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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  Beautiful, Reliable and Still Great - 2001 Jaguar XK-Series
  By ed orgon - December 31 - 4:36 am

  Have had this vehicle for more than 7 years, and still outperforms others. Has been SUPER reliable, no mechanical, build or cosmetic issues AT ALL. Only my usual Mobil 1 oil changes.

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  The rat has a cat - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By Mr. Ratman - December 30 - 10:00 am

  After falling in love with this car at the auto show back in February I spent all year convincing myself I needed to buy one. With a 191,000 miles on my 10 yr old Park Ave, I figured its only a matter of time before it died. Taking advantage of year end close out sales I found myself a 2.5 sport package in British Racing Green. What a beautiful car! I bought the car thinking I would still drive the Buick until its death. I now have almost 6,000 miles on the Jag and spend no time in the Buick.

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  A good decision - 2006 Jaguar X-Type
  By Tom Moore - December 30 - 6:53 am

  Ive owned Mercedes & Lexus. The Jaguar is the best yet and they are not as common as the others. The AWD Jag performs on ice and snow just as good as the AWD Lexus. To date, Im very pleased and believe I made the right choice.

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  Jaguar XK8 - exciting sports car - 2004 Jaguar XK-Series
  By Bob Rassa - December 24 - 2:00 am

  This car is extremely good-looking, sleek and handsome, handles like a dream, outstanding performanc

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  2002 Jaguar X-type sport - 2005 Jaguar X-Type
  By dunjo1 - December 23 - 9:46 pm

  Excellent auto! Reliable & great performance!

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  Best Sports Car Ive Owned - 2006 Jaguar XK-Series
  By Charles Roller - December 22 - 6:10 pm

  This Jaguar Racing Green XKR is absolutely the finest and most enjoyable automobile Ive ever owned. The exterior styling is gorgeous, the interior stately and rich, and the power truly breath-taking. I cannot imagine any impovement that makes sense for this vehicle. Even the achieved city gas mileage figure is 16.9 mpg - quite a happy surprise. I havent taken the XKR on an extended highway trip yet, but fully expect to see 25+ mpg. Other than the high cost of entry, and reasonable but steep insurance premiums, this is an exceptional automobile that makes me smile every time I open the drivers door.

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  s-type - 2000 Jaguar S-Type
  By Jim Masterson - December 18 - 10:06 am

  Great car to drive. Handles well except on snowy roads. Fuel mileage not great. Inside configuration is well designed. Excellent pick-up.

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  Convert - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By Geechee - December 16 - 10:00 am

  Went in to buy my 3rd Infiniti, my folks and brother also have Infinitis. Heart set on the new little rocket, G35. After almost a 10 year relationship with local dealer, I was told no deals and the car would have $1000 tacked on. Thought about the I35. On my way home I pulled into the Jag dealer looking for a pre-owned Jag. Drove out in a 03 X-Type. With the premium pkg, DSC, and Alpine, it was LESS than the offer on the G35. Though the X is not the fastest off the line, it passes without fail. Solid feel, quality feel, and looks that draw admirers. What a value!

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  Even Better Than I Thought - 2004 Jaguar S-Type
  By at002f - December 13 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my 04 S-Type for a week now and couldnt be happier. The V8 engine is quiet, yet very powerful. The car rides smooth, I dont feel every bump in the road, even with 18 inch rims on the car. A testiment to the suspension. The interior is very well thought out, a monster upgrade from the 02 model. People notice this car, so be prepared to get lots of attention in it. As for negatives, the upgraded Alpine system is good, but nowhere near the Bose systems found in many luxury cars. Also, ALL of the front speakers are in the doors, the system needs some tweeters on the dash for a more complete sound in the front of the car.

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  Very Pleased With 2004 X-Type - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By lmdave - December 13 - 5:05 am

  I purchased the car new in August 2004 for my wife. She and I both love it. We also had a 1989 XJ6 at the time, and knew Jaguars spotty reputation for reliability was for real with the XJ6. Not so for the X-type...it has had less problems than any other automobile I have ever owned. Only mistake I made was buying an extended warranty; all other cars I have done this with, this has paid off, but not for the X-Type..which has been nearly trouble free for the entire extended warranty period. I highly recommend this car. We always use Shell premium gas; makes a difference in engine running smoothly.