The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire Edition 32: Aug/Sept 2017 | Page 33
REVVED UP
JAGUAR XE R-SPORT 2.0L DIESEL,
TAKE IT EASY
The Jaguar XE featured here in R-Sport trim certainly looks the part;
understated yet racy but that’s as far as the performance goes. You see,
this model is a diesel and is not designed for high speed travel; it is
designed for comfort with matching economy and on that score it delivers.
You can get this car with a six-speed manual
gearbox but if that idea takes your fancy
then you can knock it off right now. It’s
simply not right for this car. What you need
is the smooth eight-speed auto as tested
here. Six ratios are not as good as eight.
With this 2.0L diesel the auto box simply
lets the XE ride the wave of low-end torque
(430Nm/317lb-ft) that this turbocharged
engine churns out.
THE RIGHT ENGINE FOR BUSINESS
Especially when loaded, the 177bhp (180PS)
XE is not quick. The car takes a lengthy 7.4
seconds to reach 62mph from rest. The
Jaguar XE does of course come in more
powerful versions (including the recently
introduced and astonishing limited edition
Project 8 version with a supercharged V8
under the bonnet). As a salve to a very busy
day on the road though this is the car to
soothe the fevered brow with a leisurely and
super-comfy cruise home.
As is usual with Jaguar the XE can be set
up in various modes, Comfort, Normal and
the like to suit the driver. By all means use
the Dynamic mode for a sportier ride but
putting the 4-cylinder turbo-diesel engine
into sport mode serves no real purpose. It’s
like shouting into the wind: even if you keep
shouting louder they still can’t hear you.
Leave the efficient Ingenium engine to do its
own thing and all will be fine.
HOW IT FEELS
The Jaguar XE R-Sport with its aluminium
chassis displays all the same delightfully
responsive and expertly weighted steering
feel that we have come to expect from this
model. In my view the car feels more agile
than, say, a Mercedes-C-Class and more
comfortable than the equivalent BMW 3
Series. That said, those other cars also have
attributes that beat the XE.
The interior is a case in point. It is, dare I
say it, starting to look a tad dated for these
modern funky times.
this motor is £34,775 but in the manner of
press evaluation vehicles, the tested version
came fitted with every conceivable extra
known to man. Far too numerous mention
here, the options include very desirable but
probably unnecessary 19” Venom alloys
(£2195 extra!), heat insulation glass and
pointless ‘mood’ lighting although when
you see that the final bill is £48,152 it
might just help to calm you down.
The Jaguar XE R-Sport 2.0L diesel is
beautiful, graceful and good to drive
although it’s a little cramped in the back.
Overall though, especially with all-wheel
drive, it’s a fine long-distance choice with
an efficient engine (50mpg plus) making it
very cost effective for the business user.
Written by Geoff Maxted
www.drivewrite.co.uk
Emitting 111g/km of the nasty stuff the
BIK rate for 2017/8 is 24% for the diesel
version as tested here. The basic price for
@DriveWrite
The South West’s Dynamic
Insurance Broker
www.pib-insurance.com
0117 926 9937
[email protected]
PIB Insurance Brokers is a trading style of Cooke & Mason Plc. Cooke & Mason Plc is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, Firm Reference Number 308333. Cooke & Mason Plc is registered in England & Wales.
Company Registration Number 2682789. Registered Office: Rossington’s Business Park, West Carr Road, Retford, Nottinghamshire, DN22 7SW.
THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2017
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