XE R-Sport is pure Jaguar quality

Test Drive by Graham Breeze

Fighting off the opposition in the constant battle for sales has never been a problem for Jaguar and there’s little wonder the stunning XE R-Sport is selling so well.

Designers have been working hard to ensure the Midlands based company produces cars to turn heads and the XE R-Sport 2.0 AWD tested is a prime example of the road being approached by Jaguar.

It’s a car for the purist and the enthusiast with just a little something thrown in for the boy racer still living within lots of us. Quite frankly a pure joy.

I would have to say that I was a little spoiled by the test car though. You would expect to pay anything from £37,000 for this model but there were so many added extras that the price would rocket to £52,280 – and that would test the depth of quite a few pockets.

Discreet R-Sport badging, a body kit and gorgeous 19inch five split-spoke wheels make this XE a stand-out edition to the Jaguar range while the interior is a reminder of why Jaguar has been the brand of quality for so many years.

Armchair standard front seating quickly put the driver at ease and quality colour-themed leather and stitching along with heating add to the immediate upmarket feel

An eye-catching touchscreen system dominates the fascia where you can control just about everything except the outside temperature. And the good news is it appears to be idiot proof with everything about as straight forward as it gets these days.

Todays modern motorist now wants to plug in a multitude of equipment while on the move and they won’t be disappointed in the XE with USB points and 12V sockets in just the right places.

Jaguar label the XE a five-seater but the middle rear seat is no place for those without a bit ox extra padding, so it’s really a four-seater with lots of boot space – which means plenty of room for the golf clubs and accessories.

The two-litre turbocharged diesel engine produces a top speed of 140mph with 0-60mph restricted to 7.5seconds by the all-wheel-drive system. But you can expect 60miles for a gallon of diesel and carbon emissions of just 123g/km.

For your £37,000 you can expect eight-speed automatic transmission, automatic beam assist, cruise control and limiter, drive control, electric parking brake, brake pad wear indicator, stability and traction control, tyre pressure monitoring, tyre repair system, approach illumination, climate control, DAB radio, traffic sign recognition and emergency braking.

Living with the XE has never been easier thanks to a host of convenience enhancements. A “gesture” boot lid makes it possible for customers to open the boot with a simple wave of the foot beneath the rear bumper, taking the stress out of loading and unloading luggage.

Amazingly the test car included over £15,000 worth of extras. These included privacy glass, 19inch five split-spoke wheels with black finish, climate front ad heated rear seats, a power convenience pack, mood lighting and cold climate pack.

There as also a Navigation Pro with Meridian Surround System, my favourite head-up display, illuminated metal treadplates with Jaguar script, auto folding, dimming and heated door mirrors, advanced parking assist pack with surround cameras, 10-way electric front seats, electric tow-bar, WiFi hot spot system and electric rear window sunblinds.

There’s a lot of opposition in this class from the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes but you just get the feeling that this is a Jaguar that means business.