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:

• 

  Sportscar luxury - 2004 Jaguar S-Type
  By Nice car - October 27 - 2:26 am

  I enjoy driving this car because it has sports car handling. I am having trouble with acceleration hesitation. Dealer shops are few and expensive. This car has a long hood and low ground clearance that my wife dislikes. The car is kind of difficult to get in, but comfortable once inside except for long trips. This car shines out good, but is a magnet for vandals.

• 

  used 05 s - 2005 Jaguar S-Type
  By mechrad - October 21 - 12:20 pm

  Bought the car used 15k miles, former rental car. Very smooth and refined ride, plenty of power. Beautiful interior. So far after 2 months no problem. good car to buy used, significant depreciation. (although significantly more depreciation to come)

• 

  I love this CAT - 2001 Jaguar S-Type
  By Adam - September 22 - 11:26 pm

  I recently traded in my 2000 S-Type 4.0 to get an 01 3.0. Boy am I happy I did. The 00 leaked and had many little things break (the drawer in the dash, window regulator). The 01 feels for solid and is much more quiet. Its smooth and so good looking as well as 7 mpg better on gas. I miss the power and the growl from the V8, but I feel much better in this one. The only thing I have a problem with is its inability to not fish tail when taking turns in the rain, no matter the speed I am going. Here in Florida, the roads get slick. I have never had this problem with a Lexus, thats why I am a little shocked. I LOVE this car, I love the style, I love everything. And its cheap to buy used.

• 

  Great Car To Drive - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By Fizzle - September 6 - 8:40 pm

  Bought this from dealer as a demo with only 1600 miles. Car handles great and has never needed any major repairs. I am upgrading to the new XJ as a result of my wonderful experience with this model. X-type is an entry level Jag but if you want a car different from every other model on the road this is it.

• 

  Real Estate Machine - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By David J. - September 3 - 5:06 pm

  I bought an 02 X-Type. I had upgraded from a 97 Cad STS. What a different car. I feel the Jag is more refined while remaining sporty. The all wheel drive is a must for the Colorado winters. In fact the X-Type is so good in the snow that I feel no need to purchase a SUV. The car has a few quirks like the turn signals wont turn off unless you make a full turn. I also wish the car had more driver leg room since I am 62". Overall though I have to say that when I went to the dealer I was going to buy a BMW or Audi. I had such a bad attitude about the old Jags and their lack of reliability I didnt even want to test drive it. Once I drove it I immediately bought it and will drive nothing else.

• 

  Quite worth a test drive !!!!!!!! ;) - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By RJD - August 17 - 10:00 am

  My 2002 X-type is off white/creme. People comment on it every time I drive it. It is the 2.5 with a 5 speed. Only option was the indash cd player. I purchased the car for under $29k. Im not into gadgets. I wanted a drivers car. This car is most certainly in the top for handling/mileage/aesthetics. Nothing else looks like it on the road but other jags. Interior is quite nice. I added a full wood trim kit, which really improved the feel inside. Beautiful. AWD in my state is essential. The engine is designed to run at high RPMS. It is quite enjoyable to rev this car to 6000k RPM.very cool.

• 

  Recalls - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By David Peikin - July 31 - 10:00 am

  I have had 3 recalls at 13,000 miles 1. Replace fuel injectors 2 Replace read brake pads 3. Rough upshifting

• 

  six months ownership - 2005 Jaguar X-Type
  By N.B. - July 19 - 10:00 am

  Excellent service from salesman. However, recieved car with 50lbs pressure in each tire (did not discover until after 3 weeks).Should be 32lbs in each tire. Gas Mileage is rated 22/28. However, have not yet done better than 22 miles/gallon (car has 5-speed stick). Vehicle handles very well; is fun to drive, especially on highway with curves. Holds road extremely well. Manual suggests oil change every 10000 miles but was advised to do so at5000 (at my expense).

• 

  Style lacking quality - 2003 Jaguar S-Type
  By robin3263 - July 19 - 10:00 am

  This car has superior style and performance. The flashy style attracts a lot of attention. The service is lacking the same quality the car lacks. They seem to prefer to argue that the car is not defective than to actually take the time to fix it. I drove their X-type loaner as much as I drove my car (not really, but it seems excessive). 12 repairs in 2 years. I traded it with 20K left on the warranty and an air conditioner problem they didnt fix during the first service. Jaguar style with Ford quality and service.

• 

  Dont do it - 2000 Jaguar S-Type
  By nojag4me - July 17 - 2:00 am

  I have never had more problems with any vehicle I have owned. The car is in the shop more than it is at my garage. No doubt the best loooking car on the road...but it is seldom on the road. Did not find dealership helful. I have purchased my last Jag. Give me my Mercedes back!