5 years & 46,000 km with my 2016 Jaguar XE

People say Jags are expensive to run and notoriously unreliable. My experience has been quite the contrary.

BHPian ParthVyas777 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Having recently sold my 2016 Jaguar XE for the low twenties, I was curious as to what that sort of money could buy in the used car market. Quite honestly, I believe this is the best way to burn a Rs 20 - 25 lakh hole in your pocket. Here are all the reasons why, illustrated through the love story with mine.

Just from the test drive, it was love at first sight. It had to be the one. It sounded incredible, it looked beautiful and it just felt right in all ways possible. More-so than its German counterparts.

Apart from the price. That didn’t feel right at all. Commanding an almost Rs 10 lakh premium over the C-Class, it was a hard bullet to bite. But I knew, it was either the XE or nothing. It was game, set and match. I’ll take one in odyssey red please!

August 13th, 2016: Delivery day! A (somewhat) smooth delivery process quite early in the morning. Regardless, I just wanted to done with it so I could go out and drive! Here are some beauty shots from the day.

The experience till now: The Jaguar XE is something quite special. I really do wonder why we don’t have more of these on the roads, considering you see a C-Class or a 3 Series around every corner. But perhaps, that’s a blessing in disguise as the XE feels a lot more exclusive.

If I could sum up the last 5 years and 46,000 km in one sentence:  I’d say the XE is characterfully-flawed, but you forgive it for what it does best. And that is DRIVE!

What Sucks:

• The infotainment. Old, laggy, quite useless at anything you ask it do and overall, you’re much better off just using google maps.
• The wheels: Tiny little 17 inch wheels look quite small and don’t seem to fill the arches as nicely as you’d hope.
• The features (or lack thereof): Ventilated seats? Nope. 360 degree Cam? Nope. Keyless Entry? Nope. LED headlamps? Nope. Just the DRLs for you. Digital dash? Nope.
• Not that I ever craved for rear seat leg room, but this one is best enjoyed up-front. The back seats are quite cramped and you’d rather just drive anyways.
• Some of the fit and finish is sub-par. But that’s okay, it's a Jag after all.
• The AC feels like an old man blowing through a straw.

Now, does any of the above matter? Not too much. Because it does the important stuff incredibly well.

What really doesn’t suck:

• The Engine: The car sounds incredible for a 4 cylinder. It crackles between shifts and pops when you rev it (albeit not like a hooligan). It's got a healthy wave of torque and ample power to push you right back into your seat.
• The Looks: Oh it’s a head turner alright. In my numerous journeys across the country with her, seeing the joyful reactions of children and adults alike when they see the car is priceless. Ian Callum did an incredible job with the proportions of this car. As he did with the DB9. As he did with the XK.
• The Handling: This is my favourite thing about the XE. It handles like an absolute delight. An aluminium monocoque paired with one of the best feeling EPAS I have driven to date and well-tuned suspension, it devours a twisty road like nothing else. The balance is intoxicating. The way it grips and the way it lets go (it does get a bit tail happy sometimes) is so linear, predictable, and rewarding to get right.
• The Theatre: Yes. Like any other Jaguar fanatic. I must mention the rising gear selector (dubbed the Jaguar handshake). But what makes more of a theatrical impression is the way the interior is laid out. The ambient lights, the dials turning red and the Riva loop around the cockpit. It is genuinely a very nice place to be. Pair that with a panoramic sunroof, the sublime meridian surround sound system and the rather excellent looking dash. Combined with the aforementioned pros, it is such a special place to be.

The running costs: People say Jags are expensive to run and notoriously unreliable. My experience has been quite the contrary. Despite receiving a fair share of abuse from my end, nothing has gone wrong with it so far! Living proof that if you take care of the car (let it warm up etc.) then even the heaviest right foot won’t do your car much harm.

I’ve had fond experiences with this one. From hitting V-Max at high 3-digit speeds to shredding its tires with some celebratory donuts shortly thereafter. It does everything very well. Even sitting in traffic is quite fun with the engine gently purring away. Perfection in imperfection is what makes you absolutely fall for this car.

As you can probably tell, I’m very fond of the XE. Dare I say it, I’m quite in love with it. Having driven everything from an Indica to a Huracan (and everything in between), I always feel content getting back into mine. Alas, all good things come to an end. I had to part ways with her as it was time to get something new again. But I wasn’t done with the XE yet. So, I bought another one! Albeit the facelift. Will post a full review on the updates once I get the car delivered if you guys are interested.

If I can leave you with one thing from reading this. I would say, if you have Rs 20 - 25 lakh to spend on a car, buy a 2016-18 Jaguar XE in petrol. Trust me. I’ve bitten the same bullet, twice.

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