2014 Jaguar XJ 3.0 diesel review, test drive

Jaguar calls this the 2014 XJ, but take a long look at it and you won’t find any telltale visual differences from the earlier car. Not that the long, sleek and very distinctive XJ needed any help in the looks department. Where the XJ did need a revision was to its price, and that’s the main highlight of the 2014 model. It costs a whopping Rs 20 lakh less than before. The start of local assembly at JLR’s facility in Pune is responsible for this very welcome change in price, and now the Jaguar XJ, for long among the costliest of the 3.0-litre diesel full-size luxury cars, has become the most affordable. The Premium Luxury trim costs Rs 92.1 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai) and the Portfolio trim we’ve tested here still ducks under the one-crore mark, at Rs 98.69 lakh.

Before you ask, these are not low-spec ‘Corporate Edition’ cars. Quite to the contrary, both XJs are fully loaded, and in fact get some additional equipment compared to before. Fully adjustable rear seats with heating, cooling and a massage functions, dual sunroofs, satellite navigation, rear seat entertainment screens and Meridian audio systems are now standard on both versions. But for the Rs 6.5 lakh over the Premium Luxury model, the Portfolio does get a more powerful sound system (825W versus 380W), larger screens in the back (10.2-inch versus 8-inch), cornering headlamps and larger, 19-inch wheels. The Portfolio also features new fold-out tray tables for rear seat passengers that are large and sturdy enough to hold a laptop.

But, as before, the rear seat experience is a bit of a mixed bag. Legroom and headroom are good, no doubt, but its rivals offer a little bit more. In truth, the sharply rising window line just makes it feel less spacious than it actually is. That said, seat comfort is really good with great all round support and near perfect cushioning. The massage function also works well to ease the stress after a full day’s work. The front seats, adjustable in every which way, including the bolstering, are really nice too.