One of the most hotly anticipated cars of the year, the Jaguar XE, is now available to order with first deliveries expected in June.
Completing the Jaguar saloon car range sitting below the XF and XJ model lines, the new XE is available in five trims; SE, Prestige, Portfolio, R-Sport and S. Even in entry-level trim the XE comes well-equipped with sat-nav, cruise control, 17-inch alloy wheels, DAB radio and multi-function leather steering wheel as standard.
Moving up to Prestige bags you heated front seats, leather upholstery and ambient lighting. The most luxurious XE model, Portfolio, features a range of colour options for the leather interior, a Meridian audio system, 10 way electric front seats, bi-Xenon headlamps with LED signature daytime running lights and 18-inch alloy wheels.
Both R-Sport and S are the sportier models in the range and come complete with a number of specifically-badged details throughout. For R-Sport models you also get sports seats, a subtle rear spoiler and a firmer suspension. On top of this S models benefit from a gloss black centre console, 19-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, power-operated boot lid and red brake calipers.
Options include a laser head-up display system, a forward facing camera, adaptive cruise control, a blind spot monitoring system and two semi-automated park-assist functions.
Making its world debut in the new XE is All Surface Progress Control (ASPC) which can electronically gain traction to provide more grip between 2mph and 19mph and is activated using the cruise control switches on the steering wheel – ideal for slightly trickier terrains and harsher weather conditions.
According to Jaguar, the XE is the most rigid saloon the firm has ever built and no other vehicle in the mid-size segment contains more aluminium. It’s also the first Jaguar to be equipped with electric power steering which, as well as providing improved responsiveness, helped improve efficiency by three percent.
There’s 450-litres of boot space on offer, 30-litres less than the 3-series but still plenty big enough for two suitcases or the weekly shop.
In terms of engines, the XE is powered by a range of four- and six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines offering a positive blend of performance and efficiency with CO2 emissions starting as low as 99g/km CO2.
Mated to either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmissions, likely to be the most popular combination for company car drivers though will be the 163bhp 2-litre diesel coupled with the six-speed manual which offers an impressive official fuel consumption figure of 75mpg and 99g/km of CO2 meaning a 17 percent BIK tax band for the current year. Far from slow, the 163bhp and 380Nm of torque enables the car to accelerate from 0-62mph in just 8.4 seconds (8.2 seconds if you opt for the eight-speed auto).
The petrol engine range begins with the turbocharged petrol 2-litre four-cylinder unit which is available in two power outputs: 197bhp and 236bhp. For the sportier models, a supercharged 3-litre V6 is on offer, also seen in the F-Type, which produces 335bhp and a 0-62mph time of 4.9 seconds.
The 2-litre diesel, which is likely to be the big seller is available with either 163bhp (mentioned above) or 178bhp which has 430Nm of torque and can travel from a standstill to 62mph in 7.8 seconds, with an official combined fuel economy of 67.3mpg and CO2 emissions of 109g/km which means a 19 percent BIK tax band for the current tax year.
P11D prices start from £29,720 for the 2-litre 163bhp diesel in SE trim, in this combination it’ll cost a 20 percent tax payer £84 a month, for a 40 percent payer your monthly bill will be £168 with no options added for the current 2015/16 tax year.
