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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  Jaguar X-Type 2.5 - 2005 Jaguar X-Type
  By ARP - August 12 - 3:13 am

  What a great car. Sexy looks and luxury ride with a sporty flair. I have driven in the heavy snow and ice without snow tires and no problems. Getting 25 mpg. Love the interior and quiet ride. Takes the bumps as a quiet one-piece unit. This is a great car for those who want something different. You dont see everyone with a Jag.

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  One of the best - 2006 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By leapord06 - August 11 - 4:44 pm

  The cost of repairs after warranty is a drawback. The ride, Luxury, and beauty can not be denied. The road noise on back country roads is a bit much for this class of vehicle. On a smooth highway you could not complain, for it is as quiet as can be. My friends love the comfort of the back seat. 1 repair to a stopped up drain hose for the sun roof which allowed water into the rear rh floor board and had to go through the boot (trunk) cost $875.00 dollars. I would still buy another easily.

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  Smooth Rocket - 2005 Jaguar S-Type
  By WileCoyote - August 9 - 6:56 am

  Make no mistake, this car is a worthy adversary for the M5 and E55. The latter may be faster but the Jaguar gives you a great deal of power for less money. This car can easily get 25 mpg on the highway - not bad for a supercharged car. A great car that keeps getting better,

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  Great Vehicle - Time will tell - 2003 Jaguar S-Type
  By abnpao - August 7 - 10:00 am

  Really like this vehicle. It has a lot of "wow" factor, since it is not a common vehicle in my area. Lots of people walk up and look at it when its parked in public areas. Rides great and has plenty of get up and go for a V-6. My other car is a Cobra and the Jag doesnt lag too far behind. Time will tell if this car is worth the money. So far - So good!

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  2004 Jaguar S-type 3.0L - 2004 Jaguar S-Type
  By JDA - August 4 - 4:30 am

  Superb car. Bought it in Nov 08 with 83K miles. It still had 1 yr/17K miles left on original factory extended warranty and I only paid $8,500 for the car at the dealer. Fantastic ride and quality. Ive had $4,000+ of warranty work already to fix all problems (trans/motor/radiator leaks, and rear door lock, and transmission computer software reload). Highly recommend getting at least 6 months of warranty coverage to initially fix problems. Antifreeze is $17 per liter (Jag fluid only). New front brake pads and rotors will cost $700, so this car is not for the timid budget. Overall reliability has been very good though and a GREAT car overall. No regrets!

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  Dream Car - 2007 Jaguar XK-Series
  By Professor Don - July 31 - 4:00 am

  I saved for a 911 but after driving the XK convertible, bought it. We live in the Texas hill country and throughly enjoy letting the top down and driving...phantastically comfortable, does everything well, and a real head turner.

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  Saloon that means business - 2004 Jaguar S-Type
  By Classic_Engineer - July 29 - 10:50 pm

  I found it with only 16k miles for ~$25k < than the BMW or MB. With a billion of those cars in L.A. this one stands out. The styling is beautiful, understated, and more masculine than the base S-Type, with performance to back up the R badge. No issues at 21k miles. BRILLIANT ENGINE! The flat torque band means very linear response, yet the car remains composed. 0-60 in 5.3s, 1/4mi in 13.5s, faster than youll ever need. Very smooth in the city, but the CATS system really shines when you toss it into an off-camber turn. Its hard to upset this car. Push the SPORT button, punch it, downshift, come in very hot w/traction off, turn in, break it loose, and grin. Then roll up to the valet.

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  I love my JAGUAR - 2004 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By sexyeileen - July 27 - 10:00 am

  This is a beautiful vehicle, fun to drive, classy and just awesome. It is a car that needs to be kept in top shape as for getting service on it every 5000 miles. Getting the oil changed every 3000 miles, etc. If you take good care of it, it will take good care of you. Remember its not the "old" pre 90s Jag. These our a "Ford" product and WELL made.

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  Beautiful 390 HP Jag - 2003 Jaguar S-Type
  By Brian - July 25 - 10:00 am

  Beautiful car with tremendous speed. I bought this car with 51 mi on it from a private owner. I now have 60 mi on it and have the following to report. The supercharger in the car works great, and I love the fact that I can beat almost anybody that pulls up next to me with such a classy vehicle. I also get many compliments on it. Now for the bad stuff. The dual heating system in mine is already having problems and heat seems to blow from some vents when the AC is on. Im told its a $1500 problem to solve. Also the plastic bevel and cup holders in the back are cheaply made and will break. Visor mirror covers are made of the same junk plastic and have also broken. Still like it so far!

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  Great Car For the Money - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By Ann Marie - July 24 - 4:46 pm

  This car is awesome. All wheel drive with luxury combined. I had a 2002 model, but the 2004 is much better. The 3.0 is the way to go, with power & response. Steering is great, and it hugs the road well, even turning at high speeds. Reliability is fine. Dash vents keep popping out, but those are just plastic parts. Overall, the car is very well built.