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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  Buyers Beware - 2000 Jaguar S-Type
  By adsharp22 - May 11 - 2:00 am

  While this is a beautiful looking vehicle, dont be fooled into buying or leasing for that matter. From day 1 we have encountered issues with electronical, steering, window motor, transmission, radiator, the battery and the list goes on. From driving down the freeway and having your trunk fly open to not being able to start the car on soo many occassions. What good is a beautiful looking vehicle if you cant trust whats under the hood?

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  Theres None Better - 2002 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By The Panz - May 10 - 10:00 am

  This is my second Jag and if it is anything like the first Ill be estactic. I had a XJ8 before, now I went for the Vanden Plas...wow, what a difference in ride and confort. The last one was excellent, this one is subperb. Its a darn shame theyre going to change the vehicle next year, as this is one classic style vehicle that doesnt get old.

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  My other Jag - 2000 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By Daniel - May 6 - 10:33 am

  This is my everyday car. Fun to drive and very comfortable around town. Its big yet so nimble and easy to park. Interior is quite nice although the cup holder is placed awkwardly in the way of the gear shift.

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  Luxury - 2005 Jaguar S-Type
  By Connie Ernst - April 30 - 8:56 am

  The jaguar is built so sturdy and elegant. It is fun to drive with great pick-up. The exterior is strong while the interior is pure luxury. I love the high grade of leather and the smooth ride of the car. I think it is the best styled car on the road.

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  Objective Review - 2005 Jaguar X-Type
  By Art - April 25 - 6:10 pm

  Great value for entry-level luxury! It has leather, AWD, preppy engine, full maintenance, Jaguar name... cant be beat! No problems in 8 months, Jaguar quality has gone totally up.

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  New XJ is great - 2005 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By ken - April 25 - 11:36 am

  This is the best XJ yet. I have been a fan of Jaguars for many years. I have driven older ones from the 80s and 90s but they do not compare to the room, handling and power of the new XJ. They really have a great car especially with the new technology in the automatic suspension and the aluminum body and frame. The car is light and fast.

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  The S-Type is solid and stylish! - 2003 Jaguar S-Type
  By Eric Erickson - April 17 - 10:00 am

  The S-type Jag, 4.0 V-8 sports model is one hot machine. It doesnt lean into sharp curves, but hugs the road like a magnet on a refrigerator. This car is solid, with no squeeks or creaks. Dont confuse it with your fathers Ford. Dont confuse these beauties with Jags from the past that had electrical and other problems. Ford has focused on quality - and they have delivered.

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  Dont mess with gorgeous - 2003 Jaguar S-Type
  By sv - April 15 - 12:53 pm

  Outstanding bargain as a 2003 thanks to Jags old reputation for unreliability. Best performance sedan under 60K. Has been very reliable so far. Nothing more than scheduled maintenance. Impressive performance, especially if you factor in the automatic and all the Jaguar nanny electronics (delimiter, Traction, etc). Gorgeous exterior that gets looks everywhere. Its acceleration sneaks up on other performance cars, especially M3s and M5s. Interior fit and finish is excellent and sumptuous. Brakes are grabby (good) and stop the car with authority. The mesh grill and fat 275 tires make the car. Supercharger whine is music over 3500rpm. Butt-dyno feels like a 4.8-4.9s car, not 5-5.2.

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  Love My Jaguar - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By choose2run - April 14 - 3:40 pm

  X-Type, 3.0, X1 Premium, Alpine Stereo. I have had my Jaguar for two weeks now and have had nothing but great experiences. Initially I was reluctant to purchase the X-Type because of the negative comments but I am glad I did. It accelerates well, corners tightly, and definately catches everyones attention. I was considering the Audi A6, Volvo S60, and Saab 9-5 which were all very nice, but had to go with the Jaguar for its individuality.

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  2002 Jaguar XKR - 2002 Jaguar XK-Series
  By Les - April 14 - 12:06 pm

  After 30 years of driving, this is by far the best driving car I have owned. Recent 3500 mile trip was a smooth satisfying experience (as opposed to other sports cars where I needed to rest kidney bruises). Bought it Select Edition pre-owned. Very satisfied with reliability and efficient warranty repair and maintenance program.