Jaguar last year made its first move into the compact sport sedan segment with the XE, bringing the brand's now-familiar styling themes to bear on a class of cars long dominated by German models like the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4.
For 2018, this compact cat gets a number of enhancements, mostly in the technological arena. For the driver, there's a new 12.3-inch configurable TFT virtual gauge cluster that, like Audi's trick virtual cockpit, allows a full-screen navigation display. Jag's Touch Pro infotainment system gets an upgrade too, with a screen that lets driver and front passenger view different content at the same time.
This British automaker has also joined the hokey-pokey club with a gesture boot lid, a hands-free trunk release that responds to a kick of a foot under the rear bumper. And the XE also gets new active safety features that include forward traffic detection (to assist in low-visibility situations), a forward vehicle guidance system that helps place the vehicle in low-speed maneuvers and blind spot assist, which detects vehicles in the XE's blind spots and applies steering assist to keep the car in its own lane and prevent a touch-up.
Jag's autonomous emergency braking system adds a pedestrian detection system that uses a forward-facing camera to watch for wayward walkers at speeds between five and 60 km/h.
Performance-wise, there's a new 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine whose 247 hp ad 269 lb-ft of torque give the XE a powertrain to up against volume-selling versions of the BMW 340 and Mercedes-Benz C 300. Also new is a stronger version of the supercharged V6 making 380 hp.
Those new choices join two returning powertrains, a 2.0L turbodiesel four-cylinder and a less-potent version of that supercharged V6. All four engines come with an eight-speed automatic transmission; we're still waiting for Jag to make good on a promise of a stickshift.
Fuel consumption figures are only so far available for the diesel and base V6 engines. The diesel's rating is 7.8/5.8 L/100 km (city/highway) and 11.8/8.2 for the 340-hp V6; we expect the uplevel six-cylinder will return similar economy, and the gas four-cylinder should come in with ratings of around 9.5/7.0 L/100 km (city/highway).
Trim levels are Premium, Prestige and R-Sport. Premium trim comes with 16-inch wheels (upgraded to 17s with the V6), driver seat memory, 11-speaker stereo, garage door opener, auto-dimming/power-folding side mirrors, engine auto stop/start technology, sunroof and 10-way power front seats.
Prestige trim adds leather seats, 18-inch wheels, heated front seats and steering wheel, Jaguar InControl apps, front seats with four-way power lumbar, electric steering column adjustment, mood lighting, intelligent keyless entry and navigation.
R-Sport models build on Prestige trim and add R-Sport badging and body kit, metal door sill finishers, adaptive HID headlights with LED daytime running lights, lane keep assist with driver condition monitor, blind spot monitor with closing vehicle sensing, reverse traffic detection, front and rear parking sensors, autonomous emergency braking and satellite radio.
This vehicle has not yet been reviewed
