A Forgotten Luxury Sports Sedan That Still Looks The Business

Summary

• The 2024 Jaguar XF is a beautiful, overlooked luxury sedan that captures the essence of British luxury and class with its design and styling.
• While the XF’s is limited to two trims and a single-engine option, it still offers a smooth and efficient driving experience

The automotive landscape can be cruel. What captures the attention of journalists and consumers at one moment can, in the blink of an eye, fade into obscurity. Regrettably, even a storied British marque like Jaguar has not been immune to the shifting tides of relevance and obsolescence within the North American market.

The preceding statement might have been a bit harsh; it’s not quite that bad yet. Nonetheless, Jaguar sedans have been somewhat overlooked in recent times, which is a shame. Few can argue, that the British automaker’s long-standing mid-size luxury sedan, the XF, is a seriously beautiful car that has been forgotten. There are a few reasons why the popularity of the XF has declined over the years, one of which has to do with the question of reliability, a topic British vehicles know all too well.

The sea of options in the luxury sedan segment has equally hampered the strides of the Jaguar XF, but to count the XF out would be a mistake for what this vehicle lacks, it makes up with timeless aesthetics, thanks in part to the great Sir Ian Callum, who sketched the lines of the original XF more than a decade ago. The design has stood the test of time.

The British have long been known for their design prowess and the 2024 iteration of Jaguar XF upholds the sentiment by being the embodiment of British luxury and class. Combining that old-school charm with advanced tech, the XF captures the essence of what a Jaguar should be.

Updated February 16, 2024: With the Jaguar XF facing imminent discontinuation, we’ve updated this article to include additional information about Jaguar’s soon-to-depart luxury ICE sedan. Extra information includes passenger and cargo capacity metrics and details about the potential future of the XF nameplate.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources like the EPA.

Sleek Timeless British Design

The 2024 Jaguar XF takes inspiration from its sportier F-Type sibling with striking exterior design elements. It was one of Ian Callum’s final designs as the head of design for Jaguar Land Rover.

The Front Features A Large Trapezoid Grille And Ultra-Slim LED Headlights

The front fascia features ultra-slim, all-LED quad headlights with what Jaguar calls the “Double J Blade” daytime running light. A large mesh-designed front grille houses the iconic Jaguar emblem while ensuring optimum airflow for engine cooling. The edges of the front bumper host a pair of functional side vents that feed fresh air to the front brakes for maximum performance.

The XF’s Rear Fascia Lacks Visible Exhaust Tips

The rear fascia matches the elegance of the front fascia, with LED lights with gloss black trim connecting both rear taillights. Jaguar’s iconic leaping cat takes center stage on the trunk. Further down the rear is a minimalist rear diffuser that completes the rear fascia. On the downside, the Jaguar XF rear fascia does not have any visible exhaust tips, which is disappointing. The 2024 Jaguar looks apart while riding on a 20-inch Delta wheel, available in Satin Black with Gloss Black.

The XF Features A Spacious And High-Tech Interior

The interior of the 2024 Jaguar features a thoughtfully laid-out cabin with class-standard technological features worthy of a luxury sedan. The 12-way adjustable electric seats are wrapped in Duo leather material, with wood and aluminum door inserts adding a touch of flare to an already luxurious cabin.

The XF Has Plenty Of Room For Five Passengers

Though not as spacious as the in vogue SUVs, sedans offer plenty of room for passengers. The XF has sufficient head space and legroom for front and rear occupants. However, opting for the panoramic sunroof reduces front headroom by a couple of inches.

With that said, you should pack light when traveling with the XF: it has 12.1 cubic feet of cargo space, which you can increase by folding the rear seats. Cargo space was once one of the XF’s strengths compared to other luxury sedans. Now, it is one of the Jag’s weaknesses, with cheaper mid-size luxury sedans like the Acura TLX offering more luggage volume.

2024 Jaguar XF Cargo And Passenger Capacity

(Souce: Jaguar)

The XF’s Pivi Pro Infotainment System Supports Over-The-Air Updates

At the center of the 2024 Jaguar XF is an 11.4-inch touchscreen intuitive Pivi Pro infotainment system, featuring a simplified menu structure for easy navigation. Available on the infotainment system are Apple Carplay and Android Auto as well as a Meridian sound system for a truly immersive experience. Lower down the center console are a pair of climate control rotary knobs, a wireless phone charger, a drive mode selector, and a more traditional transmission shifter, unlike the old rotary shifter featured in the previous-gen model.

