Video: 2012 Jaguar XF

It's been tweaked a little bit for 2012, so it can stay competitive against BMW 5 Series, Infiniti M, and the all new Lexus GS, but it remains only one of those that features a standard V8 engine. When the XF debuted a few years ago, it was a radical design departure for Jaguar. These days, most people are familiar with it, but there are some changes, which I really like, mostly to the headlights. They used to have a bulge right here in the middle, a circle that kinda popped out. Now they're much more streamlined. It's a much tighter look. There's also some subtle changes to the tail light. But I can tell you what, I was driving this last week in Michigan Avenue, in Downtown Chicago, and it was still turning heads. The standout feature on the XF though, is the engine. This standard V8 puts out 385 horsepower, it sounds terrific, and it's a lot of fun to drive. Around the office, we've been having a debate, some of us think we'd much rather be driving Jaguars these days than BMWs. Starting at over $52,000, this V8 is a steal. However, if you want more power, there's a supercharged version of the five liter V8, which puts out 470 horsepower, but it starts at $68,000. And if that's not enough, you can move up to the XFR, their highest performance version, which puts out 510 horsepower. But again, you're gonna be paying more. It starts at $82,000. Get into any $60,000 luxury sedan, and you're gonna be expecting a luxurious interior. But while German sedans from BMW, and Audi have more of a sterile look, the Jaguar goes for something a little more elegant, especially all their use of leather, and wood trim. Definitely a step up from those other two. Even things like the thumb wheels on the steering wheel have a great feel to them. And luckily, Jaguar didn't get rid of two of the coolest features in the XF. The shift knob that pops out of the center console when you start the engine, and the vents that roll over when you turn them on and off. My kids got a kick out of that every time. One of the drawbacks is a multimedia system that comes standard in the XF. Its screen is smaller than most of the competition out there, and there's some definite lag time during the transitions between the screens. While some of our editors don't like this system, after driving this for a full week, I definitely got used to it. And compared to some of the even more complicated systems out there, it wasn't that hard to use. Backseat rooms a concern of yours, the Jaguar XF might not be the perfect fit. As you can see here, I have just enough room behind the driver's seat, where I had it while I was driving, but I'm five 10. So if you're six feet tall as a driver, your back backseat passenger might not be that comfortable. On paper, the excess trunk is one of the biggest in the class with over 17 cubic feet, but in reality has a really narrow opening. So it's kinda hard to use. Now there's a special section cut out. So you can put golf bags across the side like this, except the opening's so narrow, you can't get past your driver, and you're going to need your driver. Even without the upgrades for 2012, the XF remains a great choice at a great price for drivers who want more performance out of their sport sedan. <v Narrator>For more car related news, go to Cars.com or our blog, KickingTires.net