“And now for something completely different.” Yes, it seems fitting to quote one great British icon in support of another, yet sad as it may seem for those of us weaned on big, luxurious four-door…

2019 Jaguar XF S Road Test

2019 Jaguar XF S
The Jaguar XF S is one hot looking mid-size luxury-sport sedan. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

“And now for something completely different.” Yes, it seems fitting to quote one great British icon in support of another, yet sad as it may seem for those of us weaned on big, luxurious four-door sedans and estate wagons (not to mention Monty Python’s Flying Circus), cars like Jaguar’s XF are becoming few and far between these days. 

The Coventry, UK-based premium brand grew legendary with the forever-beautiful Mk II and ultimately elegant XJ Series I, II and III that followed, not to mention the B-Type, C-Type and E-Type sports cars that were the inspiration behind today’s sensational F-Type, but times are tough for all but a few luxury sedans these days. Jaguar designers Ian Callum and Adam Hatton did a stellar job reinvigorating the XJ nameplate back in 2009, the of which I personally witnessed seen while descending the escalator to baggage claim at Pearson International, literally causing my jaw to drop in dumbfounded adoration, but that was a decade ago and as much as I still love the big, beautiful and surprisingly agile machine, the full-size luxury F-segment hasn’t exactly stood still while Jaguar decides what to do for an encore. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
The XF is long and lean, and looks great with all the chrome bits blacked out. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

Meanwhile, the second-generation mid-size E-segment XF being reviewed here arrived in 2015 as a 2016 model, once again designed by the Scottish-born Callum, and then less than a year later, in June of 2016, Jaguar introduced the compact D-segment XE to Canadians (a 2020 refresh was just revealed) for the 2017 model, a car also penned by the Royal College of Art graduate. He does have a way with sculpted aluminum panels and composites, the XF’s slippery shape achieving Jaguar’s best aerodynamics thanks to a drag coefficient of 0.26. Each is beautiful, and therefore receives steady compliments from enthusiasts who appreciate special cars made by an even more endearing brand, but thumbs up and nods of appreciation from fans hardly pay the bills. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
As pretty from its backside as it is up front. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

I went over Jaguar’s sales in detail as part of an “In Our Garage” story published in March, so feel free to head on over there to read more if such dry commentary is your thing. Suffice to say the first three months of 2019 have been abominable for all but one of the entire luxury sector’s full-size luxury sedans, with the XJ losing the most ground (68.8 percent) compared to the same initial quarter last year (albeit with most others close behind), while the XE (78.1 percent) was the biggest loser within its compact D-Segment, and XF, surprise, surprise (ok, no surprise), lost the most sales (62.7 percent) in its mid-size E-Segment. Rather than leaving Jaguar faithful crying into their refill bottles of mineral oil (previous generation XJ owners will appreciate the jab), take heart that the F-Pace grew its market share (15.5 percent) over Q1 of 2019 while many rivals lost ground, and the new I-Pace electric found new buyers too, leaving the E-Pace to retreat less territory (7.1 percent) than some competitors. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
The original Ian Callum design looks stunning, while the glossy black chrome adds a menacing touch. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

This said, if you’re the type of buyer who prefers to follow the crowd, then an XF, or any other Jaguar model, probably isn’t for you, yet then again if you’re into exclusivity, and appreciate being one of few anywhere in Canada to own something as wholly unique as the car shown here on this page, you may want to take a closer look at a brand that still takes pride in delivering plenty of old school charm together with formidable performance and highly advanced technologies. 

