2010 Jaguar XF Premium

Power: 5.0-liter, V8, 385 horsepower

Mileage estimate: 16-23 mpg                                  

Price: $56,150

Standard features include: stability control; winter dynamic mode; steering-wheel mounted paddles; blind-spot monitoring system; leather front seats; center console; Bowers and Wilkins sound system, 6-disc in-dash mounted CD, MP3 decoder; keyfob remote entry; parking sensors; rain detecting wipers

By Jeffrey Weidel

The note left wedged into the passenger side window of my car was literally dripping with envy. A friend who works in the same building had left a message scrawled on the back of his business card – “When do I get to drive your car? Soon I hope.”

My friend is a veritable car nut who has a particular love for Jaguars. When he spotted the 2010 Jaguar XF Premium in our parking garage his first instinct was to leave a request even though he knew it would be politely turned down.

Loaner test drives aren’t part of the agreement one assumes in this business. So my friend would have to live vicariously through me as I drove the attractive XF for a week. To sum it up, this Jaguar is powerful, sophisticated, has a fetching appearance, and is very high tech.

Having driven some Jaguars previously, none of the above was surprising. What did startle me a bit was the sticker price – $56,150 was a lot lower than expected. Sure, that’s still a large chunk of change, but to Jaguar people who consider the whole car-owning experience a “lifestyle,” the sticker price must be appealing. The cost might have rivals BMW and Mercedes considering a price reduction in their similar models.

First introduced a year ago, the Jaguar XF is a mid-size sedan that replaces the S-Type that had a modest run from 2000 to 2008, which mirrored the sales and customer enthusiasm for Jaguar as a whole. Jaguar frankly had veered off track for a period, but seems to be back in a groove with vehicles like the XF, which are geared toward younger buyers who like the techie aspect and are conscious of style.

And speaking of techie, it came as quite a surprise that the XF doesn’t require the keys to ever come out of the pocket. The key fob allows one to open the car by just walking up to it. Once inside, hit the start button and off you go.

The “cool” factor is one way to measure a Jaguar, while another way is performance. The rear-wheel drive XF Premium features a powerful 5.0-liter, V8 engine with 385 horsepower. It cruises along at high speed with ridiculous ease, while also providing a smooth, quiet ride.

Looks certainly play a role in Jag sales, and the XF easily passes that test. The exterior features a sculpted hood and the back tail lights possess a stylish appeal that screams of Jaguar’s British roots.

The interior is also quite noteworthy. A rotary knob is the gear shifter and pops out of the console area when the car starts up. The air vents also open up when the engine kicks over, providing another fashionable statement.

Because the Jaguar XF has some challenging sight lines, the blind-spot monitoring system comes in very handy for anyone who is a frequent lane changer.

All Jaguar XF models seat five and come equipped with plenty of standard features. The sedan has three trims – Premium, Luxury and Supercharged.

Weidel on Wheels is a regular weekly feature in Gold Country Motoring.

Tags: Auto Reviews

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