Jaguar XF review
The Jaguar XF is a stunning executive saloon that proves you don’t have to choose a German car to get style, luxury, and a great driving experience.
Author: The Cazoo editorial team
7th Jan 2026 – 9 mins read
If you’re looking for a large, luxurious saloon that’s as good to drive as it is to look at, the Jaguar XF is a fantastic choice. This second-generation model, launched in 2015, is a serious contender to the likes of the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class, offering a distinctly British take on the premium executive car. It’s a car that feels special, combining a lightweight aluminium body with a range of efficient engines and a beautifully crafted interior. Available as a sleek saloon or a super-practical Sportbrake estate, the XF is a brilliant all-rounder. It delivers a fantastic blend of ride comfort and agile handling, making it a joy to drive whether you’re on a motorway or a twisty country road. With generous equipment levels and surprisingly low running costs from its diesel engines, the XF is a hugely desirable and capable car.
Pros
- Stunning, elegant design that stands out
- Fantastic to drive, with a great balance of comfort and agility
- Low running costs from efficient diesel engines
Cons
- The diesel engines can sound a bit noisy when worked hard
- Optional extras can be pricey
- Some high-spec variants are expensive to buy
Interior
Dashboard & tech
The interior of the Jaguar XF is a great place to be, combining modern technology with classic luxury. The dashboard design is clean and elegant, with a driver-focused layout that feels both sporty and spacious. Standard on most models is an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which can be upgraded to a larger, more impressive 10.2-inch widescreen display on some versions.
One of the highlights of the first-generation XF was the theatre of its startup sequence, with a rotary gear selector that rose out of the centre console and air vents that swivelled open. While the second-generation model is a little more conventional, it still feels like a special and upmarket environment, with high-quality materials throughout.
Comfort
The XF is an exceptionally comfortable car, making it a fantastic long-distance cruiser. The ride quality strikes a great balance, smoothing out bumps in the road while still feeling connected and controlled. For those wanting the best of both worlds, some models are available with Jaguar’s Adaptive Dynamics system, which allows you to adjust the suspension settings to your preference.
There’s plenty of room up front for even very tall adults to get comfortable, with lots of adjustment in the seats and steering wheel. The rear is also impressively spacious, offering a significant improvement over the first-generation XF and providing enough room for three adults to sit in reasonable comfort.
Quality
The XF’s cabin feels every bit the premium product, with a high standard of fit and finish. Soft-touch materials are used throughout, and higher-spec models feature beautiful wood or metal trims and plush leather upholstery. It’s a luxurious and refined interior that can easily stand comparison with its premium German rivals. It’s this blend of comfort, style, and quality that makes the XF feel so special.
Practicality & boot space
Interior space
As you’d expect from a large executive car, the XF is very spacious. Jaguar was keen to boast about its class-leading rear space when the car was launched, and it shows. There’s plenty of legroom and headroom for passengers in the back, making it a great car for carrying adults or a growing family.
Boot space
The boot in the XF saloon is a very generous 540 litres. That’s an impressive size, matching the Mercedes E-Class and offering slightly more space than you’ll find in an Audi A6 or BMW 5-Series. It’s more than enough for holiday luggage, a couple of sets of golf clubs, or a very big weekly shop. For ultimate practicality, the XF Sportbrake estate version offers a huge, flat load area that’s perfect for families with dogs or those who need to carry bulky items.
Versatility
The XF is a very versatile car. While the saloon is spacious, the Sportbrake estate model takes practicality to another level. With its huge boot and easy-to-load shape, it's a fantastic family workhorse that doesn't sacrifice any of the saloon's style or driving pleasure. With comfortable seating for five and a huge boot, the XF is ready for almost anything.
Driving
Driving experience
Jaguar has managed to get the balance between sharp handling and a comfortable ride just right with the XF. Thanks to its lightweight aluminium construction, it feels more agile and nimble than you’d expect for such a large car. While it might not have the ultimate dynamic edge of a BMW 5-Series, it’s still a hugely rewarding and enjoyable car to drive on a winding road.
On the motorway, it settles down into a quiet and refined cruiser, making long journeys feel effortless. The steering is precise, and the car feels stable and secure at all speeds. It’s a brilliant all-rounder that’s as happy on a B-road as it is on the M1.
Performance
The XF comes with an excellent choice of powerful and efficient engines. The diesel range is based around a 2.0-litre ‘Ingenium’ engine, available with 161bhp, 178bhp, or a powerful 237bhp. There’s also a fantastic 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo diesel with 296bhp for effortless performance.
The petrol engine range starts with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit with either 197bhp or 247bhp. The range-topping ‘S’ model gets a thrilling 3.0-litre supercharged V6 with an impressive 375bhp, which delivers sports car performance and a wonderful soundtrack.
Running costs
Fuel economy & CO2 emissions
For such a large and luxurious car, the XF can be surprisingly cheap to run, especially with the diesel engines. The entry-level 161bhp 2.0-litre diesel is the star performer, with an official average fuel consumption of 70.6mpg and very low CO2 emissions of just 104g/km. This makes it a very attractive option for company car drivers and high-mileage private buyers. Even the powerful petrol engines offer reasonable economy for the performance they deliver.
Value for money
The XF represents excellent value for money. When new, it undercut its main German rivals on price, and it comes with a generous level of standard equipment. This makes it a very tempting proposition on the used market, where you can get a lot of luxury, style, and performance for your money. First-generation models, in particular, can be exceptional value.
Reliability & Warranty
The second-generation XF is a reliable car that benefits from Jaguar’s modern engineering. From new, all Jaguars come with a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, which is better than the 60,000-mile limit on many rivals. Insurance costs are also competitive, with the entry-level diesel starting in a reasonable insurance group 25, which is lower than a comparable Audi A6.
Safety
Safety features
The Jaguar XF is a very safe car, achieving the maximum five-star safety rating when it was crash-tested by the experts at Euro NCAP in 2015. It scored highly across all categories, including an impressive 80% for pedestrian safety, thanks to a system that can raise the bonnet in a collision to reduce the severity of injuries.
All models come with a good level of standard safety equipment, including Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and lane departure warning.
Trims & Engines
Trim levels
The XF is available in four main trim levels. The range starts with Prestige, which is very well-equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights, leather seats, cruise control, and rear parking sensors. The R-Sport trim adds a sporty body kit, 18-inch wheels, and perforated leather sports seats.
Portfolio is the luxury-focused trim, adding features like an upgraded Meridian sound system and plusher leather seats. The range-topping S model is the performance flagship, available only with the most powerful V6 engines. It features 19-inch wheels, red brake callipers, a unique ‘S’ body kit, and adaptive suspension.
Engines
The XF engine lineup offers a great mix of efficiency and performance. The most popular engines are the 2.0-litre diesels, with outputs of 161bhp, 178bhp, and 237bhp. A powerful 3.0-litre V6 diesel with 296bhp is also available.
Petrol options include a 2.0-litre four-cylinder with 197bhp or 247bhp, and a fantastic 3.0-litre supercharged V6 with 375bhp for the XF S. Most models come with a smooth eight-speed automatic gearbox and rear-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive is available on some versions for extra traction.