Jaguar XF Brings Out Your Inner Wild Child

The look on the face of my friend’s 18–year–old son was priceless. I had just asked Danny if he’d like to go for a ride in the new 2016 Jaguar XF, and you would’ve thought that he’d just won the lottery, been asked out by the prettiest girl in class and been offered a scholarship to an Ivy League school—all at that same moment. It was priceless.

Designed with a look of sheer elegance and sophistication, the Jaguar XF demands attention wherever it travels. Even though it carries a 340 horsepower, V–6 engine, the XF won’t attract attention with its engine sound, like that of a ferocious Ferrari or roaring Lamborghini; instead, it draws you in with a look and stately style, turning the heads of those who enjoy a refined taste and grace in their everyday lives. 

But that smooth look and elegant exterior design is only the beginning of the XF’s story. The second generation Jaguar XF sedan features a lighter weight, aluminum–intensive architecture that provides drivers with a coupe–like profile, yet has more interior space than the previous model, adding comfort and legroom for all passengers—front seat or back.

My friend Danny chose to sit shotgun, of course, where he could not only experience the thrill of the open road, but also play with the new Jaguar InControl Touch Pro infotainment system, which offers a 10.2–inch touchscreen that makes for easy connections with satellite radio, smart phones and the navigation system. In fact, the entire interior seems to come alive as you ease into the XF’s driver’s seat and push the start button. The side air vents silently open, like eyelids awakening from a deep sleep, as the round shifter rises up from the center console, ready to be turned into one of four driving modes: Normal, Winter, ECO and Dynamic. This feature offers quicker up–shifts and more dynamic down– shifting for those who enjoy speed—or just showing off to an 18–year–old.

The XF’s all–wheel drive utilizes an intelligent driveline system to deliver torque on demand and an optimum balance of performance and all–weather capability. Another high–tech feature of note is the holographic heads–up display that utilizes tiny lasers to parade speed and navigation information across the windshield, giving the driver instant data without the need to look down from the road ahead. You might think that you are flying a fighter jet, just without the wings.

But before you take off, there are a few things to learn about flying this extraordinary XF. The first is that the brake and gas pedals are placed unusually close together—or at the same level—in order to enhance the race–car type of dynamics of the Jaguar. This can lead to some foot–placed confusion when getting to know the car, with brakes and gas being applied at the same time—not something to take lightly when coming to a stop. An additional auto start/stop feature is designed to save fuel economy, but may be a little distracting when driving in stop–and–go traffic snarls. Fortunately, a simple touch of a button removes this feature for the remainder of your journey.

Speaking of fuel economy, Jaguar’s new weight–saving technologies contribute to a significant improvement, with the V6 rear wheel drive model delivering up to 30 miles per gallon on the highway. There’s also an all–wheel–drive model XF that is equipped with optional Adaptive Dynamics, which is designed to distinguish between different types of surfaces for additional traction. Both the RWD and AWD models come with standard all–surface control that helps enable a smooth take off on low–friction surfaces like snow and ice. Another high–tech safety feature is the XF’s lane–keeping assist system that gently nudges the car into the center of your freeway lane with little or no driver input.

As with all Jaguar models, the XF comes with available Jaguar EliteCare warranty program, which covers the car for five years or 60,000 miles. The starting price for the luxurious Jaguar XF is a tremendously reasonable $51,900.