If technology is one of the primary means by which you judge a luxury car, you should probably walk away from the XJ(L) series. It’s missing the sorts of world-first tech options you’ll find on rivals–and its infotainment and navigation systems are upstaged by vehicles costing a small fraction as much. Menus are hard to find and decipher, there’s a delay between tapping the display and getting a result, and the overall experience is clunky.
The L or long wheelbase adds five inches to the rear, so while the low roof line tapers off a bit too tight for rear seat occupants in the XJ, the L is comfy. The front cabin is spectacular. Above the problematic centerstack is Jaguar’s classic torpedo vents split by an analog clock, all molded into the navy interior. Blue accent lights accentuate the blue-on-white boardroom-at-sea scheme. A one-inch band of inlaid wood trim circles the dash at the windshield, connecting the larger wood panels on the front doors. The overall design offers harmony, symmetry and style in a space that’s too often bumpy at best.
What isn’t bumpy is the ride. There are other luxury liners more fun to drive, but few are as equipped and complete as the XJL.
Dynamic performance is built into every XJ engine to help ensure outstanding performance and efficiency. For responsive, whisper-smooth gear changes and remarkable fuel efficiency, a state-of-the-art 8-speed automatic transmission is mated to all three XJ engines. The engine range extends from the superb 3.0 liter, supercharged V6 340 hp engine found in the XJ and XJ AWD, to the impressive 5.0 liter, supercharged V8 470 hp engine found in the XJ Supercharged, to the most powerful engine ever fitted to the XJ line: the 5.0 liter, supercharged V8 550 hp engine found in the XJR.
price: $84,700 usd
producer: jaguar
period: 2014
