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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  An Elegant Rocket - 2004 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By akelley - June 10 - 10:00 am

  This is my 4th Jag. This Jag has the power and driving fun of a BMW with the distinctive elegance of a Bentley. All cars in this price range are jewelry with wheels but this car is the best car for the money. It is less than an S500 but better. Mercedes are so common and look like Hondas, BMWs look odd, and Audi, well they look like a VW or Toyota. When you spend this much money for a car you want something special, unique and that stands out. This car has it all..elegance, room, power and all the features you would expect of a world-class, head-turning luxury sedan.

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  A typical Ford - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By Todd R. - June 10 - 10:00 am

  I am so unhappy with this car. It has had so many problems, I hate the fact of even getting in the car. The transmission went at 9,000 miles, the car has been at the dealer at least 7 times in one year. Thank goodness they offer a free loner car. I have had every color X type in my driveway The sad thing is they all seem to drive like my old ford tempo. Sad because they are a nice looking car. I am not usually one to complain, but I am going back to Acura when this lease is up.

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  First Jaguar - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By Bryan - May 30 - 10:33 pm

  I am very happy with this car. I believe it offers a lot for the price and am glad I bought it. It is small, nimble and responsive enough to be fun to drive. Yet it is big enough to have room for four people. The fold down rear seat together with a decent sized trunk provide good luggage carrying capacity as well. The gas mileage is good especially in view of its performance. The all wheel drive has been a comfort in winter driving. I have had no mechanical or quality problems with it. All in all an excellent ownership experience.

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  very surprised - 2001 Jaguar S-Type
  By Way2Busy - May 27 - 10:00 am

  After owning BMWs (over-hyped), Infinitis (over prised for quality) and a horrible Merc (over priced, poor quality and service, a chrylser with a Merc decal), I am absoultey surprised at the great quality of this car. Fun and comfortable to drive, with great AC, all a plus here LA. Distinct, classic looks that exudes class and quality.

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  An Exceptional Car - 2006 Jaguar X-Type
  By OldCEM - May 21 - 9:26 pm

  This car is Jags best keep secret. Its the best trip vehicle Ive ever owned. Its quick, corners well, and is extremely comfortable on trips. Build quality, fit and finish are second to none at its price point. Its standard AWD handles rain, snow, and ice with no drama at all. The car is heavy, and, seems to be built like a tank. The interior has standard leather seats, and the rest seems to be made of very high grade materials. I like the retro style of the exterior, and its a real head turner, This is my second X Type - I upgraded from a 2.5 liter model because I wanted the extra power. Both have been extremely reliable vehicles.

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  Babied from Birth - 2000 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By g huelsman - May 19 - 10:00 am

  Truly an excellent automobile. Always did everything I expected of it. Braking, acceleration, handling, etc. Won several awards in appearance.

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  Third Time is the Charm - 2005 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By Dr J Rapp - May 16 - 1:30 pm

  Three weeks ago I took delivery of My XJ8. I had previously owned a 2002 X type which was so poorly built it made me (a grown man) want to cry. I then was foolish enough to go for an 04 X type on the word of the dealer that the car had been radically improved, which it was, but still shy of acceptable for a "premium" automobile, even an entry level one.I managed to convince myself that I had bought the wrong Jag and traded the X for a very svelt looking new XJ in Midnight Metalic Black. All I can say is that the XJ is a truely wonderful automobile in all respects. Day by day it continues to surprise me with its comfort, cat like agility, outright speed and overall grace.

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  X-tremely Pleased - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By Pete - May 15 - 5:36 pm

  Purchased used with 12,000 miles for about 1/2 original retail. The manual 5 spd. provides plenty of zip with the 2.5, and the AWD handles like a dream. By far the best feature is the exterior styling but a close second is the outstanding warranty Jag provides on certified used cars (bumper to bumper, 100k/6 years from original date of purchase). Finally, I enjoy not seeing dozens of other cars like mine (I see about a dozen BMW 3 series for each X-Type), and people think I spent a LOT more than I did! Someday, Ill graduate to an XK, but I hope to be a Jaguar owner for life.

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  hott - 2004 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By matt landes - May 14 - 2:00 am

  This car is a beast. I swear there is a nuke under the hood. If you buy the car the 20" are a must.

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  WOW! - 2002 Jaguar XJ-Series
  By thebigone - May 13 - 10:00 am

  The Jaguar XJR100 is one fine vehicle. It rides like a dream and looks great. I have had this car for only one week and the car has had absolutely no problem. Ford has really turned Jaguar around. I strongly suggest you look into a Jaguar for your next car.