Jaguar XF Sportbrake review

With its streamlined range and slashed prices making the XF family easy to understand and considerably cheaper on paper than all its rivals, it’s suddenly more tempting than it once was. But will you sign on the dotted line?

The wobblier residuals close the gap when it comes to finance payments. So, while an XF Sportbrake P250 in R-Dynamic trim is yours for around £750 a month, the equivalent BMW 540i M Sport Touring comes in at £690 per month. An Audi A6 Avant quattro S-line with similar power is less than £600 a month. Jaguar dealers know this, have stock to move, and may be open to a deal if you’re prepared to haggle. The fact is, as a much smaller player than the German giants, Jaguar will always struggle to match them on finance. Think of it as paying more for exclusivity, perhaps. Everyone has an Audi…

Business buyers looking for a low-CO2 option haven’t got any plug-in hybrids on offer, so they’ll be focusing on the 138g/km D200 with mild-hybrid boost, claiming 53.7mpg. We’ve been testing the P250, which is rear-drive only, unlike the P300: the flagship engine deploys all-wheel drive.

In real-world mileage, the P250 offered up a respectable 34mpg: bang on Jaguar’s own claims. On a long run, it’ll close in on 40mpg, and top 400 miles from a tank.

In terms of spec and trim, an R-Dynamic car with its subtle but purposeful bodykit is the more youthful looking choice. S, SE and HSE spec packs up the toy count with goodies like matrix-LED headlights, keyless go, blind spot monitoring and spanglier wheels.

Don’t hold out for an SVR-badged V8 rival to the likes of the Audi RS6 Avant and Porsche Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo. Jaguar’s future is all-electric, and four-pot XFs are its estate-shaped swansong.