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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  $350 hood emblem! - 2006 Jaguar X-Type
  By lcatchpo - February 6 - 7:23 am

  Not once but twice Ive had the hood emblem stolen. Ill never own another Jaguar because of this. They could at least have mounted it differently instead of putting a spring inside. Its such a shame because this car is really a dream car. Luxurious and sporty and affordable but youll need the savings to replace your emblem every few months.

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  Best certified car out there - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By P Medina - January 28 - 10:50 am

  I just purchased this 2004 Jaguar X- type and so far I love this car. I was looking for a nice affordable luxury car and decided to check out Jaguar. I was very impressed with the style of the car. The interior is very nice and comfortable with all of the options a nice luxury car should have. I love driving a 5 spd and love that the x- type has it. I can not wait to test the awd in the bad weather. I have had the car for a short period of time but love it so far.

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  Nice to drive but typical Jag quality - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By PS2 - January 26 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car because of its handling and appeal. I love the drive, particularly in bad weather (40/60 split awd is amazingly good) and on the highway. BUT, the build quality is the worse Ive ever had to deal with. Ive owned about 15 cars, most bought new and this is by far the worse. Even before the car was delivered the cooling system sprung a leak. Since then, Ive had many problems with trim rattles/squeaks/broken parts and the engine runs rougher at idle than old Hyundai Pony.

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  Is subdued ok? - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By Padre for Life - January 20 - 10:00 am

  IMO the X-type lacks the soul and character that BMW, Audi, and now Acura do well building into their cars. It definitely looks the part, with its Jaguar styling cues and the leaper on the hood. But it doesnÂ’t have any of driver dynamics (handling, performance, or quantitative feel) or the solidity (build quality, qualitative feel) that the aforementioned class leaders have. Yes, the X-type rides well, handles competently, and has adequate zip but it doesnt exude that driving excitement to make we want to drive it hard and fast. Maybe thats what Jaguars after, a subdued experience. If thats what youÂ’re looking for the X- type is right up your alley.

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  Dream Car - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By J. Roames - January 14 - 2:00 am

  I was really impressed with how solid and well built this car is! Smooth, ride, more power than I will use, and just a beautiful design inside and out. This car will turn heads.

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  Jaguar vs Volvo - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By lanmare - January 12 - 2:00 am

  I have been a Volvo owner for over twenty years. I read about the X-type the day after Christmas. Stopped by the dealership and did a test drive. Bought the car on the spot. I love the way it hugs the road and negotiates mountain roads. Gas mileage is the same as I was getting on my newest Volvo. Folks at the dealership were great to me. They are very customer orientated. I like that.

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  S-Type Review - 2001 Jaguar S-Type
  By 01JagSType - December 21 - 3:16 am

  The Jaguar S-Type has treated me well the past 5 years I have owned it. However, minor technical problems do come up now and then. Its a good idea to get the extended warranty after end. Acceleration is not on par with MB, but handling is superb. The styling is more appealing than most. Interior quality is excellent, and even better with the 03 Revised models. The 19/24 fuel economy is just average. The car definately is a head turner, but it is quickly silenced with electrical headaches. I do suggest this car as long as it is an 03 or newer model. I plan to try trade it in for jaguars new XK. Overall, this car has met my demands and I can reccomend it.

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  Not Quite Perfect - 2007 Jaguar XK-Series
  By Dr.Roentgen - December 7 - 6:30 am

  This is the most beautiful and fun car I have ever had. Its like a corvette but for grown ups. There have been several annoying problems that you wouldnt expect at this pricepoint. The bluetooth system doesnt work as promised. I have changed cellphones (three times) and carriers (from verizon to cingular) per Jaguars advice, but the phone still doesnt sync as promised. There are other small computer probs as well. I still love the car.

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  Perhaps second Time a Charm - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By DrJRapp - November 22 - 10:00 am

  I just purchased my 2d X Type after having the first one collected by the manufacturer last year as a result of a lemon law action. My first comments are, that at about 4K less MSRP than my 2002 X-Type that the car is a much better 36K car than a 40K car. Secondly, fit and finish HAVE improved immeasurably, yet, I believe there is still some need to improve. Thirdly, for some reason the ride and handling are a bit "off" from the 2002 car, especially in the feel of the rear suspension. In fainess, I am comparing my recollection of a car with 10K miles to a car right out of the box in need of break in.

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  Very Pleased So Far - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By kvlou - November 19 - 8:33 pm

  Im coming up on my lease. Ive decided to purchase the vehicle (after receiving a hefty incentive to do so). Ive not experienced many service issues at all. The minor ones I have had (moon roof, parking brake, etc.) were all covered by Jaguar. My dealer service experience has been excellent.