2022 Jaguar XF Sedan

As the last remaining sedan bearing the Jaguar name, the 2022 XF has a lot riding on its shoulders. The fact that it enters the new year mostly unchanged could be seen as a bad thing, but the Jaguar XF remains one of the most beautiful cars in this segment. The British sedan's German competitors - the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series - haven't been quite so nonchalant about their current-gen gasoline cars. They still offer six-cylinder power, while the XF makes do with a 296-horsepower four-cylinder as its most potent powertrain. But while it may lack in performance, there is no denying its good looks or its quality interior. Jags are also slightly cheaper than the Germans, offering great value for the money. This might be your last chance to get behind the wheel of a combustion-engined XF unless you want to wait for the electric version.

If there is one area where we can't fault the XF, it's the car's great looks. This helps it stand out from more reserved executive sedans from Mercedes-Benz or Audi. The 2021 redesign really helped the Jag find itself, and now we get to enjoy its sleek lines, slim LED headlights, and bold lower bumper air intakes. It also gets Double J LED daytime running lights, premium LED headlights, and a mesh grille that isn't oversized like BMW's new double kidney grille. Filling the wheel arches are 18-inch alloys on the base P250 S, while the upper trims get 19s and 20s are available if you want to spec them. The P300 boasts an R-Dynamic exterior that includes a gloss black finish to the lower bumper and air intake surrounds.

Though not the largest of sedans in its dimensions, the XF stands proud at 195.4 inches long and 57.3 inches tall. It has a 116.5-inch wheelbase and a wall-to-wall turning circle of 39.4 feet. A width of 81.5 inches with the mirrors out means it isn't too difficult to park.

The Jaguar sedan is also one of the lighter models in its classification, coming in at 3,655 pounds in base guise and tipping the scales at 3,845 lbs on the top-end R-Dynamic.

The Jaguar XF presents buyers with an interesting palette of colors in the USA, including some blues, reds, and even a distinctive green. If you want to keep costs down, Fuji White is your only no-cost option, while the majority of the metallic paints will add $600 to the bill. These include Eiger Grey, Hakuba Silver, Santorini Black, Bluefire Blue, Portofino Blue, Firenze Red, British Racing Green, and Ostuni Pearl Whie. The premium metallic paints consist of Carpathian Grey and Silicon Silver, both for $850. This elegant sedan looks sophisticated in just about any color you can choose.

With only a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine at its disposal, the Jaguar XF can seem underpowered compared to its German counterparts, who all offer buyers the option of six-cylinder muscle. However, the Jag is by no means slow. In the P250 models, the four-pot is tuned to develop 246 hp and 269 lb-ft, which is enough to ensure a 0 to 60 mph sprint time of 6.5 seconds. However, the engine is tuned up in the P300 to develop a more impressive 296 hp and 295 lb-ft. This cuts 0.7 seconds off the sprint time to help the XF get to 60 mph in less than six seconds.

You can only have the P250 with rear-wheel drive whereas the P300 only comes with all-wheel drive. The RWD makes the car lighter on its feet, but AWD makes it more confident. Jaguar Drive Control is standard no matter the drivetrain, with modes for Comfort, Eco, Rain-Ice-Snow, and Dynamic. Unlike its German rivals, the Jag isn't electronically limited to 130 mph, boasting a top speed of 155 mph.

Unlike in the past, the XF sedan is not available with a V6 powertrain. Instead, it makes do with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder in one of two states of tune. Under the hood of the P250 S and SE, it thrums with a mediocre 246 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. The P250 engine comes with rear-wheel drive exclusively. These figures aren't overly impressive, but the XF doesn't weigh much, so this is actually enough for it to feel lively around town, even if overtaking on the highway may require a little planning. For a little extra kick in the pants, the same four-pot can be tuned to 296 hp and 295 lb-ft in the P300. This comes paired with AWD as standard, but it feels a lot quicker and stronger, even with the extra weight. This is where highway cruising becomes truly enjoyable.

Both engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, which does a great job of selecting the gear you need at any given time, ensuring smooth acceleration. However, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters are included in every model, so you can get some hands-on engagement with the shifts. It's not necessary, since the auto knows what it's doing, but it is a nice touch.