The latter issue is actually improved upon for this 2019 model year, with all XF trims incorporating Jaguar’s updated 10.0-inch InControl Touch Pro infotainment touchscreen, which provides much more area to enjoy its totally new more minimalist graphics (the British red telephone booth and other scenes are gone), easier viewing rear parking camera, more detailed navigation mapping, and many other improvements. If the simpler more sophisticated interface is not your cup of tea, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration give it a reskin when hooked up to your device while adding proprietary features. Being an Android user I prefer Jaguar’s stock system, which includes features like navigation and voice recognition in the XF’s second-rung Prestige trim and above. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
These sophisticated LED headlamps come standard. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

On a more luxurious note, Jaguar’s ultra-rich Suedecloth now comes standard for the roof pillars and headliner no matter the XF trim chosen, as does a set of aluminum treadplates with illuminated Jaguar branding, plus rich premium carpeted floor mats, sporty metal foot pedals, classy chromed power seat switchgear, and a classic looking frameless auto-dimming rearview mirror that I happen to love. 

Standard features and other XF trims in mind, this 2019 model includes the $59,100 Premium trim, $64,500 Prestige, and $67,800 R-Sport when choosing the 247 horsepower base 2.0-litre direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder; $67,000 Prestige, $70,300 R-Sport, $72,300 300 SPORT and $79,100 Portfolio with the 296 horsepower version of the same gasoline-powered engine; $66,500 Prestige and $69,800 R-Sport with the 180 horsepower 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel; and lastly $75,300 for my tester’s 380 horsepower 3.5-litre supercharged V6-powered model’s sole S trim. Take note, all prices, trims, packages and standalone options can be found at CarCostCanada, where you can also save thousands by learning about available rebates and otherwise hard to find dealer invoice pricing. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
All of the XF S details look marvellous. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

Recent news of Jaguar losing money by the bucket loads might have something to do with the amazing number of unique powertrains and trims available (and I haven’t touched on options yet) in a car that only sold 173 units in Canada last year. It would’ve been difficult enough when it made 494 deliveries in 2017, or for that matter reached its sales pinnacle in 2016 with 542 down Canadian roads, but such diversity will be hard to maintain if Jaguar plans to keep providing this model in Canada. Similarly in the US, a country roughly 10 times the population of Canada and supposedly experiencing the best economy it ever has (don’t worry Jaguar, we know that’s not true), Jaguar sold 4,704 XFs in 2018, down from 9,278 units the year prior. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
Love these 20-inch alloys. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

While the diversity of XF engines is generous to say the least, all trims incorporate a quick-shifting yet smooth operating ZF-sourced eight-speed electronic automatic transmission with an ultra-cool rotating gear selector that automatically powers up from its otherwise flush position on the lower centre console upon startup, as well as paddle shifter-actuated Jaguar Sequential Shift manual mode for hands-on engagement, and all-wheel drive for four-season grip. 

Further aiding command of the road, all trims include Jaguar Drive Control with Standard, Eco, Dynamic (sport), and Rain/Ice/Snow driving modes, which makes a significant difference to comfort, performance and everything in between, while Torque Vectoring by Braking (TVBB), and hill launch assist help drivers master any road condition. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
The black glass roof is a sure sign of a big sunroof below. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

Making my XF S tester even more fun to drive was Adaptive Surface Response (AdSR) plus Configurable Dynamics and Adaptive Dynamics that let you choose personal engine, suspension, steering, and transmission settings, all of which dramatically change the way the car responds to inputs, from a comfortable cruiser to a seriously reactive sport sedan. 

Along with everything already mentioned, the top-line XF S being reviewed receives stronger 350-mm front brake discs and red calipers all-round, and 20-inch alloy wheels, these improving both performance and styling, while the latter gets upgraded with a special “S” body kit that incorporates a sports front bumper, gloss black side sills and rear valance, plus a discrete rear deck lid spoiler. Inside, the XF S incorporates unique metal sill finishers with “S” branding, really attractive Dark Hex aluminum inlays on the instrument panel, a soft leather-like Luxtec-wrapped dash top, ultra-comfortable and supportive “S” embossed 18-way power-adjustable sport seats, and more. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
Simple, elegant LED taillights provide quick response when getting hard on the brakes. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

Additional XF S features not yet mentioned include proximity-sensing access, pushbutton ignition, an acoustic layer windshield, automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, an electromechanical parking brake, a power-adjustable steering column, auto-dimming, power-folding, heatable side mirrors with approach lights and puddle lamps, memory for those mirrors as well as the front seats, front seat heaters, mood lighting, a Homelink garage door opener, a rearview camera, navigation with detailed mapping, InControl Apps, Pro Services, Bluetooth telephone connectivity with audio streaming, a USB charge port, dual-zone automatic climate control, front and rear parking sensors, etcetera. 

