Jaguar has a great drive for innovation. In a short period of time, various models were facelifted, of which the XF is the most recent example. Time to park the refined model next to the original presented in 2015.
These have been busy weeks at Jaguar. Three weeks after the presentation of the facelifted F-Pace, it was last week’s turn for the XF to be upgraded. That was no superfluous luxury after five years. Not only because Jaguar is almost by definition a rearguard action in the fight against competitors of the big German three, but also because the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class have recently been renewed. The Audi A6 is also relatively young.
When the XF came on the market in 2016, it elaborated on the design of the then just new XE. Maybe even a bit too much, because the models were very similar inside and out. At most that the rear of the XF was a bit more elegant than the somewhat bulky butt of the XE in daylight. Behind the wheel, it was really only the air vents and door panels that distinguished, although the XF has a larger touchscreen.
The frontside
The facelift is one of the usual recipe, revealing a new grille, rearranged headlights and modified front and rear bumpers. Thanks to the LED daytime running lights in the form of the so-called Double-J, for Jaguar concepts a little more distinction has been made compared to the XE that was updated last year, which has to do with L-shaped daytime running lights.
Compared to the XF from 2015, the new model now always has the sporty bumper part. Five years ago that was still dependent on the implementation. The less powerful versions had a kind of letterbox under the grille, while the R-Sport, for example, did not.
The interior
As small as the changes are on the outside, they are as big on the inside. There Jaguar installs a completely new dashboard, so that behind the wheel there are now clear differences with the XE. A few years ago you had to be an experienced car spotter for that. That said, the interior may be new to the XF, but it is exactly the same as that of the F-Pace. Anyone who sees differences can report.
But whether you step into the renewed F-Pace or the upgraded XF, the interior is undeniably a step forward in terms of digitization. Jaguar is installing a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation and an 11.4-inch touch screen for the infotainment system. A test will have to show whether the ease of use also applies to the windscreen. Based on the photos, the whole looks in any case higher quality.
The most striking victim of the renewal round is the rotary knob of the machine. It made its debut in 2009, when Jaguar embarked on a completely different design course with the first XF, and is now being scrapped in favor of a compact gear selector.
Under the skin no big news in the form of a plug-in hybrid drive; it remains reserved for F-Pace. However, the 204 hp four-cylinder diesel engine will now receive support from a mild hybrid system.