Eastlife Winter 2019

Motoring
I’ve been road testing cars for over 20 years and when that amounts to one a
week and car launches, that is a lot of cars. “What on earth do you find to write
about,” said a friend, “It’s just a box on four wheels.” Luckily I don’t see it that
way and I still feel a tingling and sense of awe when I slide behind the wheel of
a premium saloon like the new Jaguar XE. I so envy the owner of this Jaguar.
The XE began production in 2015 and for 2020 the very comfortable saloon
has an enhanced exterior inspired by the F Pace performance crossover, the
fastest selling Jaguar ever. Wider and lower than the previous model, the XE is
another head turner with an assertive exterior, larger front apertures and bold
graphics. The LED daytime headlights are the icing on the cake, with a striking
‘J’ blade signature. Gorgeous.
In the cabin, the all new luxurious interior features beautiful details and premium
materials. From the moment I got behind the wheel of the XE I felt cossetted
and encapsulated by deep comfortable seats and the heady aroma of leather.
There are three trim levels, S, SE and HSE each available in the sporty R-Dynamic
guise. The entry level specification features an automatic transmission,
18 inch wheels, electrically operated leather seats, all LED headlights and tail
lights with updated signature graphics, front and rear park aid, rear camera and
lane keep assist.
This saloon is the smartest and most connected XE yet with a long list of useful
standard technology, much as you would expect from a Jaguar. I find it exciting
when I road test a car to discover and test a ‘first’. Technology which nobody
has used before, like the Clear Sight rear view system, also available as part of
the Technology Pack. Oh, ok, it was first introduced earlier this year in the new
Range Rover Evoque, but same company! ClearSight spans the whole width of
the road behind the car and feeds images to a high definition screen within the
frameless rear view mirror, unhindered by tall rear passengers, poor light or rain
on the rear screen. It is the first time it has been introduced in this segment and
improves safety.
Jaguar
XE
Written By Sue Cooke | Twitter: @cookecars
Other new technology includes the SportShift gear selector and JaguarDrive
Control which are influenced by the F Type sports car. The steering wheel is
shared with the all-electric I-PACE SUV, which also shares the Touch pro Duo
infotainment system with the XE.
I drove the XE powered by the 2 litre Ingenium petrol engine with 250PS which
will be the best seller and there is a 300PS petrol engine. There is also an
efficient 180PS Ingenium diesel engine. Performance and agility are excellent,
and steering is precise. New owners can choose a rear wheel drive or perhaps
preferable for our British weather, the all-wheel drive which improves traction
and gives drivers the confidence to tackle all weather conditions.
Fast Facts
Model: Jaguar XE HSE R-Dynamic
Price: £40,335 otr
Engine: 2 litre 250PS Ingenium 4 cylinder
turbo charged petrol engine
Performance: 0-60mph in 6.2 seconds and
on to a top speed of 155 mph
CO2 emissions: 159 g/km (NEDC)
Combined fuel consumption: 36.2-33.3 mpg
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