2015 Jaguar XF 3.0 AWD Sport Review
The XF could be considered the car that saved Jaguar, thanks to a 2012 refresh that kicked off the current craze for sedans with coupe-style roof lines. Three years later, not much has changed. The 2015 Jaguar XF 3.0 AWD Sport still looks, feels, and drives just as fresh as it did back in 2012. The car's athletic overall performance and unique interior features—like a gear selector dial that rises out of the center console and air vents that open at ignition—only add to its unqiue appeal. But the XF's infotainment system is severely dated and difficult to use. And on top of that, the car has none of the cloud-connected features you'll find in competitors. It's a solid vehicle, but you're better off waiting for the all-new 2016 model.
How Much?
The 2015 Jaguar XF comes in eight different trim levels, starting with 2.0T Premium at a base price of $50,175 and going up to the high-performance XFR-S at $99,000. Our test car was the midlevel 3.0 AWD Sport that starts at $59,875. After a destination and delivery charge, it had a final sticker price of $62,400.What Does it Come With?
The 2015 Jaguar XF 3.0 AWD Sport comes with a 3.0-liter, supercharged 340-horsepower V6 engine and an 8-speed transmission with paddle shifters and all-wheel drive. Standard features include engine stop-start, 20-inch wheels, Xenon headlights with LED running lights, keyless entry and starting, parking sensors, blind spot monitoring, and heated and cooled leather front seats. You also get a heated steering wheel, a heated windshield, a rearview camera, a 7-inch in-dash touch screen with navigation, Bluetooth, AM and FM HD Radio, Sirius satellite radio, a USB port, and an auxiliary input. The audio sources are played through a 12-speaker/360-watt Meridian sound system.How's the Tech?
The XF's 7-inch touch screen is the same one that the first-generation vehicle launched with six years ago. More recent systems, such as Audi MMI and Infiniti InTouch, have long since passed it by. The XF's home screen shows a wide range of options, but they're in such a confined space that it can be confusing to read at a glance or operate on the fly. And beyond real-time traffic (which is piped in via FM radio), the Jaguar XF has no form of cloud connectivity or apps. This will change when the new InControl infotainment system and JustDrive app platform become available throughout Jaguar's lineup in 2016, so you should seriously considering waiting until then if you're looking more advanced connectivity.
Thankfully, it isn't all bad. Once you drill down into one of the submenus for, say, audio or navigation, the going gets easier. And we like the Quick POI feature that allows you to customize a set of tiles on the main navigation menu to quickly find the services you use most often. Plus, the sweet-sounding Meridian audio system is a welcome advantage over rivals.
How Does it Perform?
The Jaguar XF's supercharged V6 engine propels the sedan effortlessly and briskly, and is on par with the best six-cylinder engines in the segment. The eight-speed automatic transmission, controlled by the rotary transmission selector that rises out of the center console or more actively via paddle shifters, is equally capable. Buttons near the shifter can also switch between a Dynamic mode that increases the throttle responsive of the engine and lowers the stability control's grip, or a Winter mode that tones down the engine response and tightens traction. And in case you loan your XF to a lead-footed friend or a thrill-seeking teen, Jaguar's unique automatic speed limiter (ASL) feature allows you to set a maximum speed that can't be exceeded.
Should I Buy It?
Six years after its debut, the Jaguar XF is still a distinct and dapper alternative to more buttoned-down European and Japanese luxury sedans. This year's model, however, is held back by a dated infotainment system that just doesn't meet today's standards. So the question becomes whether to consider this last model of the first-generation Jaguar XF, or wait for the fully redesigned version next year. If infotainment matters to you, then we say wait it out and try them both, then decide on price versus features. Either way, you'll get a very good luxury sedan.
Six years after its debut, the Jaguar XF is still a distinct and dapper alternative to more buttoned-down European and Japanese luxury sedans. This year's model, however, is held back by a dated infotainment system that just doesn't meet today's standards. So the question becomes whether to consider this last model of the first-generation Jaguar XF, or wait for the fully redesigned version next year. If infotainment matters to you, then we say wait it out and try them both, then decide on price versus features. Either way, you'll get a very good luxury sedan.
