Well- thought- out cat
Second- generation XF steps up to meet luxury competitors
When the first- gen Jaguar XF debuted for 2008, it was a clean break from previous Jaguars, which favored tradition over the contemporary.
Now the second- gen 2016 XF midsized luxury sedan is here. During a recent preview under the big sky of Arizona, I discovered that Jaguar took the best of the previous generation and blended it with some new additions— some visible, others not.
Visually, the new car resembles the old car. Up front, the nose looks more aggressive, and the tail looks longer than that of the first- gen. A big plus is that engineers worked up a new platform that adds two precious inches of wheelbase. The XF is a touch shorter overall and lower, but the design is crisp, handsome and elegant. If you are new to Jaguar, you’ll like it; if you have a first- gen XF, you’ll probably want more differentiation.
Under the bonnet resides a supercharged V- 6 available with two different outputs; one has 40 more horsepower, and both have the same 332 pound- feet of torque. At launch, only an eight- speed automatic will be offered.
Moving inside, the XF is restrained, toning down the bright work and buttons for touch screens. You have a choice, depending on trim, of conventional gauges or options like the reconfigurable, 12.3- inch full- TFT instrument cluster and 10.2- inch touch screen, four- zone climate control, text- to- voice technology, 10- color ambient lighting, black suede cloth headliner and fluted, supportive-Windsor leather seats. In the rear, the longer wheelbase provides some real comfort for foot, leg and knee room, and cargo storage is also good. Jaguar did a great job of sealing up the interior from outside noise. A gripe I ( and other journalists) had was about the navigation system; it needs work. Directions were late, off and not fluid at all. I cannot recommend the current system.
Aluminum plays a big part in lightening the XF’s weight, its structural rigidity and, most importantly, helping boost fuel economy.
On the road, the XF is nimble, takes to an aggressive driving style and has oomph. Acceleration fromthe supercharged V- 6 is competitive for the segment with an unofficial 0- to- 60 sprint in around five seconds. Top speed is 155 mph. The suspension features twin wishbones up front and an integral- link setup out back rolling on 19- inch rubber. According to Jaguar, the XF has a nearly perfect 50- 50 weight distribution. Driver- selectable programs let you customize ride quality: The electric power- assist has good feedback, shift points and throttle response via sport and comfort selections. On winding, scenic Arizona highways, the XF exhibited good road handing, feel and acceleration.
Driving safety aids include traction systems which interpret road surfaces, a stereo camera which reads the road ahead, park assist, adaptive cruise control with queue assist, laser head- up display, intelligent speed limiter and all- surface progress control.
The 2016 Jaguar XF is ready to roll.