Explanation for the low sales numbers?
Another two years and then it will be over for the combustion engine at Jaguar. The brand has had little to offer for a while, but that will change from 2025 with a purely electric model range from then on. Now you can still knock on the door of the British for a petrol or diesel engine, with the latter serving in the entry-level van Jag: the Jaguar XE D200. It will cost you at least €61,993 and this is what you get for it.
Jaguar XE D200 R-Dynamic S, €61,993
Although Jaguar has not introduced any new models for a while, the current model range still has something to offer. In the range you will find a smaller and larger SUV with the E-Pace and F-Pace, a smaller and larger sedan with the XE and XF and an electric SUV with the I-Pace. The ten-year-old F-type is also available for a short while and the XF is still available as a Sportbrake called station wagon.
Still, Jaguar is finding it difficult to find the clientele at the moment. The range is relatively old across the board, which undoubtedly contributes to the fact that the British sold only 227 cars this year through the end of November. 177 of these were copies of the E-Pace and F-Pace, only eighteen an XF and only four (!) an XE. The latter two are now only available as a sporty ‘R Dynamic’ in the price lists and for both, the entry-level model is a diesel. With the XE, it should cost from €61,993, making the car about €3,000 more than a comparable engine BMW 3-series, its main competitor.
Model history and performance
Where you get a recently facelifted model at BMW, the XE has been on the market since 2015. In 2019, the model received a facelift, tightening the appearance and introducing a new infotainment system. Jaguar made improvements to that system again in 2021, so you don’t have to worry that it’s all seriously outdated on board the Jag. For the loyal reader: yes, the XE was indeed discussed earlier in this section, but that was in 2018. At the time, the car cost you at least €45,140 and the entry-level model was a petrol model with 200 hp.
Now the diesel engine knows that value. It is one of two engines that Jaguar still supplies in the XE, in addition to the 2.0 petrol that currently produces 250 hp. XEs with that power source start at €66,343. The entry-level diesel is a mild hybrid and is linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends its power to the rear wheels. Four-wheel drive is possible for both the petrol and diesel engines, but costs a pretty penny extra. Moreover, it does nothing for the acceleration times in dry conditions: the rear wheels of the XE can apparently easily lose the diesel torque and allow the entry-level car to sprint to 100 km / h in at least 7.3 seconds. The four-wheel drive variant takes 0.2 seconds longer because of its extra kilos.
Standard choice of color for the upholstery
Anyway. Because the car is now only available as an R-Dynamic S, it also looks quite slick from the outside in standard form. The slip-on’s wheels measure 18 inches in diameter and have a shiny, diamond-cut finish. Jaguar does ask for an extra charge for metallic paint, but a double exhaust pipe and LED lighting and daytime running lights (with dynamic flashing lights) are always present. In addition, the bumper work of the R-Dynamic is more sporty than that of variants that were available earlier and the R Dynamic gets extra thick sideskirts along.
After boarding, the sporty pretensions remain intact: the standard electrically adjustable sports seats are upholstered in leather, as is the sports steering wheel with paddle shifters, which is always adjustable in depth. Also nice: Jaguar paints the leather upholstery beige, brown or red and you can choose from two materials free of charge for the headliner and for the dashboard finish.
Furthermore, the standard equipment of the Jaguar is quite complete as an R-Dynamic. Apart from a navigation system, a digital instrument panel and keyless-go, it has everything you would expect: adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors (with rear camera), a 10-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Bluetooth , lane keep assist, an emergency braking system, heated side mirrors, mood lighting in the interior and of course a center armrest.
A folding rear seat costs extra
What leaves the Jaguar to be desired then? Well, a metallic paint (from €989) would not look out of place and a size larger wheels (from €1,342), as well as LED matrix headlights. They cost €801, an opening panoramic roof €1,660. It is also noticeable on the option list that the standard rear seat cannot be folded down. For this you have to pay an extra €446. Other options include an upgraded audio system, navigation, keyless entry and a head-up display.
All in all, the standard equipment of the XE is few and far between, but it is also not surprisingly spacious. And you would expect that because of the starting price of €61,993. As mentioned, a comparable motorized and much later introduced BMW 3-series is €3,000 cheaper, and it can also be ordered for less money with a ‘lesser’ motorisation. With the Germans you do not get adaptive cruise control or leather upholstery as standard, but those things do not offer enough with the Jaguar to compensate for the price difference.
If you are shopping in the segment of the XE, it is also quite possible that you want one with a petrol engine. After all, diesels are no longer attractive in the Netherlands any time soon. If you put together a petrol version with metallic paint, 19-inch wheels and some other extras, you will quickly exceed €70,000. Then you have 250 hp, but whether that is enough to keep you away from the strong competition in the showrooms? With the most likely answer to that question, it’s not surprising that Jaguar has virtually stopped selling XEs. Looking forward to an electric sedan from the brand, then!
.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl