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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  Better than a Lexus - 2005 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By dj - May 18 - 3:20 pm

  We purchased an XJ8 for my wife two weeks ago and do far, I have been awed by everything about it. I wanted to purchase the new Lexus GS430, primarily based upon build quality and reliability reputation. The Lexus has nothing on the XJ8 in those areas. Plus, it has similar acceleration, a MUCH better ride, excellent handling and better MPG. So far in a combination of 50% city and 50% highway (usually at 75mph or better), its averaging 27 MPG! I actually prefer the ergonomics of the Jag to the Lexus. In addition, our experience with the local Jaguar dealer has been on par with Lexus vaulted reputation.

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  Best Kept Secret - 2005 Jaguar X-Type
  By J Smythe - May 13 - 7:56 pm

  This vehicle has been outstanding since I purchased it. 2.5L w/manual transmission is the way to go--good performance and good gas mileage. Clutch is not quite Porsche, but only one step below. The X Type does every thing well and, with the AWD, there is no need for my 4WD Pick Up here in the Wash. DC area. Looks great--most people think I paid way more for it than I did.

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  Excellent Experience everyday - 2001 Jaguar XK-Series
  By purrrfecttq - May 11 - 9:07 pm

  This was my first used car purchase, so I was hesitant. But I got a good deal on a 5 year old jag XK convertible. It was gorgeous!!! I have now owned it for many years and put about 40k miles on it. It has been such a fun car to drive and own, it converted us to be loyal Jag owners. We now have just purchased our 4th jag (2012 XF) and have loved every one of them. The scare tactics that other dealers told us were all lies. We have had nothing but wonderful experiences with our Jags. In fact, I have been more satisfied with our 4 Jags than any of our Toyotas or Hondas or Lexus vehicles (which we still own as utility vehicles). These have been the best car buying purchases weve ever made!

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  Ok for a first luxury car - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By Jason - May 4 - 7:30 pm

  I was 25 when I bought my X-type, my first "luxury" car after I finished grad school. The car is not perfect as it has been in the shop several times and Ive spent about $2000 on little annoyances in just a few months, but I feel safe and its no lemon. Be sure to find a reputable repairman quick! The car is BEAUTIFUL to look at and after a year of ownership I still turn back and look at it. The interior is also nice but the seats are a little flat. Gas mileage is OK and my 3.0 in sport mode picks up pretty well. In sum if youre looking for a true luxury car you may want to look elsewhere but if youre young and looking for a eye-catching ride you cant go wrong with the X-type 3.0.

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  2002 S Type - 2002 Jaguar S-Type
  By BLONDDIE66 - May 2 - 11:00 am

  I purchased my 2002 in 2005 with 29K miles. This was my 3rd Jaguar over a 25 year driving history. The 2 previous Jaguars (XJ6) had been purchased in the late 80s/early 90s (used) were nightmares. I owned 3 SUVs after the XJ6s. My S Type has given me few problems. It needed a tune up (1 coil pack went bad) after 100K miles, a couple of cracked vacuum lines and a cracked radiator overflow tank. I love the car, but I drive it like I drove my SUVs and it takes it. You cant beat the interior luxury and the sylish exterior. I bought the Euro mesh grill on Ebay to update it. Its 6 years old now and people give me compliments about it all the time.

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  Closest Yet - 2011 Jaguar XJ
  By Rich58 - May 1 - 10:00 am

  The 2011 XJ rightfully takes its place as the finest car in the class. Without question, the XJ oozes elegance and sophistication with a warmth and personality not found in its Teutonic rivals. This is the first true 21st century luxury car. Prrr.

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  Great Car but not from Cherry Hill NJ - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By BoroBulldogs - May 1 - 10:00 am

  My Jaguar 2004 x-type has been a reliable vehicle as far as the powertrain is concerned. It is a great performing car that handles turns with tremendous agility. However, there is a defect with the interior design- specifically the interior peeling from around the windshield and back window. This is documented in many places on the internet. Please check the interior edges in these locations before making your purchase and be wary of what dealership you choose to deal with. When our original dealership closed in Mays Landing NJ we were forced to do business with Cherry Hill Classic Cars in NJ, which I strongly advise you to STEER CLEAR of as they turned the deaf ear on this defect!

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  My Blue Jag - 2007 Jaguar XK-Series
  By J Egan - April 20 - 2:53 am

  I have yet to take my XK out of my garage without someone making a highly favorable compliment about it. It turns heads. The car is very comfortable and fun to drive. Equipped with the 20" Senta wheels I believe makes the XK comparable to riding on a cloud without losing the driving experience. The front end is longer and the road clearance is lower as with most performance cars so one needs to be careful not to scrape the bottom of the front end in driveways as well as judging front parking distance. The rear parking is a cinch with the radar assistance. Based upon performance, appearance, and personal satisfaction, this XK is the best and finest car Iv ever owned or driven.

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  Where did the grace and style go? - 2011 Jaguar XJ
  By JeffI30 - April 15 - 4:26 pm

  First let me say the only reason I bought this Jag was because of a particular business situation. Where has all the grace, style and beauty of the XJ series gone? Having a Jag always lent you a certain panache. Now with the new design, well to be blunt, I might as well have gotten a Chrysler. Well the back end of the Chrysler 300, with the front end of the Volvo S80. The XJ was an icon, not anymore. It looks like every other car on the road. Even the "leaping jaguar" is gone. What are they thinking? Are they aware of whats known as destroying a brand. Having a Jaguar meant you had reached a certain status in life, I guess they decided to become a any car brand.

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  Love/hate relationship - 2004 Jaguar S-Type
  By Craig Mount - April 15 - 3:16 pm

  I and everyone else who rides in the car love the styling, inside and out. It is very comfortable and cruises great on any highway - smooth, fast, quiet, and 30+ mpg. My spouse really loves it in every way. But I pay the maintenance and repairs!! And at 30000 miles it has had a lot of repairs - radio (several times), transmission, heater valve, upper radiator hose, trunk, front wheel well, etc. We have 5 vehicles and drive a lot of miles a year 85,000+. I love to drive this car - it is my favorite, but the repairs are very disappointing.