Now Is The Time To Buy A Used Jaguar XF Sportbrake

Station wagons have always been a hard sell to SUV-loving Americans. Wagons account for just 1.4 percent of the US car market and 85 percent of those sales are made up of the Subaru Outback. Yet a handful of automakers continue to offer them, including Jaguar that still has a wagon in its lineup for the 2020 model year.

The Jaguar XF Sportbrake arrived in the US for the 2018 model year and remains on sale despite rumors of its cancelation. It may not be able to keep pace with the Mercedes-AMG E63 Wagon or the upcoming Audi RS6 Avant but the Jag does have a major advantage over its German rivals - it is now a used bargain.

The Jaguar XF Sportbrake is among the prettiest luxury cars we've ever seen. Sure, the new RS6 is more aggressive and we could argue that the Volvo V90 is equally pretty, but that would involve taking credit away from Jaguar for continuing to build this practical piece of artwork. The Jag perfectly blends the sporty styling of wagons like the E63 and RS6 with the more subdued nature of the V90. And since Jaguars have a tendency to depreciate faster than they accelerate, now is a great time to buy one used.

Buying a brand-new 2020 XF Sportbrake is not a cheap proposition. Pricing starts at $65,150 for the Prestige model with the turbocharged four-cylinder engine while stepping up to the S model with the supercharged V6 costs $71,800. The Sportbrake has only been on sale since the 2018 model year but certified pre-owned prices already start at around $47,000. Given that the 2018 model was only available in the S trim level for an MSRP of $70,450, it has already lost nearly one-third of its value in just three years.

Combine this with Jaguar's stellar CPO program and the XF Sportbrake shapes up to be a smart purchase. All Jaguar CPO vehicles include a dealer-certified 165-point inspection with a basic and powertrain warranty lasting seven years or 100,000 miles (whichever comes first) from the original in-service date.

At first, Jaguar only offered the XF Sportbrake as an S model with the 3.0-liter supercharged V6 sending 380 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque out to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. 0 to 60 mph in this more potent version takes around 5.3 seconds. If you want something a little more frugal, Jaguar added a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine for 2019, producing 296 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque also going out to AWD. 0 to 60 mph is a bit slower at 5.7 seconds but the four-cylinder will get 24-mpg combined compared to the V6's 21-mpg. Based on current used prices, it seems worth it to get the more powerful (and better sounding) V6.

The Jaguar XF boasts a clean and simple design language that is inoffensive. Its technology isn't quite on par with the best that Audi and Mercedes have to offer, but most of the major features you'd expect from a modern luxury car can be found here. Jaguar never sold a "base" model Sportbrake here in the US, so they all come pretty well-equipped. Opting for one of the two-tone interiors like the black & red combination of the Chequered Flag Edition goes a long way towards dressing up the cabin.

The main reason why you'd choose an XF Sportbrake over the traditional sedan is the massive cargo area. Jaguar's wagon offers 31.7 cubic feet behind the second row, which opens to 69.7 cubic feet with the seats folded down. The XF sedan, by comparison, only offers 17.8 cubic feet in the trunk. Even the Jaguar F-Pace SUV, which offers more space behind the second row (33.5 cubic feet), offers less overall storage capacity (63.5 cubic feet) due to its shorter length.

The XF Sportbrake is a rare sight in the US. Jaguar sells fewer than 500 of them each year compared to almost 15,000 copies of the F-Pace SUV. This means we could only find slightly over a dozen CPO examples for sale, ranging between $47,000 and $61,000. If you can find a nice example in your area, we highly suggest buying one now before they are too old to qualify for Jaguar's CPO program.