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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  Best in Class! - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By Scubaguy5 - October 20 - 9:16 am

  I took delivery 3 months ago, have put on 4500 miles since with NO problems whatsoever. My Jag handles great in the dry, and will outhandle anything in the rain! 2.5 Litre motor needs to be in the right gear for max power, but has a very wide powerband, and IMO is equal to the BMW 6 for smoothness and refinement.Frankly, I dont understand what people are talking about with the interior and quality issues. My car is rock solid, and the interior (and exterior) is better finished than Mercedes and/or BMW. I got my car delivered with flawless paint, leather seats, birds-eye maple dash, all wheel drive, 5 speed manual trans, and a 6 disk CD changer for exactly $31,000. Eat your heart out.

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  The best Jag ever - 2004 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By Marcos long - October 15 - 9:36 pm

  I bought my XJ8 with 87,000 miles on it. I now have 97,000 miles and this car feels and drives like new. Responsive, feels tight and it is very quiet. It is a wonderful car to drive in the open road, because of its power and great gas mileage. You will easily get 29 mpg on this powerful v8 car! The interior is simple, yet very elegant.

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  Great Sport !!!!!!!!!! - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By frw - October 15 - 10:00 am

  Solid car. Cant beat the smell and feel of Conolly Leather. This car always draws rave reviews from passengers and bystanders.Paint job is unsurpassed-flawless.Always looks fantastic.Ride is quiet and smooth. Accelerates like a rocket and handles like glued to the road. Winter snow and ice were a pleasant experience for the AWD.Traction is quite sure footed

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  Fun and classy - 2006 Jaguar X-Type
  By Sue Abbarno - October 8 - 1:53 pm

  This is my 2nd X-Type. Suspension is improved from 2002 model, and the additional front cup holder is convenient; the memory seat is handy. This car is loaded with features. I love the leather interior and wood trim. Fun to drive.

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  S-Type R is an incredible value - 2004 Jaguar S-Type
  By John Ms - October 2 - 2:00 am

  This car is just fantastic. I have owned five other Jags, and other than the Series I XKE of the 60s, this is a most amazing machine. The blend of performance and comfort if perfect. A drivers car, with room for the entire family. The transmission is excellent, and having an automatic makes it a great commuter. The effort of driving an M5 (without an automatic option) can be exhausting in heavy traffic, while on the phone, or with the kids. I love the retro and classic look of the S- Type design. This car is a gem.

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  No Less than brilliant! - 2004 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By horatioLH - September 27 - 2:00 am

  XJR is very low key and understated and yet..WOW..faster than my Porsche 911 which I traded it in for!!The acceleration is awsome and combined with the road handling and braking make this a one of the fastest cars of its kind on the road. It is easy and fun, fast and safe, quiet and yet has a performance that few people get to experience. Jag need to promote it a little more!

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  Great Car - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By Steven - September 15 - 1:50 am

  Its a Jag and it is one of the most reliable cars cars I have ever owned (and I have had many) in 4 years it has only been back to the dealer 1 time for a loose front seat. The free maintenance to 40K has been nice. Overall it has been a good experience. Mileage has been good for an AWD car @ 22.5 mpg. I am very happy, thanks to Ford, Jaguar builds a nice car and you dont need to get a tow truck contract to go with it. I am happy happy happy.

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  2007 Jaguar XK - 2007 Jaguar XK-Series
  By David Akers - September 14 - 12:20 am

  This is the third XK I have owned. If you have not driven a Jag you have not driven. The XK is hands down the best car I have ever driven. The styling and comfort of the new all aluminum Jag is show stopping. It is stiffer and more substantial than the previous XKs I have owned. If you want a true sports car, I believe this will be the car to own.

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  On Top of the World - 2005 Jaguar XK-Series
  By GOKITTY - September 11 - 10:10 am

  I have wanted a Jag for over 30 years. Well, it was finally time. Just to make sure, I drove every conceiveable competitor. Corvette, BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Aston Martin, Lexus - you name it. The XKR is the best overall choice. It is stunning. Strangers drool. It is THE gentlemans sportscar. And the service from Hennessy was unbelieveable. Top notch.

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  Vast and Furious - 2008 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By Frisko4Me - September 9 - 4:30 pm

  The nicest car that I have ever driven. 400 horsepower purring at your command. I compared Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Lexus, and Mercedes. I believe this car is the best combination of performance and comfort on the market today. Easy to use touch screen navigation and Blue Tooth communications, (no annoying iDrive). New, more comfortable seats in the 2008 (traded an 04 XJR). Also cabin is much more quiet than previous models.