Used 2020 Jaguar XE

The Jaguar XE is a compact-premium sports sedan that doesn’t sell nearly as well as its Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class rivals. To address this, the English company has improved the 2020 Jaguar XE in several ways while also simplifying its model lineup.

Jaguar has dropped the supercharged V6 and the efficient 2-liter diesel engine from the XE lineup, leaving the 2020 XE with just one powerplant: a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder with either 247 or 296 horsepower. Both send power rearward via an 8-speed automatic transmission with available paddle shifters.

The XE S model is a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) or all-wheel-drive (AWD) XE powered by the 247-horsepower engine. The XE R-Dynamic S, powered by the 296-horsepower powerplant, is available exclusively with AWD. The XE S hits 60 mph in 6.2 seconds; the XE R-Dynamic S hits 60 in only 5.4. Top speed for both is electronically limited to 155 mph.

Improvements to the new 2020 Jag XE begin with dramatically improved front and rear styling, plus a totally redone interior with improved materials, lots of soft-touch surfaces and an electronic shift lever being used in place of last year’s rotary dial. An optional 10-inch infotainment screen beautifully integrated into the top of the center stack lets XE drivers control numerous functions without taking their eyes off the road.

JaguarDrive control interface, taken from the F-Type sports car, is standard on the 2020 XE. It allows the driver to choose among Comfort/Eco/Rain/Ice and Dynamic chassis settings, which tailor the steering, throttle and gearbox for each respective mode. Adjustable suspension damping is available, but only if you order your 2020 Jaguar XE with the Dynamic Handling Pack, which groups performance-related items such as adaptive shock absorbers.

KBB test drove a 2020 Jaguar XE, an S model fitted with the 247-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter. How was it? Remarkably refined and rewarding, with adequate but not overwhelming power.

We were immediately impressed with the quietness, refinement and agility of the compact Jag sports sedan on the winding roads of southern France, which included the famous Route Napoleon. Turbo boost and power arrived in a smooth and linear fashion, and although the XE’s electric-assist steering felt a bit heavy at first, it quickly began to feel normal as we flung the car up and down the tight and twisty narrow canyon roads. Staggered-width tires — size 225/40-19 in front and 255/35R-19 in back — provided plenty of grip on the rock-lined and occasionally wet roads.

All the while, the turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder — mounted back in the chassis for ideal 50/50 weight distribution — propelled this 3,600-pound sports sedan with confidence. Turbo lag was basically nonexistent, and the 8-speed automatic transmission upshifted smoothly but with good crispness any time we were aggressive with the throttle.

Although the 2020 Jaguar XE is fitted with an automatic stop/start system, its restarts weren’t especially smooth, so we tended to switch the system off every time we fired up the Jag.

Perhaps the biggest change to the 2020 Jaguar XE is its interior, which benefits from the I-Pace’s steering wheel, improved materials and the increased use of soft-touch materials throughout, together with redesigned door panels that offer significantly better storage space and door panels that are wider and softer for added comfort. Moreover, the XE’s center console, upper instrument binnacle and dash are now covered in premium finishes that are complemented by handsome wood veneers extending back into the rear of the XE’s 5-seat cabin. In general, the new XE interior exudes a heightened sense of quality.

This continues with the XE’s standard twin-stitched leather seats, which feature embossed headrests and have been altered for increased comfort. An optional new 12.3-inch interactive display is customizable while providing the XE cabin with an intuitive and thoroughly modern interface. Also new is the XE’s SportShift gear selector, a toggle-type selector like that of the F-Type, which replaces last year’s rotary gear selector.

While five people can squeeze into an XE, the 40/20/40 back seat does not have abundant leg room, especially when tall people are sitting in front.

Adam Hatton, Jaguar’s exterior design director, says the company is “constantly trying to improve and refine what we’ve got.” With the XE, that meant giving it a sportier, more assertive look with a wider, more detailed grille, along with sleeker LED headlights. The goal was a wide and planted stance, with a side view meant to convey an XE in motion, even when it wasn’t. This effort is further aided by the XE’s coupe-like roofline and a sweeping D-pillar, which puts visual “weight” on the driven rear wheels.

The most aggressive XE, the R-Dynamic S model, has winglet-inspired sculpted surfaces on its front bumper and a dark mesh in its rear bumper, which accentuate the width of Jaguar’s compact sports sedan. A nice touch: The XE’s slim new LED taillights incorporate a chicane-shaped line into their design, a subtle way of reminding us of Jaguar’s sporting heritage.

CLEARSIGHT REARVIEW MIRROR
Via a rear-facing wide-angle camera mounted in the “dorsal-fin” antenna, a high-def video image of the scene behind the 2020 XE is displayed on the car’s rearview mirror. Because this view has no blind spots (and is unaffected by tall riders in the back seat), it’s superior to that of the traditional rearview mirror. A switch on the bottom of the mirror toggles the ClearSight video image on and off.

DYNAMIC HANDLING PACK
With this $1,615 option package ($1,315 on the XE R-Dynamic S model), the driver can configure the throttle mapping, shift points, steering settings and suspension damping to suit individual needs. The shocks can adjust automatically more than 100 times per second to provide a ride that’s comfortable yet sublimely controlled.

The 2020 Jaguar XE is well equipped for battle in the premium-compact-sedan category. A leather interior, LED headlights and 18-inch wheels are standard, as are rain-sensing wipers, power front seats, ambient interior lighting, dual exhaust outlets and front headrests embossed with the Jaguar leaper. For safety, all XEs have automatic emergency braking and lane-keep assist, plus a driver-condition monitor.

When you order the XE R-Dynamic S model — available only with AWD — it comes with sport seats, shift paddles, an R-Dynamic steering wheel and larger front brakes. It’s also fitted with R-Dynamic bumpers and side sills, along with proper badging and black-finish 18-inch alloy wheels featuring a design with 10 split spokes.

All-wheel drive adds $2,000 to the price of the base XE S model. Other options include a gloss-black grille and side vents, together with several packages. The $600 Park Pack includes a 360-degree parking aid, while the $1,700 Drive Pack has blind-spot assist, adaptive cruise control and high-speed emergency braking. If you live in areas with real weather, consider the $620 Cold Climate Pack, with its heated windshield and steering wheel.

Two other option packages deserve note: A Technology Pack, with its ClearSight video rearview mirror, wireless cellphone charging, head-up display and interactive display, is available for $1,950. Driving enthusiasts also should seriously consider the $1,615 Dynamic Handling Pack ($1,315 on the R-Dynamic S model). It includes 1-inch-larger front brakes (with red calipers) and Adaptive Dynamics, which provides superb handling and a supple ride by constantly adjusting the suspension damping for the situation at hand. It makes more than 100 damping adjustments per second, and totally transforms the way the XE drives, providing remarkable comfort, refinement and agility at all times.

Twenty-inch alloy wheels (with 10 spokes) also are available as a $1,700 option.

All 2020 Jaguar XE models are powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine with two available outputs: 247 or 296 horsepower. The low-end torque of these turbocharged powerplants is excellent. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is the default arrangement; all-wheel drive (AWD) can be ordered with either output. There’s one transmission, an 8-speed automatic with available paddle shifters. The 296-horspower suffers a bit in fuel economy, but the XE powered by that version of the engine still exceeds 30 mpg on the highway.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (XE S)
247 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
269 lb-ft of torque @ 1,300-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 25/34 mpg (RWD), 24/34 mpg (AWD)

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (XE R-Dynamic S)
296 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
295 lb-ft of torque @ 1,300-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/30 mpg (AWD)