2005 Jaguar X-type Review

Practical Perfection

How times change. It wasnt long ago that a Jaguar could only be one of two things: among the classiest sedans available or one of the most elegant sports cars to ever be created. Now three things that Jaguar had vehemently avoided in its storied past are presented together in one car.

Its a bit of a shocker, this “coming of age” for the leaping cat marque, as must have been the realization that the company could not have sustained life building massive luxury sedans or six-figure coupes and convertibles. Now that the word sport is more often followed by utility rather than car, Jaguar has needed to adapt.

The answer? While not an SUV, the Ford Motor owned division has added a sport wagon body configuration to its all-wheel drive X-Type, dubbed the X-Type Estate. Its not the first time a “shooting brake” Jaguar has appeared, but the early XJS-based Eventer wasnt from the Jaguar factory but from Jaguar reproduction house Lynx Motors. The same can be said for the 1988 XJ6 Shooting Brake, built by Harrington.

With this courageous leap into pragmatism, it leads me to wonder why the boys from Browns Lane didnt go for the gusto and develop something truly out of bounds such as a sport utility or pickup truck. Without speculating about at least the former, there has to be a fair bit of nay-saying running through Britains gentlemans clubs right about now, mainly the expected talk that deals with the companys heritage and whether or not the Estate is really a Jaguar. Those who manage to jump beyond the leaping cat hood ornament to conclusions, surmising that its merely a rebadged Ford product out to make a fast buck on an unwary public, might be missing the point.

What point? The fact is that people want larger, more versatile cars now. Whether you believe the marketing spin that says we all live much more “active lifestyles” than our parents did, or not, the sales success of SUVs and crossover wagons is hard to argue with. The X-Type Estate offers that extra bit of space its customers need without losing any of the style and substance Jaguars have become famous for.

Such “lifestyle wagons” are nothing new, currently including the Audi A4 Avant, BMW 3-Series Touring, Benz C-Class T-Model, Lexus hatchback-like IS300 SportCross and the all-new Volvo V50. While none of these models feature impressive cargo carrying capacity compared to wagons of the past, they are capable of carrying large, bulky items bought at the furniture store, taller items such as a television, or skis and snowboards for weekend getaways.

When I first heard that Jaguar was going to make a wagon out of the X-Type, I cant say I knew what to expect. Being the smallest Jaguar the X-Type was the most likely candidate, being that smaller premium wagons sell better than mid- and full-size estates. Also, the X-Type already has its enemies, being initially based on Fords front-drive Mondeo architecture (modified for all-wheel drive) and featuring Ford V6 engines. Using the X means theres no real danger of threatening the reputation of the legendary S-Type or XJ.

As a factory-first it must be said that the fuss was really much about nothing. The X-Type Estate looks handsome and natural. To create such a good looking wagon, Jaguar designers started halfway from scratch by redoing car from the center pillars rearward. This partly explains why it took so long for the X-Type wagon to materialize. Had Jaguar not chosen to revise the back end, the product would look quite odd indeed - the X-Type sedans rear pillar bulges outwards as on classic Jags.

Though its hardly revolutionary, the tailgate design helps make the X-Type Estate a convincing design. The two-piece tailgate opens upwards like most modern wagons or SUVs, for loading or unloading large-size objects, and also drops the rear glass separate of its metal surround for loading smaller items.

While the shape of the car isnt optimized for maximum volume, the X-Type Estate makes the most of its working space. The rear wheel wells do not interfere with the cargo area at all, and along the left and right walls of the trunk are closed bins to accommodate knick knacks and grubby items that you might not want touching the carpeted area of the trunk. Beneath the carpeted floor is additional stowage space, plus a 12-volt power socket. The rear bench does a standard 60/40 split and fold, but it doesnt lay completely flat. With the seat up, a maximum of 15.7 cubic feet of cargo area is available, and with the seats down it jumps to 50.0 cubic feet and a total of 1,100 pounds weight. While an efficient use of space, the taillights tend to eat into the width of the load area.

Since day one, Jaguar hasnt denied the fact that its X-Type shares its platform with Fords Mondeo. For North America this is disguised by the fact that the car features all-wheel drive and larger V6 engines, plus the jurisdictions last run-in with the Mondeo was in the days of the Ford Contour/Mercury Mystique - way back in 1999.

In any trim level or motor combination the X-Type is a respectable competitor in terms of handling and ride. The cars commonplace roots have effectively been infused with a certain Jaguar-ness. Incorporating the wagon body style shouldnt detract from any of this either. Although the car still rides on the same suspension layout as the sedan, the revised spring and damper rates should mostly negate the additional weight that the wagon brings. Its ride quality and turn-in sharpness are expected to be the same. The stability control system on the X-Type has been reprogrammed specifically for the wagon as well. North-American bound Estates are all equipped with all-wheel drive, featuring tenacious grip in all weather conditions helped along by wide performance tires.

Both V6 motors share a similar origin that go well and beyond the range of Jaguars own lineup. At the very center of it all is Fords Cleveland V6, which can be found in a variety of products including the bread and butter Taurus. its been brought up to Jaguars standards, however, by means a of an advanced cylinder head that incorporates continuously variable valve timing, three-stage variable induction manifold, 32-bit microprocessor and electronic throttle control. It creates 80 percent of its torque at 1,500 rpm and 90 percent at just 2,500 rpm. The 3.0-liter six creates 231 horsepower and 209 lb-ft of torque, which is edged out only by BMWs 330i Touring in terms of horsepower. Its rivals offer slightly more torque however, all important for hauling loads.

The smaller 2.5-liter V6 is essentially the same engine architecture, equipped with the same high-tech mechanics but featuring a smaller bore by one half liter. Output is still ample at 194 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque. Jaguar caters to both sporty drivers and those who prefer more relaxed transportation, by offering either a five-speed manual with an accurate short throw or a five-speed automatic, actuated through the requisite J-Gate shifter. Performance loss should be minimal seeing as the additional metal and glass amounts to just 132 extra pounds.

Being the entry-level Jaguar, X-Type buyers can configure their Estates however they wish. The car works particularly well for those on a budget, who want the prestige and driving dynamics without the stratospheric price. A bare-bones X-Type, which is still better equipped than its BMW-rival can be had for thousands less.

If basic spec isnt what youre looking for a few checks on the options list will cure what ails you. Sports packages include (real) carbon fiber trim, while other packages yield on-board navigation controlled via a touch-screen TFT display.

Currently in Europe the X-Type is available in an extremely basic front-wheel drive 2.1-liter V6 version, as well as a turbodiesel inline-four. Hopefully Jaguar will see the future of diesel power in North America and bring the powerplant across the Atlantic. But for now the larger displacement V6 with a manual gearbox on a winding road will be more than adequate.

I give two solid thumbs up for Jaguars all-wheel drive X-Type Estate. Its one of the best looking cars in its class and doesnt give up any of Jaguars classic style. The family and its luggage have never had it so good.