2017 Jaguar XE: Quick Drive
CARS.COM — Jaguar’s latest sport sedan, the XE, has been a long time coming. The brand’s BMW 3 Series fighter — the first of its kind since the ill-fated X-Type — broke press more than two years ago, yet it still hasn’t arrived at U.S. dealerships. The wait is (almost) over: Jaguar says the 2017 XE will go on sale in May, and at an event for consumers and media near Cars.com’s Chicago offices, we took a quick spin on city streets plus a few laps on an autocross in the new sedan.
Related: 2017 Jaguar F-Pace: First Impressions
Jaguar had Mexico-spec, rear-drive XE S sedans on hand — a car that roughly parallels the U.S.-spec XE 35t R-Sport. We’ll need a lot more seat time for a complete verdict, but our drive gave a few takeaways: The XE’s interior leaves something to be desired versus its top German rivals, but in terms of pure driving thrills, this car satisfies in a big way.
Power is stout off the line with the brand’s supercharged V-6, a 3.0-liter unit that’s good for 340 horsepower and 332 pounds-feet of torque. It’s the XE’s top engine, though you also can get a 240-hp, turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine in the 25t or a 180-hp, turbo-diesel four-cylinder in the 20d. The XE’s eight-speed automatic transmission usually has the right gear, particularly in the car’s sportier drivetrain modes, though I still appreciate how Jaguar’s old six-speed automatic kicked down faster. In its normal driving modes, the eight-speed still hesitates a beat before downshifts.
It’s safe to say dynamics are the XE’s biggest strength. Sling the 3,605-pound sedan around tight corners and its nose hugs your angles like the front tires are on rails. The steering is light and quick, and the tail gives plenty of warning before it starts to drift — but then it does, flawlessly, as much or as little as you want. If the 3 Series and Cadillac ATS are the drift-happiest sedans in this group, the XE belongs in the conversation with them.
The XE does not, however, belong in the conversation about segment-leading cabin quality or roominess. Jaguar brings the usual entry-luxury eye candy to the table, from prominent dashboard stitching to tasteful sections of silver and piano-black trim. But plenty of rougher, lower-budget finishes exist around your elbows and legs, particularly versus the 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Speaking of which, some drivers just won’t find that much space for their elbows or legs. Or heads. Noggin clearance is modest in the front and rear seats, and a bulky center console hems in your legs up front. Like some of its peers, the XE is snug.
It should find buyers, though. The XE boasts Jaguar’s improved and impressive warranty, plus a starting price below $36,000, which undercuts the C300, 328i and 2017 Audi A4 by a few grand. It’s likely the volume seller will be the XE 25t, so stay tuned for our impressions of the broader lineup as we get more seat time over the next few months.
