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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  Cute, reliable with own personality - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By Nicolase - September 9 - 2:00 am

  Appearance and All Wheel Drive makes it so different at a reasonable price. Definetely this car is a standout from the pack. With its looks, Jaguar pedigree and good performance I see the japanese and german competence in a weak position,unless they copy what they see at the X Type. My 2004, X Type 3.0 has shown all of the above during the first 500 miles; in Puerto Rico where the hilly terrain, traffic jams and narrow roads are not polite to large cars.

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  THIS IS THE ONE....! - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By NOAH KEATON JR. - September 2 - 10:00 am

  ME WIFE AND I BOTH LOVE THE LOOK OF THE CAR , IF THERE WAS ONE WORD TO SAY HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THE JAGUAR X-TYPE IT WOULD BE "COOOOOOL".THE CAR IS FUN TO DRIVE WITH THE SPORT SHIFT AND THE RIDE IS VERY NICE EVEN ON LONG TRIPS.BUT THE ONE THING THAT WE BOTH LOVE IS THE LOOKS YOU GET WHEN YOUR FRIENDS AND OTHER POEPLE SEE YOU GETTING IN OR OUT OF THE CAR,AND THE LOOKS YOU GET WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING IT.WE HAVE NOTHING BUT GOOD THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THE CAR AND THE DEALERSHIP THAT SOLD THE CAR TO US.WAY TO GO JAGUAR OF TAMPA.

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  Surprisingly good car - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By J. Gormelski - September 2 - 12:36 am

  I wanted something everyone else doesnt have that was stylish and had AWD. This car fills the bill. Despite what reviewers say, I really like the JGate shifter. Havent had any problems at all, except the re- programming of my key remote. Great in the winter...and the car always turns heads.

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  The Last "Real" Jaguar Sedan - 2001 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By John Mulvihill - August 30 - 5:20 pm

  Ford owned Jaguar when this car was on the drawing boards, but left the Brits alone to create the last "Lyons-era" big Jaguar saloon, 100% British in components, design, and construction. The result is the finest XJ ever. Its low-slung (5" lower than todays luxury cars) and gorgeous. In the best Jaguar tradition, this big sedan is silky, quiet, and fast. Only a handful of supercharged VDPs are produced by Jaguar every year, and all are pre-sold. Supercharged VDPs are the ultimate Jaguars, and this generation of XJs is the finest of the breed. Tightening safety and fuel economy standards mean well never see cars like this again.

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  What a Car - 2001 Jaguar S-Type
  By Quill - August 29 - 10:00 am

  Best car I have owned...always reliable the last 4 years....considering moving up to a 2005 model

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  Affordable Luxury - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By scgopats - August 29 - 10:00 am

  This car is awesome, it looks great and performs like a more expensive luxury car. The interior design is the best I have ever seen on a vehicle under 35,000. Fun to drive and even better to look at.

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  Piece of junk - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By Buddy - August 26 - 12:23 pm

  I bought this car brand new in 2004. I have only 35000 miles and this started giving me problems before even it reached 20,000 miles. I have spent over $2500 on repairs. Now I hear whining noise when I drive and my dealer says it needs all new hoses $2000. I must say quality of Jaguar is far worst than any other car in the market. Its not worth $10,000 I cant believe I paid over $32,000 for this junk. I would never ever buy any Jaguar ever.

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  Pax Britannia - 2003 Jaguar XK-Series
  By winston - August 20 - 2:00 am

  British cool and class all rolled into this beautiful aluminium jewel of the crown. Mercedes SL is a good alternative but its interior is too cheap in appearance. Besides, its cheaper SLK version steals the thunder while the Jag XK series exclusivity is assured. There is no mistaking the XK8 as a cheap Jaguar. If anything, the XK8 represents everything that Jaguar stands for. Long live its designer, Sir Ian Callum!

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  Sexy, Sleek and Brutal Acceleration - 2003 Jaguar XK-Series
  By NkMut - August 20 - 2:00 am

  Fabulous engine, as much power as most of us could ever handle. Refined and supremely stylish.

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  Disregard Professional Reviews - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By Al123 - August 20 - 2:00 am

  I do not care what the professional reviewers say. This is a FUN car to drive. Heads turn, as well. Test drove the BMW 3-Series, the stiff Audi A-4 and the baby Mercedes. The Jag wins hands-down for styling and comfort.