Pros :
- Elegant looks.
- Confidence of all-wheel-drive.
- Broad torque band.
- Stylish interior.
- Tons of available options.
Cons :
- Sluggish acceleration, especially with an automatic tranny.
- Needs Sport package for acceptable handling.
- Some cheap interior materials from cost-cutting.
- Some call it a tarted-up Ford.
- A little on the heavy side.
Interior :
Press Coverage :
The Jaguar debuted in 2002 to become Jaguar's first ever entry into the compact luxo-sport sedan market dominated by the BMW 3-Series. It is also the first ever all-wheel-drive mass-production Jaguar, built on a modified version of the European-market front-wheel-drive Ford Mondeo midsize sedan - a product of cost-cutting and parts-sharing between Ford's various divisions. It is regarded as the car that will save Jaguar from its financial woes by doubling the company's total worldwide sales.
Standard fitments include 16 inch wheels with V-rated 205/55 Continental ContiTouring Contact all-season tires, walnut trim, Connolly leather-trimmed seats, and power everything, including an electric driver's seat. Numerous options packages can be tacked on to the 2.5 version's $30,595 base price. The $2500 Premium package includes an electric moonroof, electric passenger seat, two-way power lumbar support for the front seats, split folding rear seat, Reverse Park Control, trip computer and many other electronic gizmos. The $2000 Sport package includes gray-stained wood trim, Connolly leather seating with sports seats, body-colored exterior trim, a rear spoiler, Dynamic Stability Control, sport-tuned suspension, 17 inch alloy wheels and low profile Pirelli P Zero high-performance tires. The Sport package can only be purchased with the Premium package. The $1000 Weather package adds heated front seats, headlight washers, and Dynamic Stability Control. Other standalone options that can be added as part of the Premium group include a navigation system, an emergency messaging system with integrated digital cell phone, a premium sound system with 6-CD changer and high-intensity discharge headlights.
The 194 hp V6 engine is a highly-modified version of the pedestrian Ford Taurus Duratec V6, with new cylinder heads, intake, exhaust system and continuously variable intake valve timing, and this power is fed to all four wheels through Jaguar's Traction-4 all-wheel-drive system using a five-speed automanual or a no-cost optional five-speed manual transmission. The engine much more refined and smooth than the 200 hp Ford version, although it has a lower power output thanks to a smaller displacement. The 180 lb-ft of torque is barely adequate, but it is most effective with the manual transmission. Acceleration is sluggish with the automanual transmission, and the weighty AWD system doesn't help. The suspension is tuned more towards conservative cruising than aggressive cornering, unless you get the highly-effective Sport package. The sportier suspension makes for a harder ride, but improves cornering. Braking performance is fairly good, using four-wheel vented discs to achieve above-average stopping distances of about 135 ft from 60 mph. The Brembo brakes included in the Sport package substantially reduce this distance.
The AWD system distributes torque to all the wheels with 40:60 front/rear ratio, or even 50:50 at times. In slippery conditions, this changes to 60:40. Still, handling tends more towards understeer in ideal conditions, although the AWD and other electronic systems does increase driver confidence.
ModernRacer.com
The X-Type sets new standards for rigidity of structure. This translates into a car that's got its intentions focused on serious matters: running smoothly and quietly and taking to corners like a cat to ice cream. The brakes, particularly the Brembos in the Sport Package X-Type, were authoritative and reliable. We have taken to thinking of them as Autobahn brakes, able to slow the car from high speeds. Using the brakes repeatedly revealed no problems.
Engine torque is spread over a power curve in that desirable mesa shape. The 2.5-liter engine sometimes feels a bit underpowered when paired with the automatic transmission. The transmission choices are both quite good and come down to personal preference. Put it in Drive and it shifts smoothly and predictably up and down, keeping the X-Type's engine in the proper gear for smooth cruising or quick acceleration. Its shift points seem to be the result of some clever mind reading; this is because the transmission selects shift patterns according to driving conditions. There's also a switch to select either normal or sport modes; sport mode raises the shift points to make full use of available engine power. Jaguar's trademark J-gate, allowing the driver to shift over to partial manual use, works okay, with shorter, sportier shift throws than those of the Jaguar S-Type. The five-speed manual has a short throw with a sports-car feel. It can add to the fun and is our first choice for race tracks. If only to nitpick, the clutch pedal is a little vague, and it takes a little practice to achieve smooth launches and elegant shifts. A little time in the car solves this, however. It works great when driven with gusto in a high-performance setting.
Whether on a major highway or winding backroad, it always felt smooth and stable. The steering is sharp and precise, and the car feels nimble yet secure. To further explore the handling, we took the X-Type onto a tight handling course Jaguar had set up near Atlanta. A tight corner flooded with water showed off the advantage of the Sport package; the high-performance Pirelli P Zero tires provided better grip in the wet than the narrower Continental ContiSport Contact tires, greatly reducing understeer. The Sport package also seemed to offer tighter response, though it wasn't a huge difference. In any case, ride quality doesn't seem to suffer at all with the Sport package and we liked the way the sports seats kept us in place when whipping through slaloms and chicanes.
The Dynamic Stability Control system made it easier to drive the car most of the time; it reduced the chance of losing control or spinning out and it reduced yawing when charging too fast through a slalom. In practical terms, DSC can help a driver maintain control in an emergency to help avoid an accident or reduce its severity. The system can be switched off for those rare times when the driver feels it's too intrusive.
The X-Type seemed quite happy at Atlanta Motor Speedway where we took some laps on the NASCAR oval and an infield road course. It was supremely stable while doing 120 mph on the back straight and around the high banks of the speedway. It was easy to drive quickly through high-speed and low-speed turns. It was fun and predictable when pushing its tires beyond their limits. And it felt comfortable when braking and turning at the same time, a move that ruffles many cars. The handling is quite neutral, understeering at times, yet willing to rotate according to the skilled driver's wishes in the middle of a turn.
Nctd.com
One aspect that hinders the X-Type is its rather slow steering; our performance test driver stated that it took too much wheel input for the amount of action the car was asked to perform. Its turning circle of 35.7 feet is very slim, but the steering ratio needs to be tightened. While reasonably linear, it could offer greater feedback from the road to the fingertips. The four-wheel disc brakes are matched to a well-calibrated pedal and allow for impressive sub-120 feet stopping distances from 60 mph. Electronic Brakeforce Distribution comes with the package but BrakeAssist isn't to be found. Stability control is available as an option, as in our Sport package-equipped vehicle. Passive safety features include side and side curtain airbags for the front and rear. A passenger sensor notes when the right front seat is occupied and will not deploy unless needed, but the airbag warning light above the dash tended to unnervingly illuminate at random intervals, as in other Jaguars we've experienced.
As we've stated, this was our first experience with a Sport package-equipped model. With it comes springs, shock absorbers and antiroll bars that have been specially tuned to deliver a more athletic ride. It certainly makes a difference; there was much less body roll than on the 2.5 we've previously driven. However, like an Audi A4, it tends to be harsh on rough pavement, emitting too much vibration into the cabin. Thus far, we've found that the BMW 3 Series does a better job of delivering a ride that's controlled and firm yet doesn't beat you up around town and over crumbling asphalt.
Edmunds.com
History:
2002-2003 Jaguar X-Type 2.5
2,495 cc / 194 hp / 180 lb-ft / 3428-3516 lbs / 0-60 mph 7.9 sec.
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