Jaguar has launched the XF diesel in India and we have got our hands on the 3.0-litre V6 diesel beast. With the XF-S variant the buyers will no doubt be drawn to its cheaper running costs and smaller Rs 48.5 lakh price tag. Is the XF diesel as good as it sounds on paper? And, does an oil burner under the hood detract from the Jaguar’s graceful charm?
Absolutely not; In fact the sequential twin-turbo, 3.0-litre V6 is one of the strongest reasons to buy this car. It impresses the moment you thumb the pulsing engine start-stop button. It is refined, smooth and with a thumping 274bhp and 61.1kgm of torque, a lot more powerful and torquier than its German rivals.
There is a bit of throttle lag when moving off the line but once past 2000rpm, the car squats on its haunches and pretty much blows you away. But that’s not all – the six-speed ZF automatic gearbox is designed to lock up its torque converter without hesitation and the result is a transmission with a more direct and immediate feel. Gearshifts are lightning-quick and we particularly love the way the gearbox aggressively downshifts from high revs, just like in a sports car. The electronics even blip the throttle for you when you pull on the downshift paddle.
The XF diesel weighs a relatively light 1820kg, giving it an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 150bhp per tonne and that’s reflected in our acceleration figures. Put your foot down and it’ll growl to 100kph in 7.3sec, and pull effortlessly all the way to 220kph after which power starts tailing off. But there’s nough reserve for Jaguar to electronically limit top speed to 250kph.
Like most Jags, it’s an utterly effortless car to drive. The powertrain is so responsive that you end up going quicker than planned. Even in ‘D’, the gearbox is quick to recognize the need for a downshift and skips gears on the way down just like a twin-clutch unit. Spin the rotary gearknob into ‘S’, press the button marked with a chequered flag (for dynamic mode) and use the paddle-shifts, and the gearbox won’t upshift, the big gear-indicator in the instrument console glowing red as you approach the 5000rpm redline.
The India-spec XF gets a raised suspension and softer settings, so this car deals with bad surfaces rather well. It’s compliant over anything but the worst surfaces and this is a welcome change from the general stiffness you experience at low speed from European saloons. The XF is supremely stable at high speeds and loves open corners where, after the initial bit of body roll, settles down and stays planted.
The cabin is well insulated from the outside world – there’s little engine noise and just a hint of tyre and wind noise creeps in as you approach 200kph.
However, in the handling department, the Jaguar doesn’t feel very sharp or incisive. The steering is rather devoid of feel, there’s a bit more body roll than we would like. Even when you switch to dynamic mode, there’s not much difference to the way the car behaves and the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system is stricter than a school headmaster. The DSC comes in hard and chops power aggressively well before the car’s limits. It can be a huge killjoy especially since the car feels like it can be pushed a bit more. There’s a Trac DSC mode, which is a bit kinder to the enthusiast, but it still is quite restrictive when you want to push it for all its worth.
This little detail aside, the XF is great at what it does. It’s got the Jaguar ‘handshake’ where you push the engine start button and the gear lever rises out of the centre console while the air-con vents flip open. Other neat touches include the glovebox that pops open through a feather-touch release and front cabin lights that come on when you touch them. The cabin is high quality, nicely detailed and simple to use. Unlike BMW’s iDrive and Audi’s MMI, the XF gets a touch-screen system that’s a lot more intuitive first time around. The seats are wide and comfortable and there’s enough space. And, thanks to the low dashboard, visibility is rather good too.
But considering how big the XF is, space in the rear is perhaps just a tiny bit disappointing. It’s not cramped, but neither is there as much room as there is in an E-class, especially when it comes to headroom. Thigh support isn’t as great as well and the centre transmission tunnel is high, making this best as a four-seater. It does compensate in part with a genuinely enormous boot that can swallow 500 litres of luggage.
The XF diesel is offered only in ‘S’ trim, which means you get power everything, Xenon lamps, keyless entry and go, Bluetooth connectivity, iPod and aux-in ports and climate control and we think Jaguar’s found a sweet spot between price and equipment.
The XF-S’s trump card is its brilliant diesel engine which is unmatched for pace and refinement. But it’s not just the motor that impresses. The interiors are well built with lots of clever detailing which give you a sense of occasion every time you step in. The XF may not feel as solid as its German rivals but there is a feel-good factor it exudes that makes it quite special. The best bit is that the XF is well priced and pretty well equipped too.