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We drove the $71,000 Jaguar XF Sportbrake wagon to see if it will make you want to ditch your luxury SUV - here's the verdict
We drove the $71,000 Jaguar XF Sportbrake wagon to see if it will make you want to ditch your luxury SUV - here's the verdict
Benjamin ZhangMay 10, 2018, 20:00 IST
Hollis Johnson/Business Insider
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The Jaguar XF Sportbrake wagon arrives in the US for the 2018 model year.
The Sportbrake is powered by a 380 horsepower, 3.0-liter supercharged V6.
According to Jaguar, the XF wagon can hit 60 mph in 5.3 seconds.
We loved the Jaguar's style, performance, and utility but found its interior to be a bit plain.
The 2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake S AWD starts at $70,450 while our test car carried an as-tested price of $71,445.
For decades, the tried and true station wagon was the preferred method of family transportation in the US. But the in the '90s and 2000s, its position in the automotive kingdom was usurped by the minivan. And over the past decade, the minivan's reign was ended by the crossover SUV.
Even as America's love affair with the wagon faded, it remained a mainstay for families in Europe. As a result, the Continent's automakers have continued to produce world-class wagons.
And now it looks like wagons are making a comeback of sorts in the US. Will it once again dominate America's highways and byways? Probably not. But there is a slew of hot new wagons on the market that will tempt you into rejoining the club.
Since the vast majority of crossovers, probably a figure north of 95%, will never see terrain any more rugged than a grassy field, an all-wheel-drive wagon more than makes sense. (Those who do enjoy a spot of off-roading are probably better off in a truck or truck-based SUV and not a crossover.)
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One of the hottest new contenders is the Jaguar XF Sportbrake S AWD wagon. Based on the mid-size second generation XF sedan, the Sportbrake is all-new for 2018.
Recently, Business Insider spent a week behind the wheel of a stunning Jaguar XF Sportbrake S AWD clad in a fiery Firenze red paint job.
In the US, the XF Sportbrake is only available in the option-laden S and First Edition trim levels. As a result, our 2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake S AWD starts at $70,450. With a $995 destination fee tacked on, our car came with an as-test price of $71,445.
So, is the 2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake S AWD good enough for you to ditch the crossover and return to the wonderful world of wagons? Let's find out.
...Shares a platform with the company's award-winning F-PACE crossover SUV.
It's the latest in a new wave of hot wagons to arrive from Europe. It's a star-studded group that includes the Audi Allroad,...
Volvo V60,...
...Volvo V90,...
...Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and...
...The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo.
Aesthetically, the XF Sportbrake is nothing short of beautiful.
The Jaguar design team led by Sir Ian Callum has created a look that's striking and, yet, subtle and elegant.
The Jaguar corporate front grille and angular LED headlights set the tone stylish and aggressive tone for the rest of the car.
The Jag cuts a sleek and sweeping silhouette through the air.
The rear end of the Sportbrake is punctuated by its sloping roofline, wrap-around taillights, and dual exhausts.
Our test car's optional black 20-inch wheels look stunning here.
Inside, the Jag's cabin offers a seamless blend of modern design and old-world luxury. Overall material and built quality feel top notch. The cabin certainly has a premium feel.
Subtle details metallic accents and mood lighting strips adorn the interior. However, the restrained and somewhat minimalist design leaves up hoping for a bit more of a show. Even though the interior was really well designed and executed, it still felt a bit plain.
The XF Sportbrake is loaded with tech. In front of the driver is a configurable 12.3 inch TFT digital instrument cluster.
While the center stack is equipped with an option 10-inch touchscreen. XF's come standard with an eight-inch unit. The touchscreen runs the latest version of Jaguar Land Rover's InControl Touch Pro infotainment system.
InControl Touch Pro is found throughout JLR's line up and is one of the better systems out there in terms of feature content, presentation, and ease of use.
For instance, the widescreen map display is beautifully rendered. The system also features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability.
InControl Pro has a history of being a good, but somewhat fragile infotainment system. In the past, we've experienced several reliability issues including failures of its satellite radio function. Fortunately, InControl proved to be perfectly reliable this time around.
The XF Sportbrake is equipped with five cameras that are used to create a 360-degree view around the car. See the front camera?
The Sportbrake is also equipped with adaptive LED headlights, an 825 watt Meridian surround sound system, adaptive cruise control, adaptive speed limiter, rear traffic detention, blind spot monitoring, and traffic sign recognition technology. An available wi-fi hotpot can deliver 4G connectivity to as many as eight devices.
The Jag is also equipped with semi-autonomous parking technology that uses ultrasonic sensors that help maneuver the car into parking spaces.
As most Jags, the XF uses a rotary gear shifter.
Back seat passengers get their own set of HVAC controls. Our test car came with four-zone climate control.
The Jaguar XF Sportbrake offers plenty of room for five adults and their stuff.
Behind the second row seat is a solid 31.7 cubic feet of cargo space. Fold down the second row and space increases to an impressive 69.7 cubic feet. That beats out popular luxury crossovers like the Audi Q5, Lexus RX, Cadillac XT5, and Volvo XC60. It has only a couple of cubic feet less than the F PACE.
Powering the XF Sportbrake is a 380 horsepower, 3.0 liter supercharged V6. It's the only the engine option available in the US and we're totally cool with that. The supercharged six smooth and powerful. We loved it in the F-Type sports car. We loved it in the Land Rover Discovery SUV, and we love it here. The V6 is paired with an equally impressive ZF eight-speed automatic.
According to Jag, the XF Sportbrake can hit 60 mph from a standstill in just 5.3 seconds and eventually reach an electronically limited top speed of 121 mph.
So, what's it like to drive?
The Jaguar XF Sportbrake is one of the best wagon's I've ever driven. The Jag's aluminum-intensive construction helped keep weight under control while delivering near-perfect 50:50 front/rear weight distribution.
The result is a wagon that drives with the responsiveness and agility of a sports sedan. In the corners, our XF test car offered an impressive level of grip while only exhibiting a slight hint of understeer.
The intelligent self-leveling rear suspension keeps the back end of the car in check even when it's loaded with stuff.
The supercharged six-cylinder engine coupled with an eight-speed automatic and all-wheel-drive delivered solid performance with strong acceleration off the line. The engine also produced a surprisingly satisfying growl when revved.
With that said, the chassis is good enough to handle the extra grunt of JLR's 550 horsepower, V8. Perhaps an XFR Sportbrake?
At high speeds, the cabin remains quiet while the ride is almost always perfectly comfortable. Overall, the XF Sportbrake delivers on its promise of a premium and sporty driving experience.
The verdict.
The Jaguar XF Sportbrake S AWD is absolutely terrific. The driving experience, utility, and gorgeous sheet make blew us away. When asked if he had any complaints about the Jag, my colleague Matt DeBord simply replied, " None. My wife wants one."
The Sportbrake offers a compelling combination of luxury sedan comfort, sports sedan performance, crossover SUV cargo capacity, and enough room for a family of five.
This brings up back to the original question. Is the Jaguar XF Sportbrake good enough to make you ditch the crossover for a wagon?
