The old Jaguar XJ was considered one of the most conservative looking luxury cars, but the latest XJ has shaken off the Gentleman's Club image thanks to its classy looks and superb driving experience.
The speed of the Jaguar XJ, combined with its low driving position and wrap-around cockpit, make it the best handling car in its class and create the impression you're driving a sports car, until you look behind and see how much space there is.
However, the nimble handling of the Jaguar comes as a result of the sacrifice of some comfort: even in the long wheelbase models rear headroom is not as good as that found in the Mercedes or Audi.
The swoopy and dynamic looking XJ is available in short and long-wheelbase body styles, and its latest styling tweaks ensure there’s a close family resemblance to the smaller Jaguar XF and Jaguar XE models. Dealers offer the standard wheelbase Jaguar XJ for sale in a range of model trims, starting with the XJ Luxury which provides a panoramic glass roof, LED headlamps, 14-way heated seats and four zone climate control amongst its highlights.
Next up is the XJ Premium which adds metallic paint, leather heated and cooled seats, and a 380 Watt audio upgrade, while the XJ Portfolio model delivers LED adaptive headlamps, 18-way seat adjustment, massaging front seats, blind spot and collision monitoring, reverse traffic detection, and an 825 Watt audio upgrade with digital TV.
If you want the long-wheelbase model, then the first three trim levels are the same, but instead of the sporty options Jaguar offers the XJ Autobiography – a truly luxurious flagship with rear tables and twin rear 10-inch JD screens, a 1,300 Watt audio system, massaging rear seats and a surround camera system with park assist.
Details of the facelift in 2015 include design tweaks comprising of a larger, more upright grille, twin 'J-blade' LED day-running lights and at the rear the light clusters have a similar 'J-blade' LED graphic and a new bumper with twin oval exhaust pipes. The 2015 model changes also brought in new electric power steering, a raft of new safety kit and a far more intuitive touchscreen infotainment system called InControl Touch Pro and a new configurable 12.3-inch TFT instrument cluster.
Engines, performance and drive
4.6
Sharp steering and agile chassis makes XJ the best limo to drive, but that also means it's firmer on the road than rivals.
The steering on the Jaguar XJ is light and precise, and it all adds up to create a car that seems to shrink around you in a way its rivals can't. However, the pay-off can be a jittery ride over poor surfaces and the rear visibility is poor because of the tiny rear window. If you can afford it, the 335bhp 3.0-litre supercharged V6 fitted to the Jaguar XJ is rapid and makes a great noise.
