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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  This is my third XJ over 28 years - 2011 Jaguar XJ
  By geezergourmet - November 28 - 3:19 am

  The 83 XJ6 was stately and stable, the 98 XJ8 had elegance with performance. This 2011 XJ, with the interior upgrade package, has all of the above attributes on steroids. Steering is very quick and precise. Acceleration and braking are awesome. Jaguar now has a car with all the bells and whistles expected at this price point, along with the beautiful styling and brilliant performance expected of Jaguars. This is a world class car.

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  Excitement All Over Again - 2011 Jaguar XJ
  By Don West - November 23 - 11:36 am

  What a refreshing example of a brand! The old XJ was tired (but reliable) and needed an update. Just left the car wash and felt sorry for the Panamera next to me! An extra $30,000 for a four seater that doesnt know if it is a sedan or not. Havent seen a breakout car since the 2005 Chrysler 300 till this. Should be the luxury Car of the Year. Front row car at five star restaurants. Move over Audi, BMW & Mercedes.

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  Used again?? - 2001 Jaguar XK-Series
  By jag4jj - November 23 - 7:53 am

  This is my first Jag. I was a Vette person for years. Ive had problems with the driverside rear alignment due to the fact the car was hit and repaired prior to my purchase, which I did not know about. Once this is corrected, I do believe it will be excellent. I look forward to trading in a year or so for a 2007. Like the retractable top, not keen on the lact of trunk space. Not much room for golf clubs. :)

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  Pirelli Tires -- whats the deal? - 2003 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By BruceMa - November 19 - 2:00 am

  I have had a lot of problems with flat tires driving in DC MD VA DE. And pirellis are not cheap. I sometimes wonder if it had bad or used tires when I bought it, since they all went flat within a year.

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  A great drivers car - 2004 Jaguar S-Type
  By John M - November 19 - 2:00 am

  What a beauty. I owned 3 other S- types, because I love the classic Jaguar lines. Upgrading each year is due to the engineering refinement and design enhancements. The R has the performance, power, handling, and flexibility in unique balance. Nothing feels harsh which is rare in a 400hp rocket. The Jaguar racing legacy is alive here. With the odd looking new BMW 500 series, Jag investing in R-engineering will have a promising future. I sense the E-Type racing heritage in this car, which makes it all worthwhile. And with 5 seats my family can enjoy.

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  DONT BELIEVE - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By PLEASE READ THIS!!!! - November 17 - 10:00 am

  I was shocked to read the review entitled, "Do you like your wallet? By Style, not substance." Anyone who knows their Jags knows that Ford bought Jaguar around 1985, and ever since that, the cars have been extremely reliable. Therefore, I do not understand their "but the reliability on long commutes would worry me a great deal." Also, they say BMW is a much better choice, which is by opinion only. For anyone considering this car, or just bought it, you chose wisely. I am very pleased; my last car was an XJ Vanden Plas Sedan. This car is much more entertaining to drive, and not too "starched." Nevertheless, this is a JAGUAR.

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  "She saved my life" - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By specialT - November 13 - 3:26 pm

  Dont believe the critics. This baby was the safest, smartest, high performance car that just "growled" to be driven. Had her for a total of 6 yrs goin on 7. May have lost her for good b/c she took the tree; not me. Had her out in the snow 1st and only time,hit ice, hit tree. Sprained left hand, bump and bruise on rt knee. Airbag deployed, but no other bruises etc. hit head on, missed the jag on hood, headlights in tact. Radiator pushed in, motor to be assessed. ALOT of safety features deployed. Yet to have the adjuster take a look. 12-31- 09 so its been 10 days. Well know when we get the hood up. Either way, this girl was the best car I ever had (have). She wont even turn over.

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  The S-type R is a great value !! - 2005 Jaguar S-Type
  By Andrew - November 9 - 2:20 pm

  Love this car, as others have said on recent reviews. Ride and handling is very good for the incredible performance of this car. Glad it has 5 seats, and is more much unique than the recent M-B options. An excellent value for the price, and so comfortable and easy to drive. If you love the racing heritage, and the Jag style and looks of many years ago, this car is perfect. And since a XKE of the mid-60s probably does not work as a daily driver, this would your best bet in many years. I like it even more than my previous XJ8 and XK8 (and BMW 7-series), much more unique and handles better than all three.

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  My third Jaguar, but my first XJ - 2014 Jaguar XJ
  By cbrandi - November 8 - 7:37 pm

  I cross shopped all the major cars in the class, wanted a luxurious car with a definite performance edge. Decided Maserati Ghibli was too much an unknown and its interior wasnt up to snuff. The S Class was superb but too large and too expensive. The BMW 7 series needs updating, it looks and felt like a bloated 3 Series. Audis are boring. Ive been very happy with my decision. Its fast, but very comfortable on long road trips. Although large, it drives small. Quality is outstanding and attention to detail, make it one of the best interiors for any amount of money. Gas milage has been amazingly good for such a large car. This is where the all aluminum construction pays off.

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  Nothing beats a Jag - 2005 Jaguar XK-Series
  By Gebhardt - November 7 - 10:00 am

  When I went looking for a car for my wife, I never anticipated buying a Jag. When I walked in, I knew the XK8 was the best looking car I had ever seen, and it handled just like I thought it would. A fantastic buy, and I have never been more happy with a car in my life, and my wife is thrilled by her georgeous convertible. My only problem is I drive too fast in it.