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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  Save yourself the trouble - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By wrf - March 13 - 10:00 am

  I have owned two X-types, and had problems with both (the only reason I got the 2nd is because Jaguar and the dealer bought me out of the 1st). Ive had a litany of challenges with this car, such as: transmission breakdown in the 1st week of ownership, a acceleration hesitation in cold weather, fuel door malfunctions (couldnt get it open), lock malfunctions (including being both locked out and locked IN the car), navigation system malfunctions and computer malfunctions. Beyond that, the car spent 10 weeks(!) in the body shop to repair minor cosmetic damage due to backordered parts. The dealer and Jag blamed each other while I drove a Ford

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  My Ride Jaguar S Type - 2003 Jaguar S-Type
  By Kent - March 12 - 12:30 pm

  Having done my due diligence test driving a used BMW and Benz - both fine my wife loves hers - I selected Jag 03 S Type V6 with 18K miles + factory warranty. No paintwork, no smoker, fully loaded, all keys and manuals. Out the door from used dealer at around $20K maybe the best used car I ever bought. Love the ZF 5Spd automatic - snickity snick - theres a learning curve to get the RPMs up there where its fun to drive. Mine is dark grey metallic, light grey fine leather interior. Looks right at home at the Country Club and in a pinch Ive even lowered the back seats and hauled 8 ft lumber! Great car, buy it right, find one with some warranty and enjoy!

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  the Jag finally makes the leap into 21st century - 2011 Jaguar XJ
  By nsgy - March 12 - 9:43 am

  was in the market to replace my 06 Range Rover Sport with a new supercharged one when my wife stumbled across the Jag XJ. we both loved the look and decided to test drive it. Once I sat in it I was mesmerized, once I drove it I was Sold. had it for a week. I would have never considered the a Jag before ( old people car). but this new car puts the S550, 750Li, Audi A8 to shame with looks and performance. Car&Driver tested it at 4.4 sec 0-60 and lists its competitors as S63, Maserati Quatroporte, Porsche Panamera Turbo, all of which cost 40k more than the Jag. love the stares and compliments. very poorly advertised. out since 2010, did not know it existed. the Jag for the young.

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  very happy - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By happyjag - March 4 - 10:00 am

  Love the style, reliability and service Ive received.

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  Bitter sweet - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By eye candy - March 1 - 3:20 pm

  Unfortunately I have fallen in love with this car! It is a beauty to look at and I get lots of compliments. Always asked do I want to sell it. However, I am always nervous. The reliability is a big question mark. It has been repaired twice since purchase (9 months ago) and the check engine light is on as I type. Im afraid I will have to part with her, if I have any more problems.

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  Luxurious Performance - 2003 Jaguar S-Type
  By MCA - March 1 - 8:00 am

  I bought this 3 yr old car with 6K miles on it. The car is one of the most unique and beautiful styles on the road. The handling is very crisp with just a bit of understeer. The acceleration is impressive, and as smooth as silk with the ZF 6-speed automatic. Braking is fine although the pedal is a little soft for my taste. The interior is truly comfortable and stylish. Quality is found inside and out. Mine has the optional navigation system which is simple to use and easy to see from the drivers position. I added the Audio Connectivity Module in 2006 which is backwards compatable for my model for $400 installed. It allows my iPod to be controlled through the touch screen on my dash.

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  Jaguar S Type - 2004 Jaguar S-Type
  By Bev - February 28 - 10:00 am

  I purchased a 2000 S Type (my last car was a Lexus GS300) It has alot of similar features and compares in comfort to the Lexus. I was completely disappointed in the Jag sport package on the X type which I considered first. (not designed for those looking for the feel of luxury). The S type drives and feels like a luxury car.

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  love it! - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By Rob216 - February 28 - 10:00 am

  I have the x type 3.0 with a manual transmission, navigation, all the options available.

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  I Do Love This Ride - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By yachtboy - February 28 - 10:00 am

  I have nothing but good things to say about my Jag. Its a 2.5 w/ a 5 speed and it puts the fun back in driving. Ive had a few problems with it, but the dealer has never let me down by providing a loaner while my car is serviced. Even though its the least expensive Jag, it impresses others when you say you have a Jag. I also noticed that garages treat you differently when you pull in and bring yu your car. Its not the price of the car, but the image it conveys

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  Good value for the money - 2005 Jaguar X-Type
  By np - February 28 - 6:30 am

  Got the car at the end of the year. Saved the first years depreciation. It is more agile than the 99 bmw 528 I had. Gas mileage is not quite as good so far, about 23mpg. Interior is exceptionally nice. Exterior is also exceptional. Engine could use another 15-20 hp but not bad. No issues so far. Handling is not quite as good as a bmw 325, but for every day use it works great.