The Jaguar XF sedan may be a sporty-looking executive, but it isn't trying to be a performance vehicle that can rival the likes of an AMG or M model from Mercedes or BMW, respectively. This doesn't mean it isn't fun to drive, though. The Dynamic mode setting gives the engine a prod, making it louder and more eager to rev for you. It also tightens up the steering a bit.

The XF has enough power to flow easily with the traffic, and it can go surprisingly fast when needed. Thanks to its low and wide body, it handles really well, too. Sharp turns don't easily upset it, and body roll is almost non-existent. However, it's not going to blow any minds with high-speed, corner-bending maneuvers.

Comfort mode is where you will spend most of your time, and there's nothing wrong with that. In this configuration, the suspension softens a little to better soak up bumps and rough patches in the road. Along with the quiet and comfortable cabin, this works to ensure a serene commute. The gearbox does a great job of going unnoticed, especially during up and downshifts when turning. Still, we like the addition of shifter paddles for those drivers who want a bit more control.

Sticking to a low-displacement turbo four-pot has its advantages, which include some appealing gas mileage figures. Since the Jaguar is already quite a bit cheaper than its premium rivals, doubling down on value is a smart move that pays off well. In its lower state of tune, the four-cylinder engine returns frugal figures of 25/33/28 mpg across the city/highway/combined cycles. This goes for the RWD P250 models. The heavier P300 with AWD takes a minor hit in this department, dropping these numbers down to 22/30/25 mpg. These figures stack up really well against the BMW 5 Series, which is widely considered to be the benchmark for good fuel economy in the high-performance classification.

With its 19.5-gallon tank, the Jaguar XF can travel up to 546 with the thrifty four-cylinder engine or 488 miles if you want the higher-performance model.

Good looks are a point of pride to Jaguar, so it stands to the reason that the interior should be highly attractive. In fact, it is almost as luxurious as any cabin you'd find in a German executive sedan. High-quality materials abound, and the tech got a major upgrade last year. The styling is relatively minimalist, but it suits the car well. The touchscreen is crisp and responsive, and loaded with features, to boot. However, there are a few analog rotary dials remaining, such as the one that controls the driving mode. This is a nice touch for shoppers who may be overwhelmed by too many menus in the infotainment display. Overall, there is enough space for up to four passengers in comfort and five at a squeeze, and the trunk is larger than average for the segment.

There is no denying that the cabin of the XF is a comfortable place to spend your daily commute. Not only is it pleasing to the eye, but it's also a relief to your back and bottom. The seats are plushly appointed and well-cushioned, and there is ample room to stretch out in the front. Headroom is respectable at 40 inches, which should be plenty for even six-plus footers, but 41.5 inches of legroom is the really impressive figure. Naturally, the rear seats are not quite as spacious, since this is a car meant to be driven rather than driven in, but they are not worrying, either. Headroom drops down to 38 inches and legroom is reduced to 37.7 inches. This is still more than enough for most adults to remain comfortable even over longer trips.

Should you opt for the panoramic roof, you'll have to accept a two-inch reduction in headroom up front. As for seat-related features, 12-way power-adjustable and heated front seats are standard, while driver memory is added at SE level. Rear-seat heating is also an option.

Perforated DuoLeather is the standard upholstery for the Jag, presented in Ebony, Light Oystery, or Caraway with matching-color soft-touch upholstery on the dash and door panels, trimmed in Ebony. Windsor leather is available at an $800 surcharge in the SE, but it adds no additional color themes. The R-Dynamic is a sportier variant of the SE. As such, it replaces the mild Caraway tones with more vivid Mars Red. But, if brown is your favorite color, you can opt for Sienna Tan. Once again, Windsor leather is available, in all the same colors, but it costs $1,450 on the R-Dynamic. All-in-all, the materials used inside the cabin of top-notch in quality. The cabin is also extremely well put-together, with any hard plastics hidden from view.

Sedans don't often have spacious trunks, and premium models often sacrifice even more to optimize room for passengers. The Jag follows suit with only 10.1 cubic feet of trunk space, which is less than what rival BMWs and Mercs offer. If you need to lug around more awkwardly shaped cargo, the rear seats can be folded down in a 40/20/40 split.

In-cabin storage is adequate. There is a spacious compartment inside the center armrest, while dual cupholders and a host of bins around the console can accommodate smaller items. The door pockets aren't enormous, but they do supply a little extra room for loose items.

