Smooth performance and slick auto gearboxes define the range – but the 2.0 diesel is a bit noisy
Thanks to its aluminium underpinnings, the XF is relatively light compared to its rivals, which helps the way it rides and handles. The suspension keeps the body tied down nicely during cornering, so there’s plenty of composure – but there’s also lots of comfort on offer, as the XF boasts that typically plush ride quality big Jags have always possessed.
Show the XF a twisty road, and the fast steering means the car is eager to tackle bends. The car turns in sharply and while it can feel over-alert at times, we prefer this responsive nature to sluggish, relaxed steering. The 4×4 model strikes a good balance between keeping the tidy rear-wheel drive feeling to the handling and adding lots of grip for poor conditions.
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Both S models only come with the eight-speed auto, while they’re also the only versions to get Jaguar’s Adaptive Dynamics adjustable suspension as standard. It’s an option on the 178bhp models elsewhere, and using the adjustable driving modes means the car’s damping characteristics can be tweaked.
In Dynamic mode the car feels tauter and more alive, responding to direction changes quickly and cornering flatter. But in Comfort the ride quality is good, even on big wheels, and the dampers filter out most lumps and bumps, with only serious road imperfections being felt inside the car.
Engines
As many XF buyers will be business users, CO2 emissions are vitally important in this sector – which is why Jaguar opted to go almost exclusively for diesel when it launched the second generation model, although more petrol options became available over time.
There are three power outputs available in the 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel, with 161bhp, 178bhp or 237bhp on offer. The smaller engines come with a choice of six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic gearboxes, but we’d stick with Jag’s smooth eight-speed auto.
It makes motorway journeys effortless, while the standard steering wheel-mounted paddles mean there’s a nice element of driver involvement if you want it. We’d go for the higher-power of these 2.0-litre Ingenium units, as the extra 17bhp and 50Nm more torque (making 430Nm in total) mean progress is swifter in this sizeable saloon.
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The engine is eager and pulls strongly. The 0-62mph sprint takes 8.1 seconds in the auto, while the lower-powered model completes the same test in 8.7 seconds. However, at higher revs refinement is an issue, as the engine emits a diesel growl in higher revs that the best rivals keep a lid on. Keep to a more subdued cruise and the XF is as quiet as you’d expect.
The flagship 237bhp diesel benefits from a second turbo, meaning a chunky 500Nm of torque and a 0-62mph time that drops to 6.5 seconds. Pulling power is pretty impressive for a motor of this capacity, although the single-turbo models will be fast enough for most needs, and you have to make a sizeable sacrifice in claimed economy and emissions.
At the top of the range sits the XF S. With a massive 700Nm of torque from the twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 diesel – and a healthy 296bhp – the Jaguar packs some serious overtaking punch. It’s not quite as fast as the petrol version, with 0-62mph taking 6.2 seconds, but its huge reach gives incredible flexibility.
There are three smooth and efficient turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol four-cylinder options with 198bhp,248bhp and 296bhp which hit 0-60mph in 7.1, 6.3 and 5.5 seconds respectively. The supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol S hits 62mph from rest in 5.3 seconds, making it a proper performance saloon. It uses the same engine as the F-Type sports car, and it snarls as you rev it hard, but it’s hushed on the motorway and gives a great balance between driver involvement and refined cruising ability.