• Low running costs for the entry-level, rear-wheel drive diesel…
• Far less economical are the P250 and P300 petrols
• P300 delivers strong performance, but at a price

What are the running costs?

The Jaguar XE offers good real-world fuel efficiency, especially the diesel models, hence the competitive 4.3 - 7.4mpp figures. Under the ‘real world’ WLTP fuel economy testing, the most economical version to consider is the D180 diesel model.

Those seeking the lowest overall running costs should head straight for the D180 diesel variant. Under the taxing WLTP fuel economy testing regime, it returns more than 50mpg and emits relatively low CO2 emissions, making it wallet and tax-friendly.

It’s not the cheapest engine to buy, though – that honour goes to the P250, which offers significantly greater performance for a lower price. We found the P250 to beat its claimed fuel economy – we averaged an easy 38mpg out of a long weekend of mixed cruising. For those plying the highways, this figure should be very attainable – though do note, repeated short runs or city driving will see the fuel economy plummet.

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Servicing and warranty

Jaguar offers a number of Service Plans, which are designed for cost-effective maintenance of new and approved-used vehicles up to 10 years old with fixed up-front payments. You can make a one-off payment or spread the cost with monthly payments. Service plans are transferable between owners as long as the schedule is adhered to via Jaguar dealers.

Warranty is three years and unlimited mileage, which you can extend to four or five years at an additional cost. Compared with up-to 10 years offered by rivals, Jaguar’s warranty is off the pace.

Reliability

• Some reliability issues with six recalls
• Interior quality has been improved 
• Three-year warranty is standard

The company has performed well in customer satisfaction surveys but the XE and XF have earned a reputation for unreliability. There have been issues with the diesel engine’s diesel particulate filter and turbocharger, which in some cases has led to total engine failure. This highlights the need to stick to the regular service intervals to the letter, and ensure you cover it with an extended warranty.

Its time on the market has been blighted by six official recalls so far: one to remedy a starting problem on the four-cylinder diesel engines, two related to seatbelt pretensioners failing to operate, a further two in relation to fuel leaks on diesel engines and, finally, an issue where the instrument cluster intermittently goes blank.

Build quality feels of a satisfactory standard, although the cabin’s marred by a few cheap-feeling plastics in some places, something that’s been largely improved on facelift models.