The XF is a luxury vehicle and comes equipped as such, even in its affordable base guise. These standard features on the base model include keyless entry, push-button start, dual-zone climate control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, three 12-volt sockets, and wireless phone charging. The front seats are power-adjustable in 12 directions and get heating functions as standard.

The starting safety suite comprises a rearview camera, blind-spot assist, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, lane-keep assist, forward collision warning with emergency braking, and attention assist. Upgrading to the SE adds a driver's-seat memory function, a digital instrument cluster, an adaptive speed limiter, and traffic sign recognition. Optional features include heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, a head-up display, and adaptive cruise control.

The new Pivi Pro infotainment suite introduced in 2021 continues to be a highlight of the Jaguar XF. At the core of the system is an 11.4-inch curved touchscreen. Standard features include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM, and HD Radio. Two USB sockets allow for smartphone connection and charging. The system can be further upgraded with navigation and Wi-Fi hotspot capability.

The standard sound system consists of 12 speakers from Meridian, while a 16-speaker setup is available. The touchscreen is easy enough to navigate and responds quickly to inputs, but here are some rotary knobs, too, specifically for adjusting volume and operating the climate control. The steering wheel gets a set of buttons to operate the infotainment while driving.

Since the XF has no ratings from the J.D. Power's ownership survey, it can be hard to get a first-hand account of the car's reliability. However, there are no notable complaints logged against the XF at the NHTSA and the only recent recall was issued in 2021. The reason for this was a malfunctioning seat belt retractor. It is otherwise trouble-free. Before that, the XF was last recalled in early 2018, so it's been affected by far fewer major issues than its German rivals.

The standard warranty on a newly purchased Jaguar is five years/60,000 miles, including the powertrain, with a maintenance plan for the same period. This is better coverage than what's offered by the Germans.

No crash tests of the Jaguar XF have yet been conducted by the NHTSA and the IIHS, and it's unlikely either of the authority will subject the luxury sedan to crash evaluations in the near future. The basics are covered in terms of safety features, however.

The standard safety suite on the XF is adequate if not quite as extensive as you may find on some of its rivals. There is, of course, the expected ABS, traction and stability control, and airbags - six, in this case, covering dual front, front side, and side curtain. More advanced driver-assistance tech includes a rearview camera, front and rear parking aids, blind-spot assist, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, a driver attention monitor, and for the SE, a traffic sign recognition system. Optional extras include adaptive cruise control.

There is a lot to like about the Jaguar XF. It looks amazing and gives loads of color choices to help it stand out from the many black, grey, and silver luxury sedans out there. In R-Dynamic guise, it looks a bit sportier, and it also gets a more potent engine. This is one of the areas where the Jag falls behind its German competition, though, as they offer buyers even more engine choices, including some racy six-cylinder options.

Even with its best turbo-four, the XF is barely quicker than the base BMW 530i, and the Jag isn't as agile either. That being said, the Jaguar XF is a light car and feels quicker than you'd expect. It handles everyday traffic with ease, which makes it an excellent commuter. It also has some of the best fuel economy figures in the classification.

In terms of luxury, it won't beat a Merc E-Class, but the XF uses lots of high-quality materials, and the cabin is comfortable. It gets a fair number of luxury features as standard, including power front seats with heating, and the infotainment system is on the ball. Safety is a priority, too, with almost as many advanced driver aids as you'd find in more expensive cars.

And this is the crux of the matter. The Jaguar is far more affordable than the majority of its luxury rivals. Even so, it is rarer on the road, and with its good looks, it really stands out and turns heads. It may not be the best in any one area, but it's a good all-rounder and its price tag makes it a great access point to the luxury sedan segment.

The price of the 2022 Jaguar XF is well below that of its most direct premium rivals from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. In base configuration, the P250 S will only cost you $45,300. Even the better-equipped P250 SE manages to stay below the $50k mark at $48,100. But, if you want the sporty good looks and increased power of the P300 R-Dynamic SE, you'll have to pony up an extra three grand or so, as it has an MSRP of $51,000. These prices do not include Jaguar's destination charge of $1,150 or any other taxes and fees.

There are three distinct models in the Jaguar XF range for 2022: the P250 S, the P250 SE, and the P300 R-Dynamic SE. They all use the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, but it develops 246 hp and 269 lb-ft in the P250 models and 296 hp and 295 lb-ft in the P300. Every model comes with the same eight-speed automatic transmission, but the P250 gets rear-wheel drive and the P300 comes with all-wheel drive.

