Even as it aged against its luxury competition, the Jaguar XF was never, by any stretch of the imagination, a bad-looking car. But, there were some pain points with the old car — like its infotainment system — that needed improvement, and Jaguar aims to sort those issues out with the 2021 model. While Jaguar gives us Americans some necessary updates, though, it seems there will be some omissions from the facelifted lineup worth mentioning as well.
On the styling front, the 2021 Jaguar XF won’t look drastically different from the outgoing car. It takes on the same sort of nip and tuck approach as the updated F-Pace. Slightly sharper styling, and new slim LED lights front and rear. If anything, it looks a lot more like the larger XJ, which has gone on hiatus while we wait for the all-electric model to arrive. Down the side, the fender vents have been restyled, but it’s really going to take an acute attention to detail to really spot the differences here.
So what’s missing from the 2021 Jaguar XF?
I mentioned some omissions from the lineup, and since the XF hasn’t been a particularly strong seller over here, it’s likely Jaguar’s decision to drop some parts of the XF lineup are more or less permanent. At least, that’s likely the case for this generation.
First on the chopping block seems to be the 3.0-liter V-6 engine. Jaguar only carried the 2021 XF sedan forward with its 2.0-liter Ingenium engine, available in two states of tune. Neither or more powerful than before, managing 246 or 296 horsepower. Depending on which one you get, 0-60 will come up in either 6.5 or 5.8 seconds, respectively. The 2.0-liter mills are peppy enough, but against the cornucopia of sports sedans on the market, dropping that V-6 means the XF offers middling performance, at best. But again, the XF hasn’t been a strong seller, and demand (or lack of) for the prior V-6 is likely Jaguar’s justification for culling it from the model range.
If you’re a wagon fanatic, there’s more bad news: It seems the XF Sportbrake has gone as well. Jaguar makes no mention of it in the 2021 XF lineup, so we suspect it’s dead over here (the automaker did mention it for the UK, so it’s only gone from the U.S.). It’s a sad moment, since it was one of the most stylish wagons around. Outside enthusiasts, though, Americans prefer crossovers in droves, so it makes sense to focus on the F-Pace instead.
What else is new for the 2021 Jaguar XF
Getting back to what Jaguar updated in the 2021 XF, we have to focus on the infotainment system. It looks gorgeous, thanks in large part to the new 11.4-inch ‘Pivi Pro’ head unit. Instead of perching it atop the center stack or burying it in the dashboard, Jaguar has sort of split the difference by making it “float” above the climate controls. More to the point, though, Jaguar Land Rover promises this is a more responsive than before — hallelujah — and is able to receive over-the-air updates. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are still on the table here.
Jaguar also updated the dashboard itself, as they did with the F-Pace. It’s more straight-edged than before, while the gear selector has also changed from the old joystick unit.
As for pricing, the 2021 Jaguar XF will start at $43,995. That’s a significant drop from the 2020 models, mainly accounting for the XE’s departure from the lineup.
