Jaguar XJ Saloon (2010 - 2019) boot space, practicality and safety

• Lots of active safety system as standard
• The most cutting edge are only optional, though
• No Euro NCAP score and probably won’t be tested

This XJ hasn’t been crash tested by Euro NCAP and that’s unlikely to change – the organisation rarely tests cars this expensive. However the XJ should perform well, helped by its very strong aluminium body shell. It is fitted with electronic stability control (ESC), twin front, side and curtain airbags, front seats with a whiplash protection system, blindspot monitoring and a pop-up bonnet to improve protection for pedestrians; should they be unfortunate enough to be hit.

To aid parking there are sensors front and rear plus a rear facing camera to help see what is behind when reversing.

There are two Isofix points in the Jaguar XJ, located on the outer rear seats.

• Plenty of space for four occupants and their luggage
• Boot space above average in class

Choose the long-wheelbase version and rear passengers benefit from an extra 121mm of legroom.

Up front, there are the usual stowage areas of glovebox, door pockets, and cubby hole under the armrest in the central console. The central console also houses a double cupholder (fine for a couple of standard drinks cans), pop-up cover that hides a tray for your wallet and such like, while rear seat passengers can pull down the armrest for cupholders and storage.

You probably will want to check the dimensions of your garage before purchase. Both the short- and long-wheelbase versions of the Jaguar XJ are over five metres long; with the long wheelbase measuring at 5,255mm.

The XJ is longer than the average-sized parking bay, but the park assist option will help – provided you’re not in a rush, waiting for the system to make its calculations.

The sheer length of the XJ means it has a considerable turning circle, but as you’d expect of such a large vehicle, rear parking sensors come as standard (Premium Luxury models upwards also get front parking sensors), and they’re vital as it’s not easy to judge the nose or the tail.

Given the size of car, the boot is not as commodious as some would come to expect. The floor is quite shallow but the 478-litre boot beats the Audi A8, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the BMW 7-Series Plug-In Hybrid – due to it’s battery pack. However, you can easily fit two large suitcases in side by side and the electric boot lid can be set to open to a predetermined height.

Select the individual rear seat option and you lose the ability to fold them down to increase boot space.