rld14

Funny thing happened tonight, I just drove a 2011 Jaguar XJ.

As I've posted here before in my newbieness (I am a member of Jaguarforums, a sister site to CL) I do own a 2006 XJ and a bit of a Jaguar nut so this was a lot of fun for me.

Friend of mine called me up a few hours ago and invited me out for drinks, dinner, etc. I wasn't feeling it as I have work tomorrow, but then he mentioned that he was out with his neighbor, who had picked up his new XJ yesterday, with that I hopped in my XJ and ran out to meet them. Now, I've seen the car before in person, but this was the first time I got to actually sit in and, since I hadn't started drinking yet , drive one!

I drove the car, literally, about 2 miles, it's dark, it's raining here in Jersey so I wasn't about to hammer it, but the car is amazing. Lexus engineers need to ship one of these to Japan and study the steering on the car, it's wonderful. The steering feedback is incredible, and one of the first things that I noticed when getting into my GS350 after driving my XJ is how lifeless and uncommunicative the steering is on the Lexus but I have a topic for that.

The chassis is fantastic, again, I didn't get to really try this car out, but the ride is smoother more comfortable than my X350 and the chassis/steering a big improvement. The car seems larger (I didn't park my car next to it) but feels smaller if that makes any sense.

One thing that Jaguar sedans have traditionally done very well is to have an incredible balance between a wonderful ride and sharp handling, a Jaguar will have a creamy smooth ride, but unlike a (no offense) LS or Domestic luxury sedan, won't fall apart when you throw it into a corner, this car has this NAILED. One of my gripes with my XJ is that the ride isn't quite as smooth as Pre-04 Jags were even though the handling is still fantastic.

Oh... inside the car... First, unlike my 06 X350, this car is flat out roomy inside, and it's NOT an XJL, it's a standard XJ, for once I didn't feel cramped behind the wheel of an XJ.

The interior is a work of art, and I mean a work of art. The dashboard is amazing, and you have to experience it firsthand to truly appreciate it. The leather is, as you'd expect in a Jag, beautifully done. The seats are very comfortable and supportive. It's always funny to me how cars seem to really show their country of origin from the interior, when you sit in a British car, you KNOW it's an English car, like one Reviewer said, the impression fo sitting in the drawing room of a stuffy London Club is gone. but the car hasn't lost its' "Britishness" and for a Jaguar, that's a big deal. It's not Japanese and not Teutonic. This is good, although the forest effect will be missed.

I already wanted this car, but right now a new XJ is not in the cards for me, and that is even more painful right now, this car is a masterpiece, Jaguar did what's it's done twice before, hit a grand slam.

In 1968 the original XJ was so far ahead of the competition it wasn't even funny, but that car was sold for so long that by the time the Series 3 ended US sales in 1987, it was as competitive as a Cadillac Cimmaron, you bought one because it was hauntingly beautiful, but the competition had the car totally whipped. Then the XJ40 came out for the 1988 model year and it was a fantastic car, but... but it fell apart, had no power and a backseat for children. By the time the car was fixed it was too late, and even facelifting it made it beautiful but it was outclassed, much as I love those cars, they were always a step behind Lexus/MB/BMW/Audi. In 03 the new XJ came out and was a fantastic car, but again, it's been outclassed by the competition and looks like a slightly refreshed '68 XJ6, a slight restyle for the 08 Model Year made the car into something no Jaguar sedan has ever been, ugly.

This time it looks like they got everything right, it's not a car that only die hard Jaguar people will buy like the last XJ, it looks amazing, and you have to see it in the flesh, the car has presence. For the first time in quite a few years, buying an XJ is more than just an emotional choice.

UberNoob

hey id love to hear about your friend's ownership experience

ive been meaning to get one myself down the road but need to find out about the reliability first

rld14

More of a friend of a friend. I currently own an 06 XJ8, no problems save one.. throttle assembly took a crap, that cost over a grand to fix. What's funny is that it was a Denso throttle assembly, nearly identical to the ones on the 3GS V8s. You're not going to be at Lexus reliability levels, but they are at least no worse than other Euro cars, and generally less aggravation than a Benz/BMW

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

What is an X350?

Blackraven

The last-gen XJ (or the Mark 3 XJ 350 and 358)

LexFather

Nice review. New XJ is aluminum and actually lighter than the XF though its bigger. They really seem to have gotten it right once you can get past the styling. Mag reviews have been very favoring about it.

Thanks for sharing.

Mbenz528i

Nice review. I always appreciated Jags. This one, styling wise is certainly growing for me. I look for it to bring a resurgance to the class and to Jaguar as a whole.

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

I agree with you on the interior.

It's stylish and handsome. Everywhere you look, there is always something interesting to touch or look at.

How was the Bowers & Wilkins sound system? Twelve-hundred watts of amplification, 20 speakers and 15 channels, right?

mmarshall

Nice review, rld14. Just by co-incidence, I did a full-review of the new XJ myself today, by CL request.....(I didn't know that you were going to do a mini-review).

I agree with many of your points, BTW, but disagree a little on the power steering and seat-cushion-support.

rld14

Thanks!

The car that I drove didn't have the Bowers & Wilkins stereo, the stock system was on par with the one in my GS350, which is to say that it's a big improvement over the XJ8 that I own.

Reliability hasn't been an issue for me, the only major problem that I have had has been the failure of the Denso throttle body assembly

I had a 95 Vanden Plas that needed about $1,000 in nonwarranty repairs, I sold it in 03 with 145k miles if I recall.

UberNoob

thats not as bad as i thought jags are
previously i have a friend that kept having problems with his XJ
but then he was driving it like bat out of hell (very atypical for a jag driver)
lol

rld14

I drive mine like a madman too

Jags are funny, when they are good, they are very good, when they are bad, they are very bad. I purchased the 95 Vanden Plas new, had it out of warranty for close to 100k miles.

The absolute, deadset most reliable ones ever made were the 95-97 6-cyl sedans, those could, as long as you took care of them, hit 200k with repair costs similar to a Lexus, they were far more reliable than a contemporary S Class, 7 series or A8, etc.

The XJ8s that replaced them were fantastic cars, but suffered from engine issues, most of which werent apparent until the cars were well past warranty.

One thing worth mentioning on mine is fuel economy, before I ditched the Continental EcoCOntact low rolling resistance tires for Pirellis I could just touch 30mpg on the highway.

rld14

Just an update to this...

I have a deposit on an XJ AWD, it's supposed to arrive in March if I'm correct.

The guy with the XJ? Over 2 and a half years later and no issues. He's got nearly 50k on it.

Since I posted this I've put another 30k or so on my XJ8. It's had one thing break, a 2" long vacuum line split open and caused a check engine light. Probably a 50c repair that I did myself.

Meanwhile I've whined enough on here about the issues with my GS.

pbm317

Last year, Jaguar was giving out $100 gift cards to come do a test drive, so I went and drove an XJ. This was their test drive vehicle, but there were tons of electrical and quality issues. Sunroof shade wasn't working, gauge cluster had some issues, and a couple other electrical issues and rattles that were very bad, especially for a unit that you're trying to have people test drive and see how it is.

Yes it has nice interior materials and drives smaller than its size would suggest, but I can't imagine having to deal with the service/warranty departments constantly and having my $80-$100,000 car constantly out of commission.

I was also able to attend a great Jaguar drive event that showcased their latest models and R and RS models. Still impressive, but definitely not quite the flavor of vehicle that I'd personally plunk my money down on.

UZJ100GXR

Have you driven the 4GS? It is miles ahead of the 3GS, but i still hear reviewers complain about the lifeless steering?