Luxury saloons of this size are never cheap to run and the Jaguar is no exception. You’ll pay top money for servicing at Jaguar dealers, although you should expect impeccable standards, while parts and tyres are not cheap either. The diesel engine is the best option if you intend to cover high mileages and want to keep costs reasonable – it returns a respectable (if not especially frugal) 36mpg.

The XJ is a polluting model, due to the thirsty V6 and V8 petrol engines in the line-up. It’s no surprise that the 2.7-litre diesel is the greenest model – it emits 209g/km of CO2 and returns 36mpg. That’s poor compared to small family car, but competitive with other large saloons from Mercedes and BMW.

Quality and reliability have improved significantly in recent years, especially in terms of interior finish, and Jaguar continues to score highly in customer satisfaction surveys both in the UK and the US.