The best-known big luxury sedans come from Germany, in the form of cars like the BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz's S-Class and the Audi A8. But Britain knows its way around a prestige car, and that experience is seen in the XJ, an aluminum-bodied sedan that looks every bit as imposing as any of those German models.
Following a mid-cycle update in 2016, the 2017 XJ comes with just a few changes: Jaguar Canada says InControl infotainment system is now standard, and there are a couple of new paint colours and a new wheel style.
Beyond that, the XJ carries over, including a 3.0L that powers R-Sport and Portfolio trims, and a 5.0L supercharged V8 in the XJR model, along with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Jaguar says V6 models can accelerate from a stop to 100 km/h in 6.4 seconds, while the XKR does the same in 4.6.
The XJ is a stunning car, and we have no idea why it isn't as popular with well-to-do drivers as its Teutonic competitors. Up front, edgy-looking LED headlights flank a broad grille that evokes Jaguar sedans of the past, while the tail is defined by distinctive taillights that wrap up onto the rear fenders.
This big cat's luxurious interior is loaded with technology, including a digital gauge cluster that can display the navigation system's map in high-definition detail, and an infotainment touchscreen the recognizes smartphone gestures like swiping and pinching. And all XJs get a Meridian sound system that starts out with 18 speakers and an 825 amplifier, and can be upgraded to 26 speakers and 1,300 watts of power. And in long-wheelbase models, there's an available rear-seat entertainment system with two 10.2-inch displays through which content can be streamed from a smartphone, laptop or tablet, or DVDs.
Smartly, the XJR also comes with a valet function that will park the car for you; it's not available in V6-powered models, however, due to what Jaguar calls packaging constraints.
Pricing starts at $92,000 for the S-Sport and tops out at $124,000 for the XJR long-wheelbase model.
This vehicle has not yet been reviewed
