COVID-19 has curtailed my road testing over the past couple of years but I was able to get hold of the latest Jaguar XE R-Dynamic Black P300 AWD for a 600ks test down the South Coast, across to Canberra then back to the Southern Highlands.
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This is the 10th Jaguar I have tested and I have got to say in my opinion they have regained the mojo of the the originals designed by Sir William Lyons. The cat is alive and well.
The XE P300 is powered by a 2.0L 4-cylinder twin-scroll turbocharged Ingenium petrol engine with an output of 221kW (297bhp) @ 5500rpm and torque of 400Nm @ 1500-4500rpm.
Power is transmitted to the road via an 8-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels with AWD. It mainly operates as rear-wheel drive and drives to the front wheels as needed.
The XE performs beautifully - stated acceleration 0-100kph in 5.9 seconds. For those who disregard political correctness the factory states top speed is 250kph (155mph faster than the old EType). But don't try to prove this figure unless you are on a racetrack. Stated fuel economy is 6.8L/100ks (34.5mpg). Excellent for the power and performance and weight of the car.
This is a luxury sports sedan with the following features, amongst numerous others: 12-way electric front seat with two-way manual headrest, heated electric foldable door mirrors with approach lights and automatic dimming driver's side, two-zone climate control air with enhanced cabin air ionization, automatic anti-glare rear view mirror.
Top of the line Meridian sound system with 13 speakers. My road test car came with the Technology pack at an additional $2160. This included a wireless charger, smart rearview mirror (you can switch to a camera), head-up display.
The XE earns a five star ANCAP safety rating and carries just about every imaginable safety technology including excellent adaptive cruise control. Surprisingly the XE doesn't have heated or cooled seats or heated/cooled steering wheel. The boot is also relatively small for the car's size
How does it drive? - as you would expect of a Jaguar. It sticks to the road as if glued. The suspension is well balanced to the low profile tyres, not too hard, as some with low profile rubber are, just right. Steering is direct and has good feed back. Brakes are outstanding. The car does just about everything right.
The XE comes with a pretty standard 5 year unlimited kilometre warranty. The service plan also over 5 years or 102000ks will cost you $1950. RRP was $64,704, as tested $67,974.
Sir William you can rest in peace, your legacy continues. My rating 8.5/10
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