Jaguar is treating its smallest saloon, the Jaguar XE, to a package of mid-life improvements and upgrades – and including a generous sprinkling of Jaguar I-Pace fairy dust – in a move aimed at boosting disappointing sales compared with dominant German rivals.
The new XE gets a more assertive face plus snappier rear styling to match. There’s also a plusher and significantly better-equipped interior and a package of driver-oriented instruments, controls and technology originally brought to market by Jaguar’s all-electric I-Pace. The new model goes on sale this week at prices starting from £33,915.
“The XE is an enduring favourite with our younger design team – the kind of car they like to drive,” said design director Ian Callum. “The mechanical package was always brilliant and it has terrific proportions and stance. But a while ago, we started feeling it needed to look more assertive against its very tough competition. If you wanted to criticise, you could also say that maybe we didn’t give it the interior it deserved. But now we’ve corrected that. In a sense, we’ve reinvented the whole car.”
For 2020, Jaguar has removed a classic entry-level variant from its XE range. Every model now gets 18in wheels (or bigger) plus LED headlights and tail-lights. There’s an elegant steering wheel first introduced on the I-Pace and every XE gets front and rear parking aids and a reversing camera. The car also gets a gearstick to work its standard automatic transmission instead of a twist-selector, a nod to its more clearly defined sporting nature.
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Doesnt matter one jot if
Doesnt matter one jot if Jaguar cannot sort out the total fiasco that is their dealers. God forbid you need to use them for anyhting other than servicing (which you will) ... so many so called premium brands are let down by their dealers. And believe me the more tech in a car (especially a Jag/RR) the more time you will be spending in that dealer .... I write having experienced it both with a previous Jag and a current RR in the family.
I joked last time I was there with my wifes brand new RR that they operate like their satnavs end to operate i.e that they eventaully get to where they need to go but they take the most convoluted route to do so.
XE Facelift
I think if Jaguar had got rid of that stupid shut line across the front the ‘facelift’ would have had more credibility. Speaking to the mechanics at my dealership that shuline gap it’s the biggest cause for complaint on all the models. I had to have my F-Pace ‘adjusted’ (I couldn’t open the bonnet when I got it back). IMHO the original XF has a better cleaner look. OK it had one helluva front overhang but t looked good. Now would be a good time to phase out the XJ by increasing the wheelbases on both the XF & XE answering the biggest complaint listed here.
Good facelift
A good facelift. Lighting and instrumentation brought up to date, tweaks to front and rear styling. Posher looking door cards. Dropping the version with the non-uphostered dash. (Which I have and am perfectly happy with!) I couldn't care less about the small rear doors. There's plenty of room for two if you can get in. The long nose and the sloping rear is why the car looks so damn good and why, with my kids all grown up, I got rid of the Toyota Avensis Estate and bought a car whose proportions were dictated by style, first and foremost. If you don't want that, buy an SUV! One reservation: Shame that the veneer strip no longer goes round the facia. That was a wow factor. It was the first thing my wife remarked upon when we got into it. It saves cost, no doubt, having only one assembly, not multiple variants. Also a good coup getting in first with an engine complying with the latest pollution regulations.