2016 Jaguar XF R-Sport Review
The Jaguar XF R-Sport is the British brand’s latest entry into the executive saloon market and attempts to bring you luxury, refinement, impressive handling and performance as well as fuel efficiency. It competes directly with the BMW M Series, Mercedes E-Class and Audi A6 so we decided to find out how it stacked up in such a competitive market.
The distinctive Jaguar badge automatically conjures up images of beauty, while the Italian racing red brings out the character of the car. Up front, its confident front grille and power bulge on the bonnet proudly shows off the car’s pedigree and demanding respect. At the rear, the XF R-Sport’s dynamic character is enhanced with the car’s fluid aerodynamics meeting the wrap-around LED taillights with an F-Type inspired double roundel design. The 19inch alloys option adds to the sporty appeal and added grip makes for both better poise and handling.
The XF R-Sport’s cabin is an extremely comfortable place to be. With leather sports seats and trim all round, you are basked in comfort- ensuring you stay relaxed as you rack up those motorway miles. The integrated design sweeps around the driver and passenger seats and across the entire dashboard encasing you in its luxurious grasp. There is plenty of space in the back which is an improvement on the last XF which felt cramped if you were anything over 5 foot. Having said that, road noise is quite audible and the turbocharger’s whine could get annoying over long distances but shouldn’t bother you during your day to day travel.
The automatic 180bhp 2L diesel model is fairly impressive with a good response and accelerates to 60mph in 7.7 seconds. While it won’t be breaking any speed records, it’s enough to deal with long motorway runs and adds a bit more excitement. The gear changes are smooth thanks to the eight-speed automatic gearbox which is controlled by a Satin Black rotary dial. In Dynamic Mode the shifts are even quicker, while the manual mode doesn’t necessarily let you stay in the gear you want with it automatically shifting at times. Handling is also excellent with both responsive steering and brakes, although this should come as standard with a sports model. For cost-conscious drivers, the CO2 emissions are as low as 109g/km, placing the XF R-Sport in one of the lowest emission categories. The fuel economy is also very impressive with official figures achieving 68.9 mpg.
There is a lot of standard equipment including Jaguar’s excellent InControl Touch system which features an 8inch touch screen. The virtual dials are easy to read and switch from standard blue to a glowing red while the focus changes to the rev counter when Dynamic Mode is engaged. In the central cubbyhole, there is a 12v connection along with two USB slots and a sim card slot for phone integration allowing you to bring home comforts on the road. The XF R-Sport also comes with an excellent Meridian Sound System, bringing you an immersive audio experience. It’s also equipped with radar parking which makes for safer movements and helps you avoid accidently bumping into things in your brand new Jag.
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