What’s more, along with all the expected active and passive safety features the XF S comes standard with autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist, blindspot monitoring, closing vehicle sensing, reverse traffic monitoring, driver condition monitoring, and more. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
Nice sporty looking exhaust, but the 380-hp F-Pace sounds a lot more exciting than this XF S. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

On top of the all these standard XF S items my test model was upgraded to include $670 worth of gorgeous Rossello Red paint; a stunning set of $770 gloss-black twinned five-spoke alloys; a $460 Black package with a gloss black mesh grille and surround, gloss black side vents and the same treatment for the trunk garnish; a $2,200 Comfort and Convenience package with a hyperactive gesture control for that trunk’s powered deck lid (keep reading for the sordid details below); as well as soft closing doors, three-way active ventilated front seats, and heatable rear outboard seats; a $1,030 Technology package with 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, Pro Services, and a CD/DVD player; a $3,680 Driver Assistance package with a 360-degree surround camera, a forward facing camera, 360-degree Park Distance Control, Park Assist semi-autonomous self-parking, adaptive cruise control with Queue Assist, blindspot assist, and traffic sign recognition with an intelligent speed limiter; a head-up display for $1,330; a heated windshield and heated washer jets for $410; plus satellite and HD radio for $210. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
Not the most refined interior in its class, but still every bit a luxurious Jaguar. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

All that was missing in order fully load up this particular XF S was a $2,230 Premium Interior Upgrade package boasting four-zone auto climate control with an air quality sensor and automatic air re-circulation, a lockable cooled glove box, manual side window sunshades, a powered rear sunshade, and configurable interior mood lighting; plus optional interior décor trim (the carbon fibre would’ve been sweet); yet even as tested the base XF S model’s asking price of $75,300 moves up by $10,550 to $85,850 plus freight and fees (again, check out CarCostCanada for more detail). 

As good as all of this sounds, and the XF arguably delivers a great deal of value for the money asked, we need to face the reality that Germany leads this category by a country mile for good reason (as does Tesla for a different cult-like electrified rationale), and despite Jaguar investing quid upon quid by the bucketful into the XF’s lightweight and ultra-rigid bonded and riveted aluminum body shell, that I happen to think is one of the more attractive in its class, plus as noted earlier, offering more engine options than the majority of rivals (albeit no longer a supercharged V8… sigh), it would need to perform barrel rolls on the spot if it truly wanted to get noticed by mid-size E-segment luxury sedan buyers. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
The XF provides a nicely organized cockpit. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

This seems a good time to mention that the XF is finished to a higher degree of refinement than the smaller, more affordable XE, my tester’s luxuriously appointed Ebony leather and Light Oyster grey contrast-stitched cabin also showing off beautiful Grey Figured Ebony veneer inlays, but while the larger car is more refined than the smaller one, hardly an unusual scenario, I’m not going to go so far as to say the XF is segment-leading when it comes to fit, finish, materials quality, digital interfaces, features, roominess, etcetera. It’s very good in all of the above respects, however, and due to offering a wholly unique look and feel, plus a very different driving experience than any rival it deserves your attention. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
Jaguar’s fully digital gauge cluster is worth the upgrade. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

