The smaller engined Jaguar XF Sportbrake impresses in all areas apart from its straight-line pace
The engine that currently accounts for around 70 per cent of Jaguar XF sales, in the new bodystyle that’s tipped to take a third of Jaguar’s sales in the executive car sector.The Jaguar XF Sportbrake isn’t the first time that Jaguar has built an estate – that privilege belongs to the X-type – but it is the first time the Midlands manufacturer has developed one from the ground up.Jaguar says it benchmarked the XF Sportbrake against the Audi A6 Avant, a car which it virtually matches for luggage capacity, with between 550 and 1675 litres of space. To these eyes, Ian Callum’s design team has set a new benchmark for estate car styling in the class. The Sportbrake is new from the B-pillars back. The subtle tapering of the rear has been reduced to increase space in the back and the C-pillars feature a similar gloss black treatment as the XJ flagship.The 2.2-litre unit tested here is already in service in the XF saloon, and has proved a sales success with its significantly reduced running costs while sacrificing little of the muscular, powerful appeal Jaguars are famed for. That powerplant is provided in both 160bhp and 197bhp output, with matching economy figures of 135g/km and 55.4mpg.
The smaller engined Jaguar XF Sportbrake impresses in all areas apart from its straight-line pace
The engine that currently accounts for around 70 per cent of Jaguar XF sales, in the new bodystyle that’s tipped to take a third of Jaguar’s sales in the executive car sector.The Jaguar XF Sportbrake isn’t the first time that Jaguar has built an estate – that privilege belongs to the X-type – but it is the first time the Midlands manufacturer has developed one from the ground up.Jaguar says it benchmarked the XF Sportbrake against the Audi A6 Avant, a car which it virtually matches for luggage capacity, with between 550 and 1675 litres of space. To these eyes, Ian Callum’s design team has set a new benchmark for estate car styling in the class. The Sportbrake is new from the B-pillars back. The subtle tapering of the rear has been reduced to increase space in the back and the C-pillars feature a similar gloss black treatment as the XJ flagship.The 2.2-litre unit tested here is already in service in the XF saloon, and has proved a sales success with its significantly reduced running costs while sacrificing little of the muscular, powerful appeal Jaguars are famed for. That powerplant is provided in both 160bhp and 197bhp output, with matching economy figures of 135g/km and 55.4mpg.