Light and lively
Jaguar’s XF S sedan sheds weight, gains mileage and performance
The latest Jaguar XF S sedan lightens up with a body structure consisting of aluminum components glued and/ or riveted together. While somewhat pricey, the benefit is reduced curb weight, better road manners and usable rear seating.
I tested a high- performance “S” version with supercharged V- 6 power, and make no mistake — this cat lives up to its name.
The XF is a sleek cat with a very low- to- theground stance. A mesh grille with a big- cat logo greets you, and the profile has a Teslameets- Maserati look rolling on standard 20inch wheels. At the rear, the fascia has sharp, wraparound blade- like taillights and a lower gray inset that houses the exhaust pipes.
The test car, an XF S, came with the higher-output V- 6 engine. My 3.0 liter supercharged V- 6 had 332 pound- feet of torque. An eightspeed automatic channels power to the rear wheels. Surprisingly, this combo delivers very respectable mileage numbers.
Inside the XF S, you’ll be surrounded by a less glitzy cockpit than in the previous generation. I liked the digital TFT display panel, head- up display, 10.2- inch center touch screen and reduced amount of switches. The XF’s heated leather front seats are more com- fortable than they look. In the rear, there is finally room for two adults to comfortably sit ( on heated seats) and enough cargo space to hold luggage for four adults.
On road, the XF S swallows large expanses of highway, as it’s a nice road car but can be aggressive, too. How about a 0- 60 time of just over 5.0 seconds! Unpleasant sound is nicely muted from the interior.
The XF S has a twin- wishbone setup for the front wheels and features an integral- link suspension setup in the rear. A selection of driver- selectable ride- quality modes can customize it to the situation ( or your comfort). Select the mode ( Sport mode was my favorite), and the electric power- steering assist, throttle and shift timing are altered. As for ride quality, compliance and sportiness, the XF S settles in right behind the Cadillac CTS V- Sport and about even with the Audi S6.
Available safety items include surround-view cameras, laser- projected head- up display, adaptive cruise, blind- spot monitors, parking assist and an autonomous braking system with stereo cameras to detect obstacles and stop the XF S without driver input ( in emergencies).