Similar to the compact XE and its larger full-size XJ sibling, the XF feels smaller, lighter and more engaging than most in its class, its aforementioned 380 horsepower V6 responding with snappy enthusiasm that’s no doubt attributed to its healthy displacement and noted supercharger. This means all 332 lb-ft of torque come on strong right from the get-go, while its aforementioned standard all-wheel drive eliminates wheel spin no matter the road conditions, and the eight-speed automatic flicks through gears like Swiss clockwork… or rather British clockwork; the XF is more Bremont meets Christopher Ward with some classic Roger Smith thrown in for good measure, rather than anything with the marketing power of a Rolex or grail-like wow factor of Vacheron Constantin. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
Now all XF trims come standard with Jaguar’s new and improved 10.0-inch touchscreen. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

That’s the challenge, as good as the XF is, it’s up against the Rolex Datejust of the car industry, Mercedes’ E-Class, not to mention the BMW 5 Series, aka Omega Speedmaster, or for that matter the IWC Big Pilot, or rather Audi A6. Enough wristwatch comparos? Either way, I’m sure you get the gist. You’ll need to be a serious watch nerd to know about Bremont, Christopher Ward or Roger Smith, and while I probably should have compared the Germans to Teutonic watch brands such as Nomos, Glashütte Original and A. Lange & Söhne, my point was more about brand power than source of mechanicals and manufacture. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
The rotating gear selector powers up out of the centre console upon startup. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

The truth is, no matter how entertaining and informative I try to make this review out to be, you’re one of a very small number of Canadian consumers showing any interest in this car at all. It’s partially a sign of the crossover SUV times, which is recently being borne out by the success of Jaguar’s own E-Pace, F-Pace and new I-Pace EV, as noted, but as I suggested earlier, it also has a lot due to with Jaguar’s declining fortunes overall. 

This doesn’t stop the XF from being an excellent car that’s great fun to drive, its strong straight-line performance, that’s good for a sprint from standstill to 100km/h of just 5.3 seconds in as-tested S trim (albeit with an exhaust note that was a bit too muted even in Dynamic sport mode to keep me smiling), combining with the agile handling and superb ride quality of a lightweight double-wishbone front and integral link rear suspension, ideal for pounding through compressed serpentine stretches of tarmac at heroic speeds, let alone relaxing quietly and comfortably down the freeway or tooling through town. The XF S is a be-all and do-all sport-luxury sedan, capable of mixing it up in a barroom melee with the Bavarians one minute, and quiet, thoughtful contemplation after a night in Tokyo’s Roppongi district the next. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
Comfortable, supportive seats and plenty of room. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

This said it wasn’t without fault, my top-line model devoid of remote engine start from the key fob (they have it available on their smartphone-downloadable InControl Remote App, but iTunes and Play Store complainants say it works sporadically at best), therefore not allowing me to pre-warm the cabin in winter or pre-chill in summer. Speaking of temperatures, I don’t like that there’s no auto mode for the heated seats. They needed to be turned on each and every time I climbed into the car, as did the heatable steering wheel, and there’s only one extremely hot temperature setting for that latter feature. What else? How about an overhead sunglasses holder that wouldn’t fit my small-sized wire rim Ray-Ban aviators. I had to flip them upside down to get them inside and close the lid, which means their lenses rubbed against the inner lid. Looking downward, corner vents that silently whisk into visibility via powered covers are cool, but all the hard plastic used for the glove box lid, lower dash surfacing, console, and lower door panels isn’t. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
The rear seating area is spacious and comfortable too. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

Lastly, a convenience feature I found quite inconvenient was the powered trunk lid that regularly opened up whenever I walked beside it. Other manufacturers fitted with this type of hands-free trunk access, like Hyundai and its Genesis luxury brand, require that you stand behind the rear bumper for three seconds in order to activate the automatic trunk lid, but the XF’s trunk kept opening when walking past with key fob in pocket, without provocation. One time, after parking at a shopping mall, the trunk popped open while walking around the backside of the car to leave. This exposed all of my valuables to the prying eyes of anyone nearby who might potentially want them for themselves, a security risk for sure. A second time, I left the engine running for less than a minute while dropping off a package at one of the offices I deal with regularly (they have a private parking lot and entrance), and once again when walking past the rear bumper the trunk automatically opened. It did it again when walking around to pump gas, making this the most annoying automatic trunk opening system ever. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
The XF’s trunk is extremely large and versatile. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

