The Jaguar Jaguar XF saloon under the microscope here plays the evolutionary card better even than a BMW 5 Series, being almost indistinguishable from the original XF of 2008-15 that preceded it. Look harder, though, and under its stylish body it marks a genuinely new chapter in the model’s story.
Its aluminium-rich structure is lighter and stronger, its engines are a new generation of powerplants named Ingenium, the cabin is roomier and it features smarter infotainment and better materials.
Prices for the first 2015-registered cars open at around £12,500 for the lowest-powered diesel, the 161bhp 2.0-litre, with around 60,000 miles. If mileage isn’t a worry, you can buy cheaper still, with a 112,000-mile 2016-reg example we found costing just £10,800.
That’s from an independent dealer, by the way. At the time of writing, the cheapest official Jaguar approved used version was a 2014-reg XF 2.2 TD, a Mk1 model, with 50,000 miles for £12,500.
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Given how similar the two generations look, it helps to know, when searching for an early Mk2 car, that its dominant engines are 2.0-litre diesels, whereas Mk1 cars are 2.2s. As with the Mk1, the Mk2 XF is bought new as a business tool. It’s why the 2.0-litre diesel engine – in 161bhp, top-selling 178bhp and, launched in 2017, 237bhp outputs – dominates the used car classifieds.
It’s available in the three core trims, too. All have alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlights, powered leather seats and, depending on the power, a choice of manual or eight-speed ZF automatic gearboxes. If you want luxury, go with the XF Portfolio, but if something more sporty is your bag, choose R-Sport, with its bodykit and firmer suspension.
The rarer and less tax-efficient 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engines also come in three power outputs (197bhp, 247bhp and 296bhp) but are all automatics. As with the more powerful diesels, some are available in four-wheel drive.
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I don't think the cabin had better materials than the Mk 1 XF: in fact the interior looks like a step backwards: drab and of uninteresting design, as are all the interiors of recent Jags. That's probably one of the reasons why they haven't been selling well.