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:

• 

  It is not a BMW or a Mercedes.... - 2005 Jaguar S-Type
  By Barry Lee - February 21 - 6:40 pm

  Within 3 months this car has been serviced 3 times for a bad transmission that they have not been able to fix. It has a jolt. Car is great but a problem is a problem and at this price I say go elsewhere. I never had this with BMW or Mercedes and I own all three. The dealer has never given me any confidence about repairs, as I think they are doing this often.

• 

  Bat Out of Hell - 2003 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By sal1970 - February 20 - 10:56 pm

  Handles great. Is fast and fun to drive. Looks like no other car on the road except another Jaguar.

• 

  Silverstone XKR - 2001 Jaguar XK-Series
  By kevinrphkv - February 20 - 2:00 am

  If it isnt enough that God has given me the most beautiful Jaguar ever created, He has also given me one of only 200 sold in the U.S.!!!!!!!!! Faster than a corvette and more luxurious than any Mercedes, Lexus or Land Rover ever. This car has it all and I have checked them all out. It is a supercar in every way.

• 

  My Best Car - 2004 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By Tom Weber - February 20 - 2:00 am

  I have owned MBZ,AUDIS,Cadillacs and other Jags. I dont know how jag does it for the money. The germans just cant get it right when it comes to the luxury interior of their cars. Jag has the best interior of them all in its price range. I think for the money Jaguar gives you the best value for your money!!!!. I looked at Lexus LS430, and I would not pay that much for a japanese car. The mercedes was at least $15,000 more for less car. In my opinion the Jaguar has the best value for the money. This is by far the best Jag ever. Even my friends who have other luxury cars agree that Jag has hit a home run with this 2004 XJ.

• 

  Turns more heads than any other car yet - 2003 Jaguar S-Type
  By BuddyM - February 20 - 2:00 am

  I took ownership right after the 2003s were introduced. Gas milage on trips is about 31 mpg traveling between 70 and 80 mph. overall has averaged 25 mpg. Outstanding!! There were a few minor problems but the dealer here in Austin, TX took care of everything in a very satisfactory manner, and always provided a Jag loaner car. It is the best car I have owned for driving on the highway and around town. I usually have driven Cadillacs.

• 

  And what more could you ask for? - 2002 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By Steve Mitchell - February 17 - 10:00 am

  Due to recent tax changes for company car users in the UK its now time to buy my own for the first time in 20 years.I have had the fortune to run an XJR in 1998 as a company supplied vehicle so when the decision had to be made on the first self purchased car there was only one option! Ive now bought a 1998 XJR 23000 miles on the clock and its like sittin gin my favourite chair after a gap of 4 years in Teutonic boredom chariots! No good mentioning shortcomings...too late as the new one is just around the corner..besides I dont play golf and dont sit in the back.

• 

  Love it! - 2006 Jaguar S-Type
  By RCT - February 16 - 12:26 am

  Researched a lot of cars in this luxury class but nothing stirred me as much as the Jag. Having been a Land Rover owner I wasnt put off by the scare stories about reliability problems. You have to drive these British cars all the time to keep them in good condition. They dont like to sit for long. I love the ride in this Jag. The engine feels plenty powerful to me. I dont know what all the magazine writers complain about when they talk about not as much power as other luxury sedans. A few minor cosmetic problems. The eye glass holder doesnt like to stay shut. Some bracket holding up a cable under the car broke. I noticed that the radio volume fluctuated a bit. Would buy again!

• 

  What a performer! - 2005 Jaguar S-Type
  By evol - February 15 - 10:00 am

  This was the best performance/luxury car Ive driven. I didnt want anything to harsh, and the R gave the best luxury / performance tradeoff. Highly recommended

• 

  S for Sensational - 2000 Jaguar S-Type
  By Stephen F. - February 13 - 10:00 am

  Great car. Rides great, looks great, and performs great. This car turns heads. Its style and raw HP blows away all other cars in its class. Jaguar sets the standard for cars, Ray Catena sets the standard for dealerships. I used Ray Catenas "Internet Sales" option to negotiate and purchase my car -- it was easy, pleasant, and way too cool.

• 

  not a premium car - 2007 Jaguar XK-Series
  By ed bowers - February 11 - 12:23 am

  bad electrical systems. Dash panel goes out. Exterior temp goes out. Lights inoperable. Rear end rattles. Squeaky brakes. Place a 4 lb item on passenger seat, seat belt allarm goes off.