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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  Worst car I ever owned!!! - 2000 Jaguar S-Type
  By jimjr11 - September 6 - 6:58 pm

  I bought my 2000 S-Type 4.0 new and have spent a fortune on it and had many days in the shop while still warranted as well. Dont believer I ever got out fr less than $800. I can count on one hand how many people have ever sat in the back seat, that window never is used, yet Im on my fourth window raising device. The car leaks and three trips to the shop they cant find the source carpet If the car stalls right after starting, it will never start again, have had it towed four times. Ball joints gone at 70k, trunk has leaked since it was new. the gas release has stopped three times, the mirrors dont adjust and theres a rattle in the center of the dash they cant find a solution for.

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  Jaguar - 2007 Jaguar XK-Series
  By john - September 5 - 10:26 pm

  The car is excellent, it feels great and handles perfectly. Jag engineers have out done themselves this time. The performance is excellent and the driving position too, the seats are very comfortable and you dont feel that you are in a sports car.

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  Great Car... Love My Jag!! - 2005 Jaguar S-Type
  By Cal Zombie - August 31 - 7:50 pm

  I always wanted a Jag but had heard ALL of the horror stories (electrical/cost to fix/etc etc). Read hundreds of reviews about the 05 (a great year for this car), and went looking for an "S Type". Found one with 30K and was certified. Bought it and never looked back. Ride is smooth and the the pick up with the 6 cyl is like a rocket. City driving I get 22 MPG, and freeway I have gotten between 28 and (I know this may be hard to believe) 32 MPG. I got the 32 MPG going 70 mph on the "coast" from LA to San Diego w/no A/C. On a "Vegas" trip I was cruising at 85/90 with no problem. This feline can do more if asked to! Wonderful, smooth, powerful ride. Engine purrs like a cat!!

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  Great Great Great - 2004 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By hot car - August 30 - 1:46 am

  This is just a class touring auto, comfortable, soacious, like your in your living room. Engine is very smooth and has plenty of power on the road and highway. Heads do turn when you pull up and the overall quality of the car is excelent.

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  Awesome.....a must buy!!!! - 2014 Jaguar F-Type
  By shaymasdaddy06 - August 29 - 3:35 am

  I test drove the base F-type in Polar white with black leather/suede interior this weekend and it drives well as it looks. The pictures dont do justice for how amazing it looks in person. Even with the base 18" wheels, its a stunner!!! The build quality is excellent. From the body panels to the well thought-out interior, Jaguar did their homework and produced a car that it is more than worthy of its asking price. The Drive: Amazing!!! Despite some slight turbo lag from the 340 hp supercharge engine, the F-Type pins you back in your seat and provides an exhilarating driving experience without beating you up. The balance in the suspension and steering preciseness is uncanny.

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  2003 - XType - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By MrZoso68 - August 25 - 10:00 am

  Growing up 4 blocks from a Jaguar Dealership, I have been wanting a Jag since I was 10. Well, this year(38 years later) with the great leasing deals Jaguar offered, I finally got one. The X-Type is all I expected & more. I have to say its the most fun car I have ever driven. It handles just like a European Luxury/Sports car should. Step on the gas, and youre gone! The leather seats wrap you up. The interior appointments are what you would expect on cars costing twice as much, and the exterior styling are classic Jaguar all the way. If your looking for a Luxury car with guts, at a very reasonable price, the Jaguar X-Type is the car for you.

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  WOW! - 2004 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By welchct4 - August 24 - 9:54 am

  I have owned my, low-mileage (23k), 2004 XJ Vanden Plas for a little over a month now. This automobile is without question the finest automobile that I have ever owned. The quality of the interior blows away anything from Germany or Japan. The electronics (Alpine stereo, Nav, Rear DVD, etc.) are simple, logical and easy to operate. The exterior is a timeless classic and the aluminum body make the MPGs incredible (18-20 city/28-31 hwy). In fact, Ive averaged 27.3 mpg (80% Hwy./20% City) for the first 1,300 miles that Ive owned the car! Ridiculous depreciation, based upon sins of the past, make this without question the best value in the used luxury car market.

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  XJ8-L - 2001 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By Richard - August 23 - 7:16 am

  This car is a great addition to my fleet. I bought it for a cruiser/weekend car, but I cant seem to keep myself out of it. I love the sound system and the power everything is outstanding. It is a well built vehicle and doesnt leak at all. The design of the interior is spacious and very welcoming. It is definitely a head turner. The car is heavy on a steel frame so tires and brakes do not last as long as they should. The brakes are a dual soft system and the rotors ware quickly. They provide superb stopping power but will need to be replaced soon and and often.

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  First and Last Jaguar - 2007 Jaguar XK-Series
  By Last Jag - August 19 - 4:30 pm

  The car is beautiful on the exterior, the interior is not very functional with misplaced buttons all around. Reliability is horrible, I think I spend more time in my rental car than my Jaguar. My sons popsicle stick birdhouse is built better than this car. I have decided I am ending the lease early and buying a BMW 6-Series.

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  Beautiful, powerful cat - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By jsecada - August 19 - 12:06 am

  4000 miles without absolutely any problems. Handles beautifully on all terrain and weather (better than Imprezza); at 3000rpms+ lot of smooth power. Manual transmission works perfectly. Spacious, very comfortable interior. Huge trunk. Great audio. Complaints about being "spartan" "plastic" are ludicrous (less so than Mercedes or BMWs). Classic, beautifully designed car. Dealership service excellent, first-rate. Best experience ever buying a car.