Jaguar XF 2.2 Diesel 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel with Intelligent Stop/Start and 8-speed ZF automatic transmission 140kW/450Nm:
Jaguar XF 2.2 Diesel Luxury: $78,900 (Manufacturer’s List Price)
Jaguar XF 2.2 Diesel Premium Luxury: $86,100 (Manufacturer’s List Price)
Sir William Lyons, Jaguar founder, said from day one that his company was in the business of making
‘Beautiful Fast Cars’ and that’s pretty much what they’ve been doing for years, give or take the odd hiccup.
Ian Callum, Jaguar’s Director of Design, has essentially transformed
the iconic British carmaker into a design powerhouse that is fast
becoming the envy of the big three German luxury automotive brands.
So it might come as somewhat of a surprise to some that Jaguar has
just released a 2.2-litre diesel in the mid-size XF model line-up.
I know what you’re thinking, ‘a 2.2 litre diesel in a mid-size Jaguar
saloon weighing in at 1745 kilograms sounds like a rather dull
marriage.
Thankfully, that’s not the case.
‘Beautiful Fast Cars’ are alive and well at Jaguar, even in small displacement diesel guise.
Despite its rather modest displacement the latest edition to the XF
model range, is anything but tardy. With 140 kW and 450 Nm on tap from
just 2000 rpm, acceleration is surprisingly rapid. In fact, it’s better
than that. Open it up on a straight stretch of rural Queensland tarmac
and this car delivers a positively ‘fast car experience’. Certainly it
feels quicker than it’s published 0-100km/h sprint time of 8.5 seconds,
when all 450 of those Newton-metres are on song. That’s especially so
during in-gear acceleration from third gear on up.
Fancy the latest 8-speed ZF transmission with your 2.2-litre diesel
XF? It’s an exotic gearbox as transmissions go these days, but it’s
standard kit across all three 2012 Jaguar XF diesel variants. The shifts
are silky smooth, not to mention quick. That’s on the up-shift and
downshift.
It certainly puts the power down very nicely and with little or no
fuss. That said jump on the throttle for a fast getaway at a busy
intersection, and there’s a momentary pause in response until the needle
nudges 2000 rpm. That’s unlike the larger 3.0-litre diesel powertrain,
which reacts instantaneously to heavy throttle input from a standing
start.
It’s no deal breaker as the XF 2.2 diesel is far too rewarding a
drive for that to be of any major consequence. Moreover, this Jag has a
decided skew towards best practice fuel economy and emissions output.
That’s despite offering a performance package that would satisfy all but
the most ardent performance enthusiasts.
To put that into some perspective, the XF 2.2 Diesel will get as good
as 5.4L/100km on a combined reading. On a diet of highway kilometres
alone, expect fuel consumption to fall to 4.8L/100km or lower.
On the other hand, hammer the living daylights out of this car across
undulating terrain for a 100 plus kilometres and you can’t possibly use
any more than 6.9L/100km. That is quite a remarkable feat for a
not-so-light luxury express. Despite the sports sedan style performance,
CO2 emissions are just 149g/km.
This XF 2.2 Diesel is also the first ever Jaguar to fitted with stop
start technology, which is clearly beneficial in the quest for better
fuel efficiency. Of course, you can switch the system off, which in some
cases would assist in more rapid starts, or by switching the
transmission into ‘Sport’ mode, the ‘Intelligent Stop Start will
automatically deactivate.
Jaguar has clearly worked hard eliminating any annoying cabin noise
when hard on the throttle in the XF 2.2. You can still hear some muffled
diesel clatter at idle and during standing start getaways, but you’d be
hard pressed to tell you hard a small diesel under the bonnet at a
steady 80km/h on the highway.
The moment you come across some of this undulating rural terrain, be
sure and use the steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters, if you intend
pushing things on a little, as you’re in for a treat and much more than
you might have expected from a fuel conscious mid-to-large size
four-door luxury sedan.
Like the rest of Jaguar’s latest XF fleet, the 2.2 diesel is a
beautifully balanced motorcar and doesn’t mind being thrown around the
more twisty sections of tarmac. There’s some slight front-end tip in
when turning in aggressively, but that’s as far as it goes. There’s also
a tonne of grip from the standard Pirelli P Zero rubber all round, but
if you’re one of those customers that wants the best possible compromise
between performance and handling, then go ahead and tick the 18-inch
wheel option for more grip and traction.
While we have yet to drive on the standard 17-inch alloys that are
fitted to the Luxury spec variant, it would be difficult to improve on
the general ride quality offered with the larger wheel size package.
Jaguar’s Servotronic steering is something else worthy of some
considerable praise on the new diesel variant. There’s absolutely no
play from dead-centre along with plenty of weight and an especially
sharp response from the slightest driver input. There’s also some
excellent feedback through the very tactile sports leather steering
wheel.
Like all Luxury carmakers, Jaguar offers its customers an array of
additional features over and above the standard kit. But Jaguar, in
particular, has generally been more generous in this respect than their
German competitors, usually proving more for less.
The XF 2.2 is no exception and even in the entry level ‘Luxury’ spec
the inventory of creature comforts is extensive. Some of those features
include Bi-function Xenon headlamps with daytime running lights, Rain
sensing wipers and auto headlamps, 7-inch colur touchscreen, which is
remarkably intuitive, electrically adjustable steering column, Bluetooth
streaming, front and rear one-touch windows up and down with anti trap
and a host more and too many to itemise in this review.
There’s one exception though, if you’re into your music. You’ll be hard
pressed to find a better sound system than the optional 1200W Bowers
& Wilkins with 17 speakers.
Despite the opulence, Jaguar has a made a few improvements inside the
cockpit of the 2012 XF line-up. For starters, there’s a new front and
rear seat design, which incorporates increased side and seat bolster for
better car control in those more enthusiastic driving moments. There’s
also a new instrument panel that is now a full colour TFT screen.
Exterior-wise there wasn’t a lot wrong with the previous model XF,
but with revisions such as the sheetmetal revisions to the grille,
bonnet and front wings for an altogether sleeker profile. That’s mostly
the result of the lower profile grille and front headlight assembly,
which incorporate jaguar’s signature ‘J-Blade’ assembly.
The triangular side vents are also new and while they certainly offer a
neater look, I prefer the vertical treatment on the previous model for a
more aggressive stance, but that’s just me.
I’m also not overly keen on the XF 2.2’s single exhaust pipe; it
detracts from the overall balance and stance of the car. These days,
customers in this automotive segment have come to expect dual tailpipes.
Again, it’s no deal breaker and it’s one of the few gripes I have about
the car and won’t affect the XF’s on road performance in any way.
With loads of get up and go, excellent ride and handling and even
better styling, inside and out, there’s precious little not to like
about the Jaguar’s latest diesel powered XF, despite it’s small
displacement engine and penchant for fuel efficiency.
It might be the entry level variant, but the 78,900 Jaguar XF 2.2 Luxury is still very much a ‘Beautiful Fast Car’.
Source:
Car Advice Australia
