Sports sedan supremacy

The new generation BMW 3 Series and the refreshed Jaguar XE go head to head fighting for the title of the best sports sedan as we put them through a comprehensive set of tests

For years, the BMW 3 Series has been widely regarded as the best sports sedan on sale. However, back in 2015 when the Jaguar XE arrived, for a brief moment that title seemed under threat because the XE was and is still that good. Now, there’s an all-new generation of the 3er on sale which we already know is bigger, more feature rich and better to drive than it has ever been. The Jaguar XE too has been given a midlife update so we thought we’d bring the two together to find out if the 3 Series has managed to increase its lead over the XE or has Jaguar managed to close in on it.

EXTERIORS

The Jaguar XE was already a looker and the revisions brought about by the facelift have only made things better. The nose especially with its sharper headlamps looks more aggressive than ever and goes quite well with the sporty demeanour of the Jaguar XE. Changes to the rear are a bit more subtle. While original’s tail lamps appeared a tad

1. Infotainment setup supports gesture controls and is Apple CarPlay compatible, but there is no Android Auto support. 2. All digital instrumentation for the new gen 3 Series. Anticlockwise tachometer’s pointer a little hard to read on the go. 3. Multiple driving modes including Comfort, ECOPRO, Sport and Sport+. 4. The 3 Series comes with a three-zone climate control with a dedicated zone for rear seat occupants