Still, in the absence of a live-in servant tasked with ferrying me around town on my various errands, I took one for the team and agreed to drive myself in the Jaguar XJL for a full week's time. In the process I discovered that while the passengers in the back of this stately saloon might think they're in the catbird seat, the help up front will be more than a little surprised by how much hustle has been packed into the Jaguar's aluminum haunches.
Models and Prices
The 2015 Jaguar XJ
standard-wheelbase sedan offers three trim levels, two of which are
shared with the long-wheelbase XJL. The entry-level base XJ (MSRP
$74,200) includes an adaptive suspension system, parking assistance, a
rearview camera, HID headlights, panoramic sunroof, adjustable drive
modes, 19-inch wheels, a supercharged V-6 engine, heated leather seats
front and rear (with power adjustments up front), dual automatic climate
control, a heated steering wheel, a power-assisted trunk, a CD player,
HD radio, Bluetooth connectivity, and a touchscreen navigation system.
Next up is the XJ Supercharged (MSRP $90,600), which adds a supercharged V-8, 20-inch wheels, an upgraded stereo system, adaptive headlights with automatic high beams, bigger brakes, a performance-oriented rear differential, and a sport suspension system. The XJR (MSRP $116,000) squeezes more grunt out of the same supercharged V-8, and it also adds unique 20-inch rims, a sport exhaust, and an even more aggressive suspension setup.
The XJL shares both the Supercharged (MSRP $93,600) and XJR (called XJR LWB, MSRP $119,000) trims, but drops the 'base' appellation in favor of the XJL Portfolio name (MSRP $81,200). The Portfolio model includes niceties such as heated and ventilated, 14-way power adjustable front seats, a massage feature for both forward occupants (and driver memory), a dual automatic climate control system just for the rear seats (which are also ventilated) plus extended leather upholstery throughout the cabin.
My tester was a 2015 Jaguar XJL Portfolio AWD, which in addition to the option of all-wheel drive also featured a heated windshield, and a heated wood steering wheel. The total sticker price for the vehicle I drove came to $85,575.
The XJL's cabin is suitably refined in its appearance, with passengers fenced in to an enormous dark leather corral by a ribbon of wood trim that runs wide on the doors and narrow up the dash and across the base of the windshield. Huge binnacles for the round climate control vents dominate the center stack and almost had me thinking they're meant to simulate a home for an old-school oil pressure or voltmeter gauges. Too bad they dwarfed the tiny analog clock that sat between them.
Of course, if you can afford a near-$90,000 car, you're probably less interested in playing hide and seek with nickels and dimes and more interested in getting your business on in the back seat. To this end, the XJL is perfect, as you'll have enough space to spread out, use your laptop, have dinner, and execute whatever plans you might have for global economic domination within a surprisingly quiet and composed environment, even at highway speeds.
I spent most of my time in the Jaguar's comfy front left position, a sacrifice made easier by the presence of the vehicle's massage feature that did a decent job of releasing the tension that can often build up on longer road trips. I also enjoyed the heated steering wheel and seats, although not the steps I had to take to access them, which I'll delve into in the next section.
Less laudable is the eight-inch touchscreen on the center stack that acts as the gateway to a significant number of XJL functionality. While there are knobs and buttons associated with important climate controls (and stereo volume), to access the heated and ventilated seats or the heated steering wheel you have to wait for the entire system to load, a process that can take 30 seconds of cheek-warming away from your frigid butt on a winter morning.
The system is a staple of Jaguar products, and it's showing its age: on-screen controls can be unresponsive, and menu systems are at times more complicated than they need to be. It's perhaps the only negative aspect of the Jaguar