Speaking of pumping gas, the XF gets a claimed Transport Canada fuel economy rating of 12.0 L/100km in the city, 8.4 on the highway and 10.4 combined, which is really quite good for such a powerful and sizeable luxury sedan, although take note those willing to sacrifice some performance for better efficiency can opt for the previously noted turbo-diesel that achieves an amazing 7.8 city, 5.8 highway and 6.9 combined. Diesel is often quite a bit cheaper than gasoline too, and let’s you drive farther per tank. 

Back to that trunk, I should mention that it’s generously sized at 541 litres (19.1 cubic feet), and can be expanded further via a 40/20/40-divided rear seatback that makes passenger/cargo flexibility as good as this class gets. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
A 40/20/40 rear split allows long cargo down the middle and passengers to each side. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

The front and rear seats are roomy too, much thanks to a stretch to the car’s wheelbase when the second-generation was introduced. Now, there’s 1,055 mm of legroom up front and 957 mm in back, so no one should complain about cramped quarters and, due to well-designed, supportive seats at all corners, all (even tall John Cleese types) should be totally comfortable. 

So, all you luxury buyers who dance to the beat of different drummers, the Jaguar XF might just be your ideal ride. It’s not perfect, but such charming character would be impossible to achieve without the need to excuse a few flaws. All-round, the XF is an impressive mid-size sport-luxury sedan that delivers strongly on most points, and its updated infotainment system makes it even more compelling. 

Yes, the XF is something completely different, suitable even for Monty Python royalty.

We’ve got the lovely Jaguar XF in our garage this week, and despite its elegantly classic sport sedan lines, beautifully deep, rich Rossello Red metallic paint, luxuriously appointed Ebony leather and…

2019 Jaguar XF S

2019 Jaguar XF S
The beautiful XF S fits its majestic background perfectly, and thankfully it’s in our garage this week. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

We’ve got the lovely Jaguar XF in our garage this week, and despite its elegantly classic sport sedan lines, beautifully deep, rich Rossello Red metallic paint, luxuriously appointed Ebony leather and Light Oyster grey contrast-stitched cabin with beautiful Grey Figured Ebony veneers, full assortment of standard and optional features, some of which are new for 2019, and the list goes on, it’s difficult to be 100 percent positive. 

The truth of the matter is, no matter how entertaining and informative I try to make this review out to be, you are one of a very small number of Canadian consumers showing any interest in this car at all. It’s partially a sign of the crossover SUV times, the success of Jaguar’s E-Pace and F-Pace plus interest in its new I-Pace EV verifying that, but to be totally honest, it’s also due to Jaguar’s declining fortunes overall. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
The XF S is long, low and lean, making a nicely proportioned mid-size statement. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

This is where I give kudos to Jaguar for sticking to its guns in the luxury car business, “car” being the key word I’m referring to in this respect. The brand grew legendary thanks to classics like the forever-beautiful Mk II and XJ Series I, II and III that followed, not to mention the B-Type, C-Type and E-Type sports cars that were the inspiration behind today’s fabulous F-Type, but times are tough for all but a few luxury sedans these days. 

