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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  Its A Jag - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By jaghappy - December 2 - 2:00 am

  Yes, it is an entry level luxury car and it is fair to call it a kitty as opposed to a cat. But it IS a Jag and it has been nothing but pleasure to own and drive.

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  A Beautiful Piece of Crudd... - 2000 Jaguar S-Type
  By Doug - November 27 - 2:40 pm

  I purchased this 2000 S type 3.0 several years ago with less than 40K miles on it. Its an absolutely beautiful car and I still get compliments from strangers. IF they only knew what sort of NIGHTMARE this car is mechanically. From cheap front headlights, to constant leaks, continued engine trouble, poor brakes and constant repair bills. Im looking to dump this car as soon as it makes sense monetarily. DO NOT buy a 2000 Jag S Type from any dealer. At first, youll love you car ... but eventually youll regret the day you drove it off the lot.

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  2004 Jaguar - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By James - November 27 - 6:16 am

  The odometer on my X-Type just turned 60k w/ no major problems to report. The car has had a loud squeal which appears to emanate from the underside of the car since the day I brought it home. The dealer told me its normal, that all Jaguars make noise and the decibels are acceptable. A sound shield was installed to muffle the noise, but I still hear it. Aside from that, the dash vents popped off. The dealer replaced them, citing a defect in the plugs that secure them to the dashboard. Overall, the car is nice and is a pleasure to drive. Relatively short money for a luxury vehicle. Id likely buy another, but will make certain it doesnt squeal before I drive out of the dealership.

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  LEMON !! - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By N. - November 26 - 5:16 pm

  My husband purchased this car for me for my 40th birthday. Not a day goes by without regret. It has been nothing short of disastrous. It has been in the shop 7 times for the same two problems: 1)grinding noise located in the right front 2) at about 35 mph the engine begins to vibrate - best description: feels like you are driving over a washboard. They actually REPLACED the engine and it still is not fixed. The interior is falling apart. The lining surrounding the front and back windows is peeling off. The visor mirrors are broken. The back seat seat belts have broken. The glove box will not close properly. Electrical side mirror adjustment switch is faulty. HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE!!

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  Outstanding value and gorgeous! - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By PRSchwob - November 26 - 10:00 am

  A beautiful car which is a joy to drive. I may exchange it for the 3.0 liter model though as the 2.5 is a bit shy for this rather heavy car. What is most impressive is the road handling. It hugs the asphalt like a racing car and its 4x4 drive train is outstanding in any weather.

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  Black Cat - 2003 Jaguar S-Type
  By TwoTwenty - November 21 - 10:00 am

  This car is a completely emotional purchase. The S-Type has always been a beautiful car, but now the same can be said for the interior, which is a vast improvement over earlier models. Sure a Benz may be roomier and by far more technically advanced, built with typical cold Teutonic efficiency. The Benz is a logical purchase. But who cares? Just look at the Jag...

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  X type, XJ looks at a K- Mart price - 2006 Jaguar X-Type
  By thebobs - November 17 - 11:40 am

  A great road eating machine. Why the bad reviews? The car transforms from a blvd. cruiser for my wife to a true sports sedan with a touch of the "S" button and the help of VVT for me. The AWD is great in both wet and dry conditions. I drove the car 226 miles in heavey rain, wind and fog. The AWD made the trip fell like it was a sunny day.The rear fog lights that are three time brighter then regular tail lights made me fell safer since I could be seen at a greater distance Very comfortable on long trips.I have had no problems since day one, everything was perfect.The large 4 weel dual piston disk brakes with ABS stop the car on a dime. Real wood in the cabin. Great leather seats. Love the car

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  Jaguar X-Type: The Car of the Future-Today - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By Richard Atkinson - November 16 - 9:47 am

  This car will set you back in your seat if you press the gas pedal half way down. I wouldnt dare press mine all the way down as the front end jumps up in the air-There is too much power, so be careful, it can get away from you. Beautiful paint (Mine is a champaign color). Its an Arizona car. Its got the injection system of the new corvettes, its low to the ground, sleek and stylish. Id strongly recommend this car to any serious buyer (IF you can find the X-Type Sedan). Mine was made in Germany. What a car !!!

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  The Jag - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By russell r x jag - November 15 - 2:00 am

  The jaguar X type is one of the most fun cars to drive. Vert reliable Quite comfortable very spacious. Needing no introduction to the genius of the nodel it has a high quantity

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  Just Great - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By keith - November 12 - 2:00 am

  Bought the car with 60K miles and now after just over 2 years have 144,000 miles. Only just replaced brakes, replaced radiator overflow tank and put in new plugs at 100K. Have done nothing else. Gas mileage is great. Paid $10K and get offers for $7-8K all the time. Most people think it is a 20K+ car. Great for road trips. Handles great in all areas. I expect to easily get another 100K miles out of this car.