Overview & Reviews

Jaguar cars have a long history of elegant styling and sporting performance. The brand was born in the United Kingdom, and for years its vehicles were synonymous with the old-world luxury of the British upper classes. More recently, Jaguar has been under the ownership of other automakers, but Jaguar cars will always bear the unmistakable gleam of traditional English refinement.

The company traces its roots to the Swallow Sidecar Company, founded in 1922 by Bill Lyons and William Walmsley. Based in Blackpool, England, the company produced a popular line of aluminum motorcycle sidecars. Swallow eventually switched its focus to automobile production, changing its name to SS Cars Ltd. in 1933. The first vehicle to carry the Jaguar name was the SS Jaguar 100, released in 1935.

After World War II, SS Cars switched its moniker to Jaguar so as not to be associated with the Nazi paramilitary organization that bore the same initials. Its first postwar offering was 1948's Mark V. The luxury sedan was joined that year by the XK 120, a sports car that was the fastest production automobile of its day — its name indicating its top speed. The XK 120 proved quite popular, and helped Jaguar establish a strong presence in the sports car market.

By the 1950s, Jaguar had begun exporting luxury vehicles to the United States. Created just for the American market, the Mark VII Saloon was introduced in 1951 and was a hit with stateside motorists. In 1956, the car took the prize at the Monte Carlo Rally. Later in the decade, Jaguar added the Mark VIII and Mark IX to its lineup. Meanwhile, the XK became the XK 140 as performance increased. Then came the XK 150 which was obviously even faster, though not quite as curvaceously alluring as the 120/140 models.

The 1960s saw the launch of one of Jaguar's most well-known models. The E-Type (or XK-E as it was known in the U.S.) debuted for 1961. The new sports car, available as either a coupe or convertible, provided performance and refinement wrapped up in an undeniably sexy package. The success of groups like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and icons like Twiggy the fashion model made British culture a hot commodity during the '60s — a fact that likely had positive implications for Jaguar's popularity in the U.S.

A decade later, Jaguar introduced the XJ6C and XJ12C coupes to join the sedans. At one point, the XJ12 was the fastest production sedan of its day. By the mid-'70s the lovely E-Type was replaced by the relatively bland XJ-S. The 1980s saw Jaguar continuing to raise the bar in performance with the launch of the XJ-S HE and a true world supercar, the XJ220.
By this time, however, Jaguar's cars had also built up a reputation for questionable reliability, electrical problems being the chief source of owners' angst. Increased competition from German automakers and adverse exchange rates didn't help matters either. Without much capital to work with to improve matters, the company decided to pursue a partnership with another company. This decision ultimately led to a full buyout of Jaguar by Ford in 1990.

Ford's influence (and financial support) was evident with the 1997 launch of Jaguar's XK8 and supercharged XKR sports cars. Powering both was Jaguar's new AJ-V8, a compact yet powerful engine that was also used in certain Land Rover vehicles. A few years later, Jaguar made an effort to broaden its product line with the introduction of a lower-priced, entry-luxury compact sedan known as the X-Type. Unfortunately, this model sold poorly, as its modest European Ford sedan underpinnings proved to be a liability. Around this time, Jaguar's old-school traditional styling grew stale as competitors moved into the new millennium with cutting-edge, modern designs inside and out.

Sales plummeted, and Jaguar's financial problems caused further headaches for parent company Ford, which was also experiencing financial turmoil. Ford cut its losses and sold Jaguar (and fellow British premium brand Land Rover) to Indian manufacturer Tata in 2008. Though reliability still remains a concern, new models like the XF and redesigned icons XK and XJ seem to indicate a bright Jaguar future, as they feature modern designs sprinkled with a fair share of classic Britannic charm.

User Reviews:

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  Do NOT buy this car! - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By WendyLouise - August 6 - 10:00 am

  This is far and away the WORST car I have ever owned. Absolutely ZERO pick- up, lengthy mechanical issues incl electrical, and about as much energy as if it were two hamsters running the wheel instead of an engine. I cant WAIT for the lease to end. Loathe this vehicle.

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  Jaguar X-Type 2.5 awd - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By Mikeps - August 6 - 10:00 am

  I bought this 2003 X-type (manual transmission) with 5,400 miles. I love it so far. Have had it for four months and have had no problems yet. The awd is excellent. Near impossible to spin a tire or lose control of car. Acceleration is good and handling is great. Exterior styling turns heads wherever I go.

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  Awesome! - 2003 Jaguar S-Type
  By JSinVA - August 6 - 10:00 am

  A very fast cat! It has more than enough power and its there when its needed. Comfort is outstanding. Turns are effortless, does not driv like a 4-door. I just wish it would stay on the road and not in the shop. first a fron right suspension problem. Brakes (rotors and pads) needed replacement just after 25,000 mile and its in the shop again for an electrical "glitch."

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  Awesome! - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By JagsRock - August 3 - 2:00 am

  Easily the best, and I do mean the best, sport sedan available to today. No other car in this price range can match its performance, luxury and appeal. None.

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  Very Pleased - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By Devin S. - July 29 - 10:00 am

  Other reviewers here claim the Jaguar X- Type looks like a Mercury Sable or other cars. Are they blind! The exterior looks nothing like a Sable. Nor does the interior look like a Sable in fact its beautiful and as good or better than that of any car in any class today under $100,000. The interior layout was so well done that Jaguar has now adopted the identical design for the new versions of their more expensive and larger S and XJ types. Its also a great use of space with a surprisingly large trunk and a light airy cabin. When I see another X- type on the road I can’t believe it appears so small on the outside. The whole package is great.

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  Show stopper - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By Blackxjag - July 29 - 10:00 am

  This is one great car. Living in Pittsburgh where the roads can be slick and rough, the AWD is a great feature. Maybe the 2.5L is a little short on HP, but the auto transmission makes the most of what you have. Let the engine rev!

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  Gets better each time I drive - 2006 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By dubark - July 23 - 8:13 am

  Car continues to amaze me. Feel like I dont want to shut it down. Observers want to look at vehicle in and out. Its a jewel.

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  2000 S-Type - 2000 Jaguar S-Type
  By Danny - July 21 - 11:56 am

  I purchased this 2000 S-Type from a private owner just last month. It is white, with chrome rims and 45 series tires, with an after market mesh grill. This car gets so many compliments. Mechanically the car is excellent, the ride is great, the style is one of a kind.

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  Fantastic power of black tiger - 2009 Jaguar XJ
  By Sirjoe - July 18 - 12:43 am

  Since I have had sedan cars, Ive never touched something fantastic like this. XJ is the only one that can reach my desire. This black wild animal consists of powerful engine, conservative exterior design (I personally like) and unbelievable performance. In conclusion,XJ will never disappoint you.

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  Excellent All Around - 2005 Jaguar X-Type
  By Chindit2 - July 14 - 8:33 pm

  I recently drove my X Type home in a snow storm. The only cars on the road that were not having trouble were the SUVs and me. The X-Type is under rated!! Ford has done an excellent job of working out the problems without taking the British styling out. It is an excellent value, excellent performance, extremely comfortable, head turning styling. My only complaint is that the in-city fuel economy is awful, 17/18 mpg on premium. The car does however love to run down the turnpike at 80 mph with 25 mpg. If you are wondering if you should get one for yourself, stop wondering and go for it.