Jaguar designers Ian Callum and Adam Hatton did a momentous job reinvigorating the XJ nameplate back in 2009, the first one I saw in the metal while descending the baggage claim escalator at Pearson International literally dropping my jaw in dumbfounded adoration, but that was a decade ago and as much as I still love that big, beautiful and surprisingly agile car the full-size luxury F-segment hasn’t exactly been twiddling its thumbs while waiting for Coventry to show us all something new. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
Lacking some distinctive character from the rear, at least when compared to the lovely Jaguar XJ, the XF’s backside is certainly tasteful. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

In the meantime, Jaguar introduced the Callum-designed compact D-segment XE in April of 2015 (a 2020 refresh was just revealed), designed to fight it out with the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4 and the like, plus the second version of its mid-size E-segment XF later that year, also penned by Mr. Callum—he does have a way with sculpted aluminum panels and composites. They’re all beautiful, more than capable of receiving compliments from true enthusiasts who appreciate special cars made by an even more endearing brand, but thumbs up and nods of appreciation from enthusiasts won’t pay the bills. 

As it is, Jaguar’s Canadian sales aren’t exactly on fire. Jaguar sold a grand total of 188 XJs in Canada last calendar year, representing 17.5 percent fewer than in 2017, while year-over-year XF sales were down a staggering 63.5 percent to just 173 units throughout all of 2018. The smallest XE was the only bright spot amongst Jag’s four-door sedan lineup with 571 sales and a downward trend of just 27.8 percent. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
That’s a powerful looking front fascia, backed up by 380-hp in top-line S trim. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

Making matters worse, if it weren’t for the Alfa Romeo Giulia the just-noted XE would be dead last in its class, while the XF has the Acura RLX and Infiniti Q70 to thank for not bringing up the rear in the E-segment. On that happy note I’m glad to report my favourite XJ had a more respectable showing amongst its peers last year with the Audi A8, Maserati Quattroporte and Genesis G90 left far behind, but factoring in that Mercedes sells nearly five times as many S-Class models as XJs, and more than 20 times as many C-Class and E-Class variants than XEs and XFs, makes even this tiny positive a tad disconcerting. 

Year-over-year F-Type sales were down in 2018 too, but just by 4.8 percent to 373 units, causing the still gorgeous sports car to slip from fourth to fifth amongst its premium rivals (when including the Corvette), but take heart the F-Pace saw growth of 2.3 percent to 2,419 units last year, while the E-Pace found 572 new buyers despite only arriving on the scene in, um, February (of last year). 

2019 Jaguar XF S
Full LED headlamps boast auto high beams and more. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

Yah, not quite the compact crossover SUV response Jaguar was hoping for. Interestingly, the new plug-in electric I-Pace might actually become the major league out-of-the-ballpark grand slam hit Jaguar’s been longing for, but we’ll have to wait and see as the 41 units they managed to sell toward the end of last year was hardly a sizeable enough sample to make judgement on. Overall, the 4,349 Jaguars sold in Canada throughout calendar year 2018 (the vast majority F-Paces) represented a 5.9-percent decline from the year before, and if it weren’t for the F-Pace, E-Pace, and an 11.5-percent gain experienced by Land Rover, resulting in JLRC growth of 5.7 percent overall, this wouldn’t be a positive story at all. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
This is one seriously sporty looking luxury sedan. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

To be fair the BMW brand only saw Canadian sales growth of 1.2 percent, Audi grew by just 2.5 percent, and Porsche by a pretty impressive 7.9 percent, while Mercedes-Benz sales actually fell by 4.8 percent. Last year’s biggest luxury brand success story goes to Volvo, mind you, but its amazing 29.8 percent growth is more representative of a phoenix rising from the ashes than anything resembling market dominance. Likewise, Alfa Romeo’s sales are up 26 percent thanks to its new Stelvio SUV, but with 1,402 total units (compared to Mercedes’ 49,413) it’s not causing many competitors concern. The same goes for Genesis, up 174.5 percent to 1,441 total cars sold (they don’t have any SUVs yet), but Tesla’s 386.4-percent year-over-year rise should cause brands like Jaguar to quake in their Doc Martins, if the California-based brand’s numbers can be trusted, and its completely unhinged, egomaniacal CEO doesn’t drive the “tech” company’s valuation underground one idiotic, questionably drug-induced “funding secured” tweet at a time. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
These glossy black twinned five-spoke alloys cost another $770 over the XF S trim’s standard 20-inch rims. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

