Here’s a clue to the main rival for Jaguar’s handsome all-new XE compact sedan: starting price for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class (C200) is $60,900.
And so it follows the starting price for the Jaguar XE (20t Prestige) is $60,400.
This is a crucial car for Jaguar’s future so not surprisingly the Indian-owned British icon has delivered across the board: the segment’s first aluminium-intensive monocoque chassis helps make the XE the smallest, lightest, stiffest Jaguar sedan we’ve seen, it’s also the most aerodynamic (Cd 0.26).
Amongst the technology is a stereo camera system which enables autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and auto high-beam assist.
Under the bonnet is the all-new 2.0-litre ‘Ingenium’ turbo-diesel engine (132kW/430Nm), two versions of the turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine (20t with 147kW/280Nm or the 25t with 177kW/340Nm) while the range-topping S is powered by the terrific supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine affording 250kW/450Nm.
All drive via an eight-speed automatic transmission.
As you’d expect from Jaguar, even the so-called ‘entry-level’ Prestige variant doesn’t short-change on the goodies but jumping to the Portfolio grade brings even more such as 18-inch alloy wheels, soft-grain Windsor leather seats, leatherette wrapped instrument panel, gloss figured ebony veneer and an electric sunblind.
R-Sport gains sports seats in Luxtec with mesh inserts, 18-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension R-Sport bodykit and an R-Sport steering wheel.
While the V6 ‘S’ adds sports seats in Taurus leather with suedecloth inserts, sports suspension with Adaptive Dynamics, 19-inch alloy wheels, S bodykit and steering wheel, black headlining, sports pedals and black tailpipes.
The lineup is:
| Jaguar XE 20t Prestige | $60,400 |
| Jaguar XE 20d Prestige | $62,800 |
| Jaguar XE 25t Prestige | $64,900 |
| Jaguar XE 20t R-Sport | $64,400 |
| Jaguar XE 20d R-Sport | $66,800 |
| Jaguar XE 25t R-Sport | $68,900 |
| Jaguar XE 25t Portfolio | $70,400 |
| Jaguar XE V6 S | $104,200 |
