2016 Jaguar XJ first drive
Jaguar has been busy stretching its claws into luxury rivals such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi over the last few years.
The Leaping Cat has comprehensively overhauled its model range recently, through an ever-expanding F-Type family, introducing impressive new bread-and-butter sedans such as the XE and XF and preparing for its groundbreaking first SUV, the F-Pace.
With that in mind, you could be forgiven for thinking it had forgotten about its flagship XJ limousine. Against all-new rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7-Series and Audi A8, the XJ has been relatively invisible in the large luxury class, having received little in the way of attention from Jaguar's engineers since it was first launched in 2009.
But the British boffins cleared a slot in their schedules and have given the XJ a fairly mild update that centres around subtle visual changes to the bumpers, headlights and tail lights, an upgraded TFT instrument cluster and introduces the company's range-topping infotainment system.
Available in local showrooms now, Jaguar has revised the model line-up for the 2016 XJ range with four distinct models offered across the standard wheelbase and long wheelbase variants, each defined by grades of luxury and performance via a range of three engines.
Like before, Jaguar uniquely offers the standard and long wheelbase models at the same price, with the line-up starting at $201,900 (plus on-road costs) for the Premium Luxury models powered by either a 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 that produces a generous 221kW and 700Nm and is capable of consuming an claimed average of 5.7L/100km or a 3.0-litre supercharged petrol V6 that has 250kW and 450Nm with an average fuel economy of 9.7L/100km.
Even at the most basic level, the Premium Luxury models offer an extensive list of standard equipment that includes 19-inch alloy wheels, a full length panoramic glass sunroof, new-look LED headlights, heated and cooled front seats with full leather trim (and massage function in the long wheelbase model), dual-zone climate control, ambient interior lighting and the new InControl Touch Pro multi media system within an 8.8-inch display that intergrates sat nav, connectivity, vehicle settings, apps and the 380W Meridian audio system.
In short wheelbase form, the mid-spec, $229,875 (plus on-road costs) R-Sport brings a new name to the XJ line-up that offers a clear, sporty-focused stepping stone to the range-topping XJR that costs $300,275 (plus on roads).
Jaguar takes a more luxurious route with the long-wheelbase, replacing the R-Sport with a slightly more affordable Portfolio model (at $228,865) and the XJR with a flagship Autobiography (also a new name to the XJ family but adopted from the similar top-of-the-line Range Rover) that commands the same premium.
Both the R-Sport and Portfolio are powered by the 3.0-litre supercharged V6 and the XJR and Autobiography feature the company's 5.0-litre supercharged V8, generating 405kW/680Nm in the former and a more relaxed 375kW/620Nm in the latter.
Apart from the engines, the R-Sport and XJR add unique body kits and larger 20-inch alloy wheels to enhance their sporting characters, as well as additional luxury in the form of 18-way adjustable front sports seats, a leather dash top, fake suede headlining, piano black interior trim highlights and a more powerful 825W Meridien audio system.
The Autobiography trades in performance for more luxury, with standard features such as fully adaptive LED headlights, semi-aniline perforated leather trim, a full leather headlining, rich oak dash veneers, digital television tuner, rear business tables and a rear entertainment system with twin 10.2-inch screens.
While there is an extensive list of options that can blow out the price, Jaguar offsets that with servicing costs included in the purchase for the first three years.
We only had the chance to sample the R-Sport and XJR during our first drive of the updated XJ on the NSW central coast this week, which essentially amounted to testing out the cars' updated infotainment system more than anything due to the lack of hardware changes.
It is an extension of the system that is already available in the XE and XF with more functionality and faster processing speeds thanks to a sold state drive, and offers plenty of features within its intuitive menu layout, as well as good voice recognition and quick Bluetooth connections.
The upgraded TFT instrument cluster is also neat, and certainly more customisable than Audi's similar Virtual Cockpit, with multiple themes for the gauges and the ability for sat nav maps to take up the majority of its 12.3-inch layout while still maintaining vital information (speed, fuel levels etc) across the bottom.
As for how the XJ drives, it is still a classy limousine that, fitting with Jaguar's ethos, has a more sporting bias than its German rivals. Thanks to its lightweight all-aluminium underpinnings, it feels agile and fleet-footed through the bends with plenty of grip and accurate steering. While it is comfortable at any speed, the suspension's level of compliance isn't as refined as the S-Class and 7-Series as it tends to patter - rather than float - over rough road surfaces.
The Jaguar's style remains more dramatic than the conservative limousines and, while there is plenty of leg room in the back (and more than you'll ever need in the long wheelbase models) its sloping roof line restricts headroom and makes it feel a little more enclosed and the cabin is starting to show its age, particularly lacking in some of the whiz-bang gadgetry of the latest S-Class and 7-Series.
The XJ is also falling behind on the safety front too. While it can be had with radar cruise control and has lane departure and blind spot warnings, none of the models feature the latest active functions such as autonomous emergency braking, stop-and-go in heavy traffic and semi-autonomous steering for lane keeping assistance.
In the end, the Jaguar XJ is still a beautiful car to drive, and rich in character, style and exclusivity - not to mention performance and driver engagement in the XJR - but it feels a generation behind its rivals already in terms of technology and wow factor.
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2016 Jaguar XJ Price and specifications
On-sale: Now
Price: From $201,900 (plus on-road costs)
Engines: 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel, 3.0-litre V6 supercharged petrol, 5.0-litre V8 supercharged petrol
Power: 221kW, 250kW, 375kW (Autobiography) and 405kW (XJR)
Torque: 700Nm, 450Nm, 625Nm (Autobiography) and 680Nm (XJR)
Transmission: 8-spd automatic, RWD
Fuel use: 5.7L/100km, 9.1L/100km, 11.1L/100km,