Jaguar XF Powertrain Options

Although the 2024 Jaguar XF outshines its luxury mid-size sedan competitors like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW 5 Series in design, the Jag lacks in the powertrain department. For the 2024 model year, Jaguar reduced the number of trims to two and carried over the power unit from the previous model year.

Both Jaguar XF Trims Feature A Turbocharged Inline-Four Mill

The two trims available for the Jaguar XF are the P250 R-Dynamic SE and P300 R-Dynamic SE with the former available only in rear-wheel drive configuration while the latter gets all-wheel drive. Both models are mated to an eight-speed automatic ZF transmission.

Both P250 and P350 models are powered by a 2.0-liter inline-four engine with a slight variation in power output. The standard P250 with rear-wheel drive 2.0-liter engine produces 246 horsepower while the all-wheel drive P300 variant produces slightly higher numbers at 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The P300’s peppy 2.0-liter engine is reasonably efficient with an EPA fuel economy rating of 23mpg in the city, 30mpg highway, and 26mpg combined.

Nonetheless, it is a shame Jaguar no longer offers the 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 engine. The inline-four engine, although great, will undoubtedly not have the same sporty feel as the defunct XF-S model from a few generations back, thanks in part to the extensive use of aluminum, which is synonymous with Jaguar cars.

Performance Specifications

(Specs: Jaguar)

What Holds The XF Back

The British brand seems to have faded in popularity or at least feels somewhat forgotten by many. What factors are to blame, you might ask?

Poor Marketing And Unattractive Incentives

It seems the blame lies squarely on Jaguar’s nonchalant marketing and lack of attractive incentives to entice buyers to the XF mid-size sedan. For instance, a buyer in Los Angeles can lease a comparable Alpha Romeo Giulia Competizione with all-wheel drive leases for $696 a month for 42 months at $54,590, while the Jaguar XF leases for nearly $1,000 for a slightly shorter 36-month period.

Going a little lower down the Giulia trim ladder, the Veloce drops the MSRP price to $50,100 and a monthly lease payment of $638 while maintaining an all-wheel drive system. In summary, the Jaguar XF is a great sedan that can challenge other competitors, but the British automaker’s reluctance to provide an incentive such as discounts and reasonable lease prices makes them fall behind in the luxury sedan segment.

2024 Jaguar XF Price

(Source: Jaguar)

The XF Nevertheless Boasts An Extensive Array Of Standard Features

The pricing strategy for the 2024 Jaguar XF presents a somewhat unfortunate aspect, given the exceptional qualities found throughout the vehicle. However, within the XF lineup, considering the impressive array of standard features included with the base P250 R-Dynamic model, the XF truly stands out. Unless an all-wheel-drive configuration is an absolute necessity, opting for the entry-level P250 variant is often the wisest choice.

Jaguar XF P250 R-Dynamic Standard Features

• Keyless Entry
• Blind Spot Assist
• Rear Camera
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Driver Condition Monitor
• Lane Keep Assist
• Front and Rear Parking Aid
• Rear Traffic Monitor
• Traffic Sign Recognition and Adaptive Speed Limiter
• 12-way Heated Electric Driver Memory Front Seats with 2-way Manual Headrests
• Heated Leather Steering Wheel

The 2024 XF Could Be The Last ICE XF Produced

Jaguar has yet to officially discontinue the XF, but the writing is on the wall. Jaguar will relaunch as an all-electric brand in 2025, spelling doom for ICE cars in its current lineup.

It’s Unclear Whether The XF Nameplate Will Survive

Despite announcing that F-Type production would end soon, Jaguar didn’t speak about the future of the XF sedan. However, the XF in its current guise is living on borrowed time. Besides saying that it will launch three new EV models and providing obscure teaser images, the automaker hasn’t provided concrete details about its debut all-electric lineup. Therefore, it’s unclear whether the XF nameplate will remain.

The XF Is A Masterclass Of Styling And Exclusivity

As the last surviving sedan in Jaguar’s current portfolio, the XF’s sophisticated design continues to exude a subtle charm that sets it apart from many sport sedan designs characterized by obnoxious grilles and aggressive front fascia that can often be off-putting.

The 2024 Jaguar XF should be regarded as a compelling luxury sedan option when compared to renowned models like the Alpha Romeo Giulia, and prominent German rivals from the likes of Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. While its performance credentials may not surpass those of its competitors, the XF distinguishes itself through its exceptional styling and exclusivity.