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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  Good buy - 2004 Jaguar X-Type
  By iacole - June 25 - 10:00 am

  Excellent handling and looks. Like the engine and tires. Would have liked larger speakers. Dealer attention is excellent.

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  Nothing But Trouble - 2001 Jaguar S-Type
  By DONT GET IT - June 24 - 7:03 am

  I feel sick just thinking about my cat, Ive had nothing but trouble ever since I got it. The first month I got it I had to get the transmission fixed and now the car goes off when i get a red light. I like the leather seats and how the car looks inside and out. Dont get this car if you want a good everyday car.

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  Great Car - 2000 Jaguar S-Type
  By Dan Shuck - June 21 - 2:00 am

  One of the smoothest rides Ive ever had for the price... head turner

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  WINNING FORMULA - 2003 Jaguar X-Type
  By MrBlonde - June 21 - 2:00 am

  Amazing handling, very satisfying accelaration, high quality interior and gorgeous design. Definitely get a hell of a lot of attention driving this car. I was instantly sold.

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  ALOT OF WOW FOR A LITTLE CASH! - 2002 Jaguar X-Type
  By mrrealestate2000 - June 21 - 2:00 am

  I have now owned my Jag for over a year and am satisfied with my decision. Ive owned Acura, BMW and Mercedes. This is my first Jag and Im a convert. Ive had no problems with the exception of a seal on the washer fluid jet that would allow fluid to seep out when I exceeded 65 mph. Dealer fixed it with no problems. I had my last Benz in the shop all the time. Turns more heads that a Benz or Bimmer. I wish the gas milage was better but considering it is AWD its better than any SUV and it will take me any where I need to go. 2003 models lowered the base price. It a bargin for its class. I definitely recommend this car.

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  Love the 5 speed Manual - 2003 Jaguar S-Type
  By alexb - June 21 - 2:00 am

  Test drove the 6 cylinder manual and automatic, and fell in love with the manual. This cat really moves, and I love having the control of the manual, though I do not drive in traffic because I take the subway to work. This is a great fun car for the weekend. I read that 70% of the 2003 is new and that lots of the R technology dribbled down in the suspension and the frame....wow, even the low end S is a wonderful machine. I am in love.

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  Love the 5 speed Manual - 2003 Jaguar S-Type
  By lawrence - June 21 - 2:00 am

  Test drove the 6 cylinder manual and automatic, and fell in love with the manual. This cat really moves, and I love having the control of the manual, though I do not drive in traffic because I take the subway to work. This is a great fun car for the weekend. I read that 70% of the 2003 is new and that lots of the R technology dribbled down in the suspension and the frame....wow, even the low end S is a wonderful machine. I am in love.

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  Made a good choice - 2008 Jaguar XK-Series
  By fred - June 20 - 3:06 am

  My 2006 Cayman was rough, cramped and edgy. I love my new Jag; it has decent performance, good manners and is one of the most beautiful cars I have ever seen. I have discovered that it handles and drives better when being pushed. The fact that I paid about the same for the Jag as the poor mans Porsche is a bonus. The left over 2009s are a great buy if you can find one.

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  Big Blue Beast - 2013 Jaguar XJ
  By melancholyman - June 17 - 4:28 am

  Always thought Id wind up with a Mercedes-Benz or Lexus. Looked at E-Class Mercedes and Lexus ES and GS. Found the Mercedes interior disappointing. Sitting in both Lexus models was like sitting inside a computer: soulless and cold. No personality or warmth at all. Sitting in my AWD XJ is like being in a leather chair in an English gentlemans club. Plenty of power, excellent handling. Design and build quality both superb. A bigger car than I actually wanted, but, when we sat in it, my wife and I just looked at each other and knew wed found our car.

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  My 2nd X type - 2005 Jaguar X-Type
  By sharon - June 14 - 8:50 pm

  This is my 2nd x-type. My other one is a 2002 Platinum sport... love it! Only a few simple problems such a a malfunctioning trunk lock and some recall service... all covered under warranty plus the dealer provided a free Jaguar rental car. My new car is just a beautiful and I am leasing for a similar price to my 2002 model! Glad I did not have to downsize! The best feature is the AWD! I live in WI and we get bad snow and ice... this cars wheels NEVER spin! Grips the road! Love it!