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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  surprisingly smooth drive - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By DriveAJag - October 18 - 2:00 am

  I got this X2.5 only a week ago, but I am quite impressed by its handling and the smooth ride. Before this car I leased a BMW 328i(99 model), it was a fine car with nice handling. But the gas mileage sucked and the ride was quite bumpy. The X-type feels much stabler and smoother on the highway. And I like the handling of X-type better. One complain is the space (head room and leg room) should be bigger.

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  A lot of car and style for the price - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By mattklu - October 2 - 10:00 am

  I looked at the C class Mercedes, the Audi A4, and the BMW 3 series and for the price the X type is by far the best value. Throw in all-wheel drive and it was a done deal. The car looks great, handles well, has excellent braking and rides very smooth while touring on the highway.

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  Two-year road test - 2000 Jaguar S-Type
  By JagDriver - September 12 - 10:00 am

  I purchased the V8 version with the sport package in platinum because it was love at first sight. I was a bit leary of owning a new model in its first year. I expected better from the transmission (I didnt know it was made in Cincinnati). I had some problems like an oil leak, faulty stereo amplifier, and transmission lock-up. The trunk is a bit small. The dashboard rattles way too much.

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  2003 - XType - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By MrZoso68 - August 25 - 10:00 am

  Growing up 4 blocks from a Jaguar Dealership, I have been wanting a Jag since I was 10. Well, this year(38 years later) with the great leasing deals Jaguar offered, I finally got one. The X-Type is all I expected & more. I have to say its the most fun car I have ever driven. It handles just like a European Luxury/Sports car should. Step on the gas, and youre gone! The leather seats wrap you up. The interior appointments are what you would expect on cars costing twice as much, and the exterior styling are classic Jaguar all the way. If your looking for a Luxury car with guts, at a very reasonable price, the Jaguar X-Type is the car for you.

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  XJ8-L - 2001 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By Richard - August 23 - 7:16 am

  This car is a great addition to my fleet. I bought it for a cruiser/weekend car, but I cant seem to keep myself out of it. I love the sound system and the power everything is outstanding. It is a well built vehicle and doesnt leak at all. The design of the interior is spacious and very welcoming. It is definitely a head turner. The car is heavy on a steel frame so tires and brakes do not last as long as they should. The brakes are a dual soft system and the rotors ware quickly. They provide superb stopping power but will need to be replaced soon and and often.

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  has some faults - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By peelu27 - July 29 - 10:03 am

  A few surprising build quality issues. center armrest console is rubbish and creaks and moans if you put any weight on it. The headliner/nterior fabric is coming off all over the place. There is no trunk button in the interior. Ive never heard of a car without a release. Requires expensive premium fuel, for this price point, a really bad idea. This is not a $60k car. The rear leg room is ridiculously small for this size of a car. Theres more room in my ford fusion. theres more room in an audi a4. The gas mileage is appalling. I drive 98% freeway miles and i get 20 mpg and i hear most people get much worse.

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  Nice car, would recommend - 2005 Jaguar S-Type
  By Isbtown - July 23 - 7:16 pm

  Great car, fun to drive. Horrible in snow, the worst Ive ever driven. straight line power is great. Stereo system is pathetic for a 60k car. Why they went with Alpine over bose is anyones guess. Bluetooth technology would have been nice. But the looks, ride, the navigation (which is absolutely top notch), are all great features in a car that can certainly hold its own against most sports cars these days in a off the line duel.

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  this isnt a jag - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By Ryan V. - July 14 - 10:00 am

  This car is more Ford than Jaguar. The exterior design is as bland as a Taurus (except the front end). Even the engine is built by Ford. Im not saying I hate Ford, its just that Ford and Jaguar have separate segments in the market. Jaguar customers might feel belittled by Fords involvement.

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  trouble with s type R - 2003 Jaguar S-Type
  By rfranks52 - July 3 - 10:00 am

  unbeleivable performance when operating,which is about an average of 3 weeks a month.in shop now waiting for new main computer.waiting 3 weeks for part. dealership is not at fault.

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  First 3 months - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By kencomis - June 20 - 2:00 am

  excellent handling and ride. Stylish and confortable.standard equipment, warranty and roadside assist package good, leaving few optional items needed. Overall good car for the money.