimal fuss.
Standard self-levelling air suspension at the rear helps to keep the car balanced when it’s carrying or towing a heavy load. Remarkably, maximum towing weight is rated at 2000kg (for the V6 diesel), which is 400kg more than the XF saloon can manage. Even the lowestpowered Sportbrake can pull 1900kg.
Specifying four-wheel drive does little to detract from the car’s class-leading dynamics. In most day-to-day use, you’ll be completely unaware that power is going to all four wheels. And if you accelerate too hard out of a damp roundabout or make regular use of that towing capacity, you’ll be grateful for the additional traction. But if you really want the best driving experience in your XF Sportbrake, we’d still recommend that you stick with the rear-wheel-drive V6 diesel.
NOT THE HIGHEST QUALITY
Inside, the Sportbrake is typical XF, with its automatically opening air vents at the sides of the dashboard, retractable gear selector dial and phosphor blue ambient lighting. These small touches add a sense of opulence to the interior, but they also distract you from a whole host of materials that are – whisper
‘Threading the car down a country road is an engrossing experience’
it – not in the same league as the German competition. From door trims wrapped in oldschool vinyl to the relentlessly squeaky centre console in our car, you can’t help but feel that Jaguar should be delivering a more premium product at this price point.
The same can be said of the slightly dated infotainment system. The optional 10.2in touchscreen isn’t bad by any means, but there’s no denying that it feels slower and less finessed than equivalent systems developed by the German competition.
Thankfully, the Sportbrake can at least offer buyers impressive interior space. Up front, two tall adults are able to stretch out, thanks to a generous amount of leg room – more than you’d find in an A6 Avant or 5 Series Touring. In the rear, both head room and leg room are good enough for 6ft adults to sit behind similar-sized occupants, even with the optional panoramic roof fitted. The V90 has even more space in the rear, although the Sportbrake offers a touch more knee room and foot space under the front seats than the 5 Series Touring. The boot is a good, square shape with a large loading aperture that, as a rule of thumb, is more important than outright capacity. Jaguar has achieved this with some clever engineering, moving the rear audio speakers from the parcel shelf (where they’re located in the saloon) to the rooflining and tweaking the rear seats so that they lie flat when folded. The result, Jaguar claims, is an estate that can hold a full-sized fridge-freezer. All Sportbrakes come very well equipped. Entry-level Prestige models get heated leather seats, 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats, cruise control, keyless start, automatic headlights and wipers, LED daytime running lights, rear parking sensors, an 8.0in touchscreen, DAB radio and sat-nav.
If you’re leaning towards a 2.0-litre model, we’d be tempted to opt for R-sport trim, because you also get front parking sensors and more aggressive styling, which includes black detailing, bigger alloy wheels and a bespoke bodykit. The 3.0-litre diesel engine is offered only with the higherend Portfolio, S and First Edition trims.
A comprehensive list of standard safety equipment should appeal to families; automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and six airbags helped the XF saloon to achieve a full five stars in the Euro NCAP crash test. There’s also an optional Active Safety Pack, which adds driver attention monitoring and a feature that warns you if another vehicle is crossing your path while you’re reversing.
All in all, the new XF Sportbrake makes quite a compelling case for itself. Not only does it look stylish, but it also has a cavernous load area and the interior offers plenty of space. Switch out the four-cylinder engine for the smoother, more powerful V6 diesel and you get a driving experience that the German competition can’t hope to match. If you can look past the lacklustre interior quality, the XF Sportbrake makes a convincing left-field choice.
‘Not only does it look stylish, but the XF Sportbrake also has a cavernous load area’
SAYS Sharp looks, agile handling and big space make the Sportbrake worth considering