WASHINGTON — The people at Jaguar have been very busy lately introducing new models to the 2017 lineup. We’ve already looked at the surprisingly good F-Pace SUV, which is luxurious, sporty and very handsome. The next new ride is the small luxury sedan; it’s here to do battle with German stalwarts such as the BMW 3 Series, a perennial benchmark in its class. Can the sporty Jaguar XE 35t compete?
If a good driving machine is the main factor in your buying decision, then this new small Jaguar is a hit. The XE 35t is powered by a sweet, supercharged V6, good for 340 hp — a big dose of power — in a class filled with small turbo four-cylinder engines. This is a very sporty machine, even more so than the Cadillac ATS, which until now was the sportiest I’ve driven in the small luxury sedan class.
There’s no lack of power, and the engine sounds good with just a hint of supercharger noises at higher revs. The eight-speed automatic offers quick shifts when pushing the car or nice smooth ones when you just want to cruise.
Handling is top notch, with a very nice steering feel and a willing suspension that begs to be pushed on back roads but doesn’t beat you up on the daily drive. Fuel economy was pretty good for my week — 26.4 mpg and better than the 24 mpg the sticker says over my nearly 700 miles of driving (much more than the 500 miles I was supposed to drive — sorry, Jaguar PR. I couldn’t stop driving it.)
The 2017 Jaguar XE 35t has a starting price of around $41,700. I’m accustomed to testing loaded rides, but this time, the car had just $800 in options and a $43,500 price tag, so it was pretty basic. Almost none will come like this at the dealer.
With this version, you get nice 10-way powered leather seats up front, but they aren’t heated; that’s a worthwhile $1,000 option that also adds heated steering wheel and windshield. The front seats are pretty comfortable for an all-day journey exploring the Lincoln Highway. The rear seats are comfortable, but leg room isn’t top in the class, and it’s best for riders under six feet. Materials are very nice for the price, and the optional NAV works well with the standard eight-inch screen and easy-to-use controls.
While the interior looks very nice, there are a few quibbles. There’s no light with the vanity mirror on my pre-production model, and the three level door panel with an arm rest is too low for me to use.
Outside, the new XE is pretty aggressive for a Jaguar, with a long hood and that now-familiar large grill with the Jaguar head right in the center. The air vents that ride on the front fenders behind the front wheels and add a bit more sport are a nice touch.
The standard 18-inch wheels look good and fill the wheel wells nicely. There is the appearance of a small trunk after the sloped rear end finally meets the short trunk lid.
While there are no extra add-ons or spoilers, this is a pretty sporty-looking sedan without looking like you’re trying — it’s British cool. If you want an even more aggressive look, try the XE R Sport with larger 19-inch wheels and a special body kit with rear spoiler that looks tasteful.
The new Jaguar XE is the small luxury sedan that’s here to take on the best. Finally, Jaguar has a real small sedan that can compete. With available AWD or a different engine geared to fuel economy, the new XE is such a thrill to drive I didn’t want to give it back. If you’re looking for a great handling, fun-to-drive small luxury sedan, Jaguar finally deserves a look with its impressive new XE 35t.
