2.2 Diesel Estate Sovereign

The good points outweigh the bad, but its the bad points that ultimately irritate

The Jaguar X-type in Sovereign trim immediately impresses with its fine leather, wood and comprehensive assortment of bells and whistles. In estate form it is extremely spacious and a good looking car from most angles. The 2.2 litre diesel has astonishing torque and the acceleration in the gears is excellent, almost violent within the rev band of the engine and that is one of the irritations of the car that lead me to sell it after three years.

On the positive side:-
Huge in gear acceleration
Bells and whistles
Handling
Sumptuous interior
“It’s a Mondeo in drag!” Often quoted by its detractors, but this is actually a compliment and the Jaguar is all the better for it.
Reliable.
Intuitive satnav.
Good economy in 6th gear. I averaged 43 mpg over three years. A low of 36 mpg commuting in winter and a high of 49 mpg on a trip from Hampshire to Aberdeen.

On the negative side:-
The lights on dip beam remind me of the 6 volt electrics on my BSA Bantam. Going from main to dip is like turning the lights off. I sold it before another winter set in.
The brakes are pretty poor for a fast car.
The torque comes in with a bang of over-boost at 2000 rpm but this vanishes at 3000 rpm leaving you grabbing for another gear. This gets you to 45 mph in 3rd and only 60 mph in 4th. The car progresses in a series of turbo-charged lunges so short is the gearing in 1st, 2nd and 3rd. This makes it a chore to drive in town.
Useless traction in snow due to the width of the tyres.
Locks froze every morning in winter.
Not a good winter car despite having front-wheel drive.

Report as offensive