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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  my jagur - 2004 Jaguar S-Type
  By althemac - August 21 - 10:00 am

  this vehicle is not only sleek looking but performs as well as it looks. the price is not to far out of line considering that you are purchasing a work of art. nothing else compares

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  My first Jag - 2000 Jaguar S-Type
  By Patti Tolbert - August 20 - 10:40 am

  I bought this car used and also took out an extended warranty after hearing some scary stories about Jags. But after fixing some initial problems, I have had nothing but great fun and reliability from this car! Everyone loves the way it looks of course. And I drive a lot so the comfort of the ride is something that I really appreciate. I have had an MG in the past so I was used to "babying" a car and expected to have to baby the Jag, but it has been babying ME!!

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  I love it - 2011 Jaguar XJ
  By Subhi - August 19 - 6:33 pm

  I bought my car only three days ago. I had owned a BMW 750iL in the past which was a great car. This Jaguar is however is "special". The interior is very beautiful and tasteful, very comfortable, too. The exterior is plain gorgeous, I have got so many "thumbs up" which keep me smiling all the time while I am driving it. That is obviously not why I bought it, but it does not hurt to get a positive feed back. It is too early for me to report on reliability, but so far so good. I highly recommend it.

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  X-Type - 2006 Jaguar X-Type
  By drew - August 19 - 2:26 pm

  Second X-Type in 2 years. Very happy with the interior rich look. Outside is styled well. A great car for the 35k price range.

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  Love the Car, hate the wheels - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By JRHurley - August 16 - 11:10 pm

  I puchased this car to commute back and forth from work. Work is 100 miles away from my home. That means I am driving in it for at minimum 4 hours a day. It has to be comfortable and reliable. While I had a couple of issues which were promptly resolved by the dealer I have a major complaint with Jaguar. The 17" low profile rims that cam with the car should be recalled. I had replaced three of them before deciding to get aftermarked Jag 16" rims installed. Lost some performance but I can at least hit a pothole without having to buy another $500-$600 wheel

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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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  Jaguar Fever - 2003 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By Dr. Henry - August 7 - 10:00 am

  I bought my XJ Sport Jaguar new from a dealer in LA in the year 2003. I love this car. Yes, a bit expensive-yet extroardinarily satisfying. No other car in the market today beats the exterior styleing. Mine lacks the 370/now390 hp supercharged engine, however the stock 290/300hp 4.0L V8 is, to me, quick enough. My son drives my car on a pretty frequent basis and I worry about him out on the road w/ 390supercharged hp to his disposal (although i suspect that his new WRX may be a bit quicker). GREAT CAR! go buy one of the new ones!

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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!