Jaguar has had some forgettable entry-level sedans – the Ford Modeo-based X-Type comes to mind – but the company is looking to shed that reputation and take on the likes of BMW and Audi with the all-new 2017 XE sedan.
TFLcar’s Roman Mica and guest reviewer Craig Cole from AutoGuide were in Aspen, Colorado, right in TFL’s backyard, to drive the XE.
The XE comes with three choices of engines. The base model gets a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 240 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque. The top level gets the Jaguar/Land Rover 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 that makes 340 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque, enough to propel the XE from zero to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds.
A diesel-engined XE is also available. It has a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that makes 180 hp and 318 lb-ft of torque.
Jaguar hasn’t yet released fuel economy figures for the new XE.
Power is put to the rear wheels or all four wheels through a ZF eight-speed automatic, interestingly the same transmission that’s in BMWs, Audis, Rolls-Royces, Bentleys and also the Chrysler 300 and the Dodge Charger, Challenger and Durango, although those are built by Chrysler under license.
The all-wheel-drive system was developed in-house at Jaguar and is unique as it sends 90 percent of the power to the rear wheels in normal conditions, making it feel more like a rear-wheel-drive car. All wheel drive is available on the diesel and V6 versions, but base four-cylinder versions only get rear wheel drive.
Roman and Craig drove the diesel version of the XE, and it carried the price tag of about $55,500 with destination.
The base XE 25t with the four-cylinder turbo starts at $35,895 and has three trim levels – base, Premium and Prestige. The 20d diesel adds R-Sport trim and prices range from $37,395 to $47,495 for rear drive and $39,895 to $49,995 for all wheel drive.
The 35t V6 model ditches the base model and starts at $42,695 for a Premium rear driver and $45,195 for a Premium with all wheel drive. A top-of-the-line R-Sport with all wheel drive runs for $52,695, giving the XE a range of about $18,000 from base to top.
So does the new 2017 Jaguar XE put a scare into BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz? Watch the full video above to find out.
