3.0 V6 Luxury 4dr Auto Saloon

Something special

This is a review of my parents Jaguar XF 3.0 V6 petrol that was bought to replace their Rover 75 2.0 V6 (see separate review). The car was purchased from the Jaguar dealer in Hull at just under 2 years old, having covered circa 12,000 miles by one owner.

To cut a long story short, my parents are low mileage users who value comfort and refinement (dynamic, noise and interior finish) high on their list of priorities. My own experience of working in the motor trade, combined with stories of the usual diesel related issues with the 2.7 twin turbo diesel engine, meant that a petrol engine was considered the most suitable option. The 4.2 and 5.0 V8 engines were thought to be overkill, therefore the 3.0 engine was chosen. As Jaguar had recently discontinued this engine in the UK (but not outside Europe) we looked for the most recent, low mileage used car that we could find...

...And my parents are pleased they did. The car looks stunning in Stratus Grey with Barley leather/Walnut trim. On top of the already comprehensive specification (leather, dual zone climate, cruise, navigation, blue tooth etc.) the previous owner specked 18 inch wheels, chrome side vents, i-pod connectivity and heated seats and steering wheel (though not heated front screen).

In my opinion the interior is a much nicer place to be than the somber cabins of the majority of German rivals. As you would expect, refinement levels (noise and vibration) are very high. On the 18 inch wheels, the car both rides and handles well, with light, precise steering that makes what is quite a large, heavy car very light on its feet. The car seems to 'breath' with the road, no matter what surfaces it has to deal with.

As with any true Jaguar, the engine is a key feature of the car. Unfortunately the majority of UK XF drivers will only have experienced the diesel engines (quiet V6 and, IMO, unsuitable 2.2 I4) . However, all the petrol options have exhaust notes that have been tuned by Jaguar to give an excellent mix of cultured sportiness and refinement. The car can be very quiet when required, but under load it produces a rich mix of growls that are most suited to a big cat. The trade off for this is RFL in Band L, however, servicing of the 3.0 petrol is cheaper than the diesels and MPG is surprisingly good. 28 MPG is a local average, but the car will do mid thirties on a motorway run (42 MPG average was once seen on a trip back along the A1!). The whole power train integrates very well, with the 6 speed ZF auto box being so good that it makes the manual paddle shift pretty redundant for most drivers.

Although roomy enough, the XF is a large car and cabin space could be slightly more generous, though the boot is large and well shaped, with the added ability to fold the rear seats down.

Overall my parents are very pleased with the car. The combination of styling, cabin ambiance, dynamic refinement and engine sounds make it a special car to travel in, and one that has received a lot of admiring comments from other people. That the car was very good value for money and has (so far) sensible running costs adds to the appeal.

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