Starting things off is the P250 S, which is equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and daytime running lights, and a sliding panoramic sunroof. The interior is upholstered in leather and the front seats are heated and power-adjustable in 12 directions. Standard features comprise dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, push-button start, wireless smartphone charging, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. An 11.4-inch touchscreen operates the infotainment, which includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, HD Radio, SiriusXM, and Bluetooth, channeled through a 12-speaker Meridian sound system. The driver-assistance suite comprises lane-keep assist, cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision avoidance, front and rear park assist, and driver attention assist.

Along with larger 19-inch alloy wheels, the P250 SE is outfitted with power-folding exterior mirrors linked to a memory system. Inside, it adds a digital instrument cluster and a driver's seat with memory. The only additional standard features are traffic-sign recognition and an adaptive speed limiter.

The P300 R-Dynamic is the only model to get the more powerful engine, and it gets unique exterior elements to stand out. These include gloss-black bumper, grille, air intake, and side sill accents. It also gets an R-Dynamic leather steering wheel, sports seats, contrast stitching, and Ebony Morzine headliner.

The P250 S is not particularly customizable, but you can add premium cabin lighting for $200. The SE trims offer a lot more options, such as adaptive cruise control ($1,200), a ClearSight rearview mirror ($450), and heated rear seats ($500). The $1,000 Convenience Pack adds an electric rear window sunblind, additional power sockets, an activity key, and soft-close doors. The Dynamic Handling Pack ($1,350) comprises red brake calipers, a trunk-lid spoiler, adaptive dynamics, configurable dynamics, and JaguarDrive Control with Adaptive Surface Response. The Black Exterior Pack for the P250 SE is akin to the R-Dynamic and gives the air intakes, grille surround, trunk lid, and badging gloss black finishing for $550. Upgrading to the 16-speaker Meridian sound system will cost you $600, and the head-up display costs $1,050.

The Jaguar XF is most appealing when seen as a more affordable premium sedan, so keeping costs down is key, otherwise, you may as well be buying a Mercedes E-Class or BMW 5 Series, which are arguably better. However, the base P250 S doesn't give you much in the way of customization options above and beyond its moderately generous list of features. The P250 SE stays below the $50k mark and adds some desirable driver assist. The more powerful engine on the P300 is tempting, but then you should avoid adding anything extra as that will move it dangerously close to German price territory.

When it comes to good-looking, go-fast executive sedans, the BMW 5 Series is one of the biggest names in the segment. It's a bold vehicle with a glorious powertrain that empowers it with top-notch sprint times. The starter 248-hp four-pot is almost as quick as the best engine available to the XF, while the turbocharged inline-six leaves the Jag in the dust with its 335 hp and 331 lb-ft.

BMWs excel at spirited driving, so the 5 Series easily bests the XF around the bends, and it remains poised while doing so. The interior is just as luxurious, if not more so, and it comes with plenty of safety and infotainment features. However, the German brand has a habit of making shoppers pay a lot extra for desirable features, many of which come standard on the XF. If you're comparing four-cylinder models, there is only a small gap in performance and the good looks of the British sedan are a standout highlight. Unless you refuse to settle for less than a six-cylinder, the choice isn't as clear-cut as you might think. A test drive will be essential to see which one feels right for you.

When it comes to sheer luxury, Mercedes-Benz is hard to beat. The E-Class was updated just before the Jaguar XF, so both cars sport modern good looks, though the Merc is a little more reserved in its styling. However, the E-Class is also one of the most expensive cars in the segment, which gives the Jag a headstart when it comes to value for money and the base price.

Both cars share similar infotainment and safety tech, though by comparison, the Mercedes has a bit more in the way of convenience and luxury. Equipped with a four-cylinder it's about on par with the XF in terms of performance, but it does give buyers the option to upgrade to six cylinders - something the Jaguar does not. Nevertheless, the smaller, lighter XF handles better. It definitely seems that each competitor comes out ahead in one area or another, but are these small victories enough to warrant spending an extra four grand on a Mercedes over the Jaguar? We feel that there are many buyers who may not think so, though we wouldn't blame anyone for choosing the Merc if they have the spare cash.