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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  Great Car - 2005 Jaguar X-Type
  By CMcnam8163 - October 4 - 5:33 pm

  I love my car. I never have seen another one on the road. This car is so practical, I really hope they continue making them. Im really tired of SUVs and this car is the perfect alternative. Really stylish!

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  FUN - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By t. j. fields - September 29 - 10:00 am

  I wanted a 5 speed car and when I took it for a test drive I fell in love with it. The all wheel drive feature makes it handle so well, rather like the Audi 4 (another choice). The price is great, although with a sun roof and 6 CD player it came to $37,500. The front view is beautiful, the back not so bad but the side view is pure Ford Taurus...but I live with it for the price and the way it drives. I see very few where I live but I think it is a little low end for the neighborhood...the S is getting popular here as well as the big ones. tj

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  exellent - 2004 Jaguar XK-Series
  By alias?mike - September 24 - 2:00 am

  its the best car I ever drove

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  great car - 2004 Jaguar S-Type
  By joel pugh - September 24 - 2:00 am

  great car lots of fun!! almost too fast.

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  160k miles & going strong - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By jimmhs73 - September 22 - 10:08 pm

  I purchased my 2004 X-Type 3.0 in January, 2011 for $6k. It had 117k, was in excellent shape (except tires), and only one previous owner. The car has been great - routine maintenance, replaced compressor for A/C, couple of minor repairs, all done by local garage vs Jag dealer - less than $2200 in 4 years. Heads-up: rear seat leg room minimal. Fabric covering front roof supports has separated - used fabric glue to repair (easy fix). Requires premium gasoline - upside is it gets 25-27 mpg on trips, only 20 around town. AWD a plus however low ground clearance hinders going in deep snow. Been a great car - no regrets!

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  Jaguar Suprise - must read - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By S LIFESON - September 22 - 10:00 am

  If you thought a Jaguar was for older, rich people because of past models and prices - this vehicle is for you. I drove BMW, Volvo, A4, C230, IS300 - there was no issue once I saw, researched and drove a x-type Jag. I ordered the car in June 2001, took delivery in Sept. 2001. I couldnt be happier. Excellenct ext/int styling, awesome grip on the turns and more. I recommend the upgrade of the alpine stereo a must for music lovers. Dont worry about the reliablilty concerns other people may say about Jag. You cant lose if your jag needs work, they lend you another - Enjoy the ride

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  Get What You Pay For! - 2006 Jaguar XK-Series
  By Lana DeSimone - September 20 - 9:43 pm

  Solid, Hearty and luxurious! I love this Jaguar. Convertible gives plenty of space, loads of leg room with plenty of trunk space and POWER behind the wheel!

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  I cannot be anonymous in this car - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By raym39 - September 19 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this car on a whim as my "other" car for my long daily commute. I did not need this car, the car I traded in was just fine. After 3 months and 5500 miles, it has become my primary car. Everything about it is just right. The balance of size, style, safety features, price, fuel economy, handling, braking, ride, and cost of insurance are just right.

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  excellent - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By Fudgeeaterno111 - September 19 - 10:00 am

  Very good car, very fast, fantastic design and performance is overall great.

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  Great Car - 2002 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By Bob - September 14 - 1:56 pm

  My wife has always dreamt of owning a Jaguar and the year weve owned our Sport has been a dream. Love the style and performance. It rides so smooth its like its mounted on a rail. The transmission is the smoothest I ever shifted. Fun car to drive and always gets complements from people that see it. Wont be our last XJ.