Jaguar unveils updated XF saloon with improved interior
Specific focus on luxury materials and noise deadening for BMW 5 Series rival
JAGUAR has revealed a facelifted version of the XF executive saloon and sportbrake, in a bid to make its BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-class rival more alluring.
The British car maker has specifically focused on the interior, an area of the car which has often been seen as falling short when compared to its competitors. The “tactile and luxurious” cabin, shared with the F-Pace, has been razed of all cheap-seeming materials, instead opting for wood veneer and aluminium finishes, as well as a “piano lid” that encompasses the width of the dashboard.
Seats, meanwhile, have gained wider cushioning, as well as enhanced coverage of heated and cooled areas and optional massage functions. Practicality has also been improved, with more space for storage in the door pockets, and easier access thanks to a 360-degree grab handle.
There’s also an optional addition to the XF’s interior in the form of a “purify” button that ionises the air in the car, and PM2.5 air filters that stop the entry of some unwanted particles into the car. Other optional additions include a wireless phone charger with an inbuilt signal booster.
A new infotainment system, also found in the new Land Rover Defender, is controlled through a touchscreen which Jag claims has better clarity than the outgoing one, as well as being three times brighter and nearly 50% bigger, at 11.4in. Nine out of 10 common tasks can be completed through the system in two taps or fewer, the car maker says.
The driver display is also more sophisticated than in the outgoing model, taking the form of an interactive 12.3in screen with better graphics and a configurable layout. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility both come as standard.
To make the XF extra quiet so that the executive target audience can better focus on their business discussions, Jaguar has introduced Active Road Noise Cancellation technology to the XF, which it claims is a first for the segment. This records the exact frequency of the road noise so that it can produce the opposite sound wave, which in theory results in silence, like adding acid to alkaline to create a neutral PH.
A quality-over-quantity approach has also been applied to the XF range, with the number of the derivatives slashed from 64 to 28, “a move that both reduces manufacturing complexity and retains the most popular features selected by customers”.
There are now three powertrains: two petrol four-cylinders, with 247bhp or 296bhp, and a diesel mild hybrid setup that puts out 201bhp. The latter offers 24bhp more than the diesel unit it replaces, while reducing emissions by 13%.
The range topping petrol XF, which is only available with four-wheel drive, can sprint from 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds.
On the exterior, only mild changes have been made, including a wider front grille and larger air intakes, and new superslim headlights have been added.
While the XF has been made more luxurious, it will cost less than the outgoing model. Prices begin at £32,585, around £2,500 less than the outgoing model and £6,000 or so cheaper than a BMW 5-Series, one of its closest competitors. Deliveries begin next year.
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