So to make a short story long, the XF is Jaguar’s slowest selling vehicle in a market segment that’s also losing ground, which makes me (crossing my fingers) hopeful that we’ll be fortunate enough to lure in 10 percent of this model’s current ownership base (Jaguar sold 2,242 XFs over the past five years) for a total of 224 readers, plus another 100 or so interested lookie-loos, so that advertising can pay for our efforts (fat chance, I know). 

Of course, if we were to base our coverage on this type of business model I’d only be writing about full-size pickup trucks, plus a few compact sedans and crossover SUVs, so suffice to say the XF is worthy of much more attention than it’s currently receiving in this country, and no doubt Jaguar hopes that changes made to this 2019 model will help increase sales back to its 2013 levels at best (604 units), or 2017 levels at least (494). 

2019 Jaguar XF S
The XF’s narrow strips of wraparound LED taillights might best be described as tastefully understated. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

So without further ado, new for 2019 is Jaguar’s updated 10.0-inch InControl Touch Pro centre display that provides a lot more area to enjoy its oh-so-British red telephone booth in a field graphics and much easier to see backup camera… but wait… the backup camera is there, but where are the graphics? Hmmm. I suppose most would rather have a larger non-graphical touchscreen than something smaller and more interesting, and you’ll probably have your smartphone hooked up to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto anyway, which are now part of the package. Then again, those who’d rather set their navigation instructions via the InControl Touch Pro interface will appreciate that voice recognition has been added to the mix, both standard in the XF’s second-rung Prestige trim. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
The XF includes all of the premium sector’s requisite ingredients, but what about design, fit, finish, and quality? We’ll tell all in our upcoming road test. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

Lastly, Jaguar’s luxurious Suedecloth is now standard for the roof pillars and headliner across the entire XF line, as is a set of aluminum treadplates with illuminated Jaguar branding, premium carpeted floor mats, metal-enhanced foot pedals, chromed power seat switchgear, plus a classy and classic looking frameless auto-dimming rearview mirror. 

Now that we’re talking XF trims, for 2019 they include the $59,100 Premium, $64,500 Prestige, and $67,800 R-Sport when choosing the 247 horsepower base 2.0-litre direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder; $67,000 Prestige, $70,300 R-Sport, $72,300 300 SPORT and $79,100 Portfolio with the 296 horsepower version of the same gasoline-powered engine; $66,500 Prestige and $69,800 R-Sport with the 180 horsepower 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel; and lastly $75,300 for my tester’s 380 horsepower 3.5-litre supercharged V6-powered model’s sole S trim. All prices, trims and standalone options can be found at CarCostCanada, incidentally, where you can also save thousands by learning about available rebates and otherwise hard to find dealer invoice pricing. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
It looks like an ideal performance driver’s cockpit, but how does it drive? (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

Additionally, all XF sedans utilize an eight-speed electronic automatic transmission with Jaguar Sequential Shift manual mode, plus all-wheel drive, Jaguar Drive Control with Standard, Eco, Dynamic (sport), and Rain/Ice/Snow modes, and Torque Vectoring by Braking (TVBB), hill launch assist and more, while my XF S tester also included Adaptive Surface Response (AdSR) plus Configurable Dynamics and Adaptive Dynamics that let you choose personal engine, suspension, steering, and transmission settings. 

After this ultra-long-in-tooth intro I won’t bore you with too many more details about each and every trim level, other than to say it’s a mid-size E-segment Jaguar so all of these various XF grades are finished to a higher degree than anything in the mainstream volume mid-size class, but I’m not going to go so far as to say the XF is segment leading when it comes to fit, finish, materials quality, digital interfaces, features, roominess, etcetera. It’s very good in all of the above respects, however, and due to offering a wholly unique look and feel, plus a very different driving experience than any rival it deserves your attention. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
This fully digital gauge cluster provides a bevy of bright, colourful information. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

So let’s take a quick look at some of the features found on my specific XF S tester, such as its special “S” body kit boasting a sports front bumper, gloss black side sills and rear valance, plus a rear deck lid spoiler, 20-inch alloy wheels, 350-mm front brakes and red calipers all-round, while inside it receives special metal sill finishers with “S” branding, unique Dark Hex aluminum inlays on the instrument panel, a leather-like Luxtec-wrapped dash top, “S” embossed 18-way power-adjustable sport seats, and more. 

Other features not yet mentioned that are incorporated into the XF S include proximity-sensing access, pushbutton ignition, an acoustic layer windshield, automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, an electromechanical parking brake, a power-adjustable steering column, auto-dimming, power-folding, heatable side mirrors with approach lights and puddle lamps, memory for those mirrors as well as the front seats, front seat heaters, mood lighting, a Homelink garage door opener, a 10.0-inch capacitive touchscreen, a rearview camera, navigation with detailed mapping, InControl Apps, Pro Services, Bluetooth telephone connectivity and audio streaming, a USB charge port, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 40/20/40 split-folding rear seatback, front and rear parking sensors, and more. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
New 10-inch infotainment touchscreen is a big step up in size and functionality. (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

Additionally, along with all the expected active and passive safety features the XF S comes standard with autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist, blindspot monitoring, closing vehicle sensing, reverse traffic monitoring, driver condition monitoring, and more. 

On top of the all the XF S standard items, my tester featured $670 worth of gorgeous Rossello Red paint, a fabulous looking $770 set of glossy black twinned five-spoke alloys, a $460 Black package with a gloss black mesh grille and surround, gloss black side vents and the same treatment for the trunk garnish; a $2,200 Comfort and Convenience package with a hyperactive gesture control for that trunk’s powered deck lid (more on this in my upcoming review), as well as soft closing doors, three-way active ventilated front seats, and heatable rear outboard seats; a $1,030 Technology package with 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, Pro Services, and a CD/DVD player; a $3,680 Driver Assistance package with a 360-degree surround camera, a forward facing camera, 360-degree Park Distance Control, Park Assist semi-autonomous self-parking, adaptive cruise control with Queue Assist, blindspot assist, and traffic sign recognition with an intelligent speed limiter; a head-up display for $1,330; a heated windshield and heated washer jets for $410; plus satellite and HD radio for $210. 

2019 Jaguar XF S
Comfortable and supportive? Come back for our full review to find out what we think… (Photo: Karen Tuggay)

All it was missing in order to be fully and completely loaded was a $2,230 Premium Interior Upgrade package featuring four-zone climate control with an air quality sensor and automatic air re-circulation, a lockable cooled glove box, manual side window sunshades, a powered rear sunshade, and configurable interior mood lighting; and optional interior décor trim (the carbon fibre would’ve been nice); yet even as is the base XF S model’s $75,300 asking price moves up $10,550 to $85,850, plus freight and fees of course (again, check out CarCostCanada for details). 

As good as all of this sounds, and the XF arguably delivers a lot of value for the money asked, we need to face the reality that Germany leads this category by a country mile for good reason (as does Tesla for different cult-like electrified reasons), and despite Jaguar investing quid by the whollops into the XF’s lightweight and ultra-rigid bonded and riveted aluminum body shell, which is arguably one of the most attractive in its class, and offering more engine options than the majority of rivals (albeit no longer a supercharged V8), it would need to perform barrel rolls on the spot if it really wanted to get noticed. 

I’ll cover all that’s good and my few gripes in an upcoming road test review, so until then enjoy our photo gallery above. Like I said, it’s a beautiful sedan that deserves a lot more interest than it gets, so thanks for giving it some of yours…