Jaguar XE review
The Jaguar XE is a stylish and sporty premium saloon that’s a brilliant alternative to its German rivals, offering a fantastic driving experience and a luxurious feel.
Author: The Cazoo editorial team
7th Jan 2026 – 9 mins read
If you’re in the market for a classy compact executive saloon but fancy something a bit different from the usual BMW 3 Series or Audi A4, the Jaguar XE is a superb choice. Launched in 2015, it wowed everyone with its muscular good looks, luxurious interior, and, most importantly, a fantastic driving experience that puts it right at the top of the class. Built on a sophisticated, lightweight aluminium chassis, the XE is a car that puts the driver first. It’s agile, comfortable, and comes with a range of efficient yet powerful engines. While it might not be the most practical car in its class, it more than makes up for it with a huge amount of style, refinement, and a real sense of occasion every time you get behind the wheel.
Pros
- Fantastic to drive, with agile handling and a comfortable ride
- Efficient range of petrol and diesel engines
- Looks great and has a premium, sporty feel
Cons
- Rear passenger space is tighter than in some rivals
- The boot is smaller than key competitors
- There's no estate version available for extra practicality
Interior
Dashboard & tech
The interior of the Jaguar XE is a classy and well-designed place to be. The dashboard has a clean, sweeping design that wraps around the driver, creating a sporty, cockpit-like feel. Everything is intelligently placed and feels well-refined. Most versions come with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which includes satellite navigation and Jaguar’s InControl apps. On higher-spec models, you’ll find neat touches like configurable LED mood lighting.
Comfort
The XE is a very comfortable car, whether you’re on a long motorway journey or just popping to the shops. The standard suspension does a great job of soaking up bumps, making it a relaxing cruiser. The driver and front passenger have plenty of space and supportive seats, making it easy to find a perfect driving position.
The main downside is the space in the back. For an executive saloon, it can feel a bit cramped for tall adults, with limited head and legroom due to the stylish, sloping roofline. It’s fine for children or for occasional use by adults, but rivals like the Audi A4 offer more generous rear accommodation.
Quality
The XE’s cabin feels suitably premium, with high-quality materials and a solid feel. While early models had some areas that didn’t feel quite as plush as their German rivals, the overall sense of quality is high. Higher trim levels, like the Portfolio, add luxurious touches like premium leather seats and an upgraded Meridian sound system, which really lift the cabin’s ambience.
Practicality & boot space
Interior space
While front-seat occupants are well catered for, the XE is less practical for those in the back. The stylish design compromises rear headroom and legroom, making it less suitable for regularly carrying tall passengers compared to its main rivals. Storage around the cabin is adequate, with door bins and a central cubby, but some are on the small side. There are three Isofix mounting points in the rear, making it a safe choice for families with young children.
Boot space
At 455 litres, the XE’s boot is a decent size, though it’s slightly smaller than the class-leading Audi A4. It’s big enough for a couple of suitcases or the weekly shop, but the saloon boot opening can make it tricky to load large or awkwardly shaped items. A key thing to note is that, unlike its German rivals, Jaguar never offered a more practical estate version of the XE.
Versatility
The XE is more of a sporty saloon than an all-round family workhorse. Its focus is on the driving experience and style. However, with four doors, a usable boot, and excellent safety credentials, it can still function as a family car, particularly if your children are young. The availability of all-wheel drive on some models also adds a dose of all-weather versatility.
Driving
Driving experience
This is where the Jaguar XE truly excels. It’s a fantastic car to drive, with a lightweight aluminium chassis and sophisticated suspension that deliver a brilliant blend of agile handling and ride comfort. The steering is quick and precise, and the rear-wheel-drive setup gives it a balanced, sporty feel that makes it a real rival for the BMW 3 Series.
When you’re not on a twisty B-road, the XE settles down to be a comfortable and refined cruiser. Sporty R-Sport and S models come with a much firmer sports suspension, which is great for handling but might be too stiff for some on a day-to-day basis. For the best all-round experience, the standard suspension is excellent.
Performance
The XE is available with a great range of petrol and diesel engines, all of which use a turbo or supercharger for extra power. The diesel engines are all based on a 2.0-litre unit from Jaguar’s ‘Ingenium’ family, with power outputs of 160bhp, 177bhp, or a powerful 236bhp twin-turbo version.
The petrol range includes smooth 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engines with either 197bhp or 246bhp. For ultimate performance, the XE S model features a fantastic 3.0-litre supercharged V6 with 374bhp, which delivers incredible acceleration and a thrilling soundtrack.
Running costs
Fuel economy & CO2 emissions
The Jaguar XE can be impressively economical, especially with the diesel engines. The least powerful 160bhp diesel can officially return up to 75mpg with a manual gearbox, and has very low CO2 emissions of just 99g/km. For a great blend of performance and economy, the mid-range 177bhp diesel is an excellent choice, returning up to 67.3mpg. The powerful petrol engines are, as you’d expect, much thirstier.
Value for money
For a premium brand like Jaguar, the XE is competitively priced, especially on the used market where it can represent a real bargain. It’s packed with a generous level of standard equipment, with even the entry-level SE models getting satellite navigation, cruise control, and climate control. It’s a lot of car, and a lot of class, for the money.
Reliability & Warranty
Early examples of the XE had a few teething problems with their electronics, but these have largely been ironed out. In general, it’s a reliable car that should provide dependable service. From new, Jaguars come with a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty. Insurance groups range from a reasonable group 22 up to group 36 for the high-performance S model.
Safety
Safety features
The Jaguar XE is a very safe car, achieving the maximum five-star rating when it was crash-tested by the safety experts at Euro NCAP. It scored impressively highly in all categories.
All models come with a host of safety systems as standard, including autonomous emergency braking, which can help prevent a collision, and lane departure warning. Higher-spec models add features like blind-spot monitoring and lane-keeping assist. All-wheel-drive models also feature All Surface Progress Control, which acts like a low-speed cruise control to help you find grip on tricky surfaces like snow or wet grass.
Trims & Engines
Trim levels
The XE lineup is split into luxury and sport trims. The luxury range includes SE, Prestige, and the top-spec Portfolio. The sporty trims are R-Sport and the high-performance S.
Even the entry-level SE is well-equipped, with 17-inch alloy wheels, fabric seats, an 8-inch touchscreen with sat-nav, and dual-zone climate control. Prestige adds leather seats and interior mood lighting. Portfolio is the most luxurious, with premium leather, 18-inch wheels, and an upgraded Meridian sound system. The R-Sport trim gets a sporty body kit, sports suspension, and two-tone leather sports seats. The range-topping XE S is only available with the V6 engine and comes with its own unique body kit, 19-inch wheels, and upgraded brakes.
Engines
Jaguar offers a wide range of engines for the XE. The diesel options are all 2.0-litre units, with power outputs of 160bhp, 177bhp, and 236bhp. The petrol lineup includes 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engines with 197bhp or 246bhp. The most powerful engine is the 3.0-litre supercharged V6 found in the XE S, which produces an impressive 374bhp. Most engines are paired with a smooth 8-speed automatic gearbox, though a manual was available on some diesel models. Rear-wheel drive is standard, with all-wheel drive available as an option on some engines.