Jaguar XF Sportbrake a wagon with a nice ride
Sporty and economic, it has all benefits of an SUV
This is shaping up to be a really good year for station wagons.
Following the Buick Regal TourX, the Sportbrake is the second car this year that should remind drivers a wagon can deliver most of the benefits of an SUV, with better fuel economy, sporty looks and handling. There’s a lot of life left in the underappreciated body style.
The name Sportbrake comes from “shooting brake,” an old term the English used for a horse carriage — and later a car — that carried a hunting party and its gear. It had a long cargo space to provide room for guns, dogs and game, while the passenger compartment carried hunters in comfort.
The XF Sportbrake is based on Jag’s XF sport sedan. It has most of the sedan’s features and technology. The Sportbrake is about 10.6 inches longer and 400 pounds heavier than the XF sedan.
The XF Sportbrake is beautiful, with a sleek shape that recalls midcentury modern design in a way that feels simultaneously contemporary and classic. Even better in a world where even car lovers can find themselves asking, “Was that a Cadillac ATS or CTS?” or “Is that a BMW 3 or 5 series?” When they see a car at a distance, it’s immediately recognizable.
The interior is equally arresting. My car had black and oyster shell leather covering the seats, doors and dash. There was also attractive low-gloss metal and carbon fiber trim around the vents and controls.
The Sportbrake is practical, with plenty of passenger and cargo space. One of the longest wagons in its class, the Sportbrake has more luggage room than all but the E400.
It’s also quick, reaching 60 mph in 5.3 seconds, matching the Mercedes-Benz E400 for best in class.
The 3-liter supercharged V-6 produces 380 horsepower, leading its class. The Sportbrake’s acceleration is quick and satisfying around town and at highway speeds. Several of the competitors use smaller turbocharged 4-cylinder engines. They’re less powerful but more fuel efficient.
The long, low wagon’s ride and handling are a challenge to the popularity of taller, heavier SUVs. It’s easy and enjoyable to toss the Sportbrake around twisting country roads or to slice through traffic.
Not that it was all great.
The Sportbrake’s smartphone controls and voice recognition are poor. Unlike many cars costing thousands less, it does not offer CarPlay or Android Auto, systems that make it easy to use smart- phones safely while driving. Jaguar developed its own app, called In Control, but it’s a poor substitute for those developed by the smartphone makers.
The Sportbrake’s voice recognition also functioned poorly. It didn’t understand simple commands for phone calls and destinations, even when I used the exact words the system’s instructions suggested.
The center console’s storage space is small and doesn’t offer a good place to put smartphones when you connect them to the USB port.
The idle stop system that shuts the engine off at traffic lights to save fuel is more noticeable and slower to restart than the best competitors.
But small stuff aside, this is a vehicle that deserves attention. It’s the embodiment of class and style, wrapped around a practical and comfortable interior.