The 2017 Jaguar XF R-Sport Diesel Will Soften Brexit’s Blow
Plenty of comfort, plenty of cruising power, plenty of good looks, the Jaguar XF R-Sport Diesel is a sweet ride at any time.
The 2017 Jaguar XF 20d AWD R-Sport is the sporty turbocharged diesel version of the XF executive-sized luxury sedan. Standard equipment includes an 8 speed auto transmission with shift paddles, Instinctive All Wheel Drive, All Surface Progress Control, JaguarDrive Control with Driving Modes, Intelligent Stop-Start and Torque Vectoring 19” Wheels. On the comfort side, 10-way adjustable front seats with memory and heat, a moonroof, a heated steering wheel, keyless entry, Lane Keep Assist, rear camera, blind spot monitoring, and a 380-watt Meridian sound system and leather seats and trim – again, all standard. Options included cooled front seats and heated back seats, a powered trunk, Meridian surround sound, a nav system and the InControl Touch Pro technology package.
The 180 horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel gets 34 combined miles per gallon (30 city, 40 highway) which gets it an EPA/DOT rating of 8 of 10 for fuel economy, 7 of 10 for greenhouse gasses, and 5 of 10 for smog. Safety ratings are not yet available for this model. Total suggested retail price of our tester is $62,295.
Who is the Jaguar XF for?
The 2017 Jaguar XF R-Sport 20d is for individualist professionals. The XF is for individualists in itself, the diesel even more so. Plastic surgeons. Cosmetic dentists. University presidents. Chairmen of foundations. Real estate heavy-hitters. Particularly those who have a lot of miles to drive.
Where did we test it?
We took the 2017 Jaguar XF R-Sport diesel from our Brooklyn HQ through Manhattan and up into the snowy New York Hudson Valley. We had this AWD animal out on untreated roads, salted back roads, iced highways and fully-treated parkways.
The first thing you notice is...
The engine noise of the 2017 Jaguar WF R-Sport diesel is positively truck-like. I mean, it is a diesel, and it sounds just like one in the most stereotypical way. I loved it.
The thing they don’t want you to notice, but you do anyway
No adaptive cruise control?? I paid $62,00 for this thing!
Car is good at
The 2017 Jaguar XF R-Sport diesel is great at cutting up the curves. It’s a great commuter. It’s a great long-distance tourer.
Car is bad at
Well, it’s not good at driving itself. It is missing adaptive cruise control, and the lane keep assist isn’t particularly adept at anything more than minor adjustments.
Ratings
Performance: 3.5
Comfort: 4.5
Luxury: 4
Hauling people: 4
Hauling stuff: 3
Curb appeal: 4.5
Wow factor: 3
Overall: 3.78
Would you buy it?
I would love owning it, that’s for sure. But the lag time on the touch screens makes me want to change my password to killmenow.
Deep thoughts
It’s no secret, I love all the modern Jags. I love the F-Type, I think the F-Pace is the best crossover SUV for the money, I did the XE and I really like the XF. There’s distinction that comes with all the Jags. They’re different, they’re rare, and they’re special. And that’s a big part of the appeal. In a keeping-up-with-the-Joneses race of German persuasion, the Jag is a quirky sign of individualism. That’s appealing. And the diesel brings even more individualistic cache.
Otherwise, the XF is a sweet luxury ride. Mine had 2-tone red over dark grey leather interior. Very comfortable, and high quality throughout. Control knobs and buttons are heavy and responsive. Automatic lights, high-beams and wipers all worked well.
When it comes to tech, Jaguar is getting better, but the InControl Touch Pro system is still a pain. It’s slow, confusing and inelegant. You can get used to it, but you’ll never love it. For example, at one point, the Jag threw a low tire pressure warning light, but for the life of me I couldn’t find a display panel that would relay the individual tire pressure readings. Maybe that info was in the InControl Touch Pro system, maybe it wasn’t. Either way, I couldn’t find it.
Specs
Price as tested: $62,295
Powertrain: 2.0-liter i4 Turbocharged Diesel
Fuel economy: 34 combined (30 city, 40 highway)
Upholstery colors: Two (Jet/Red Duotone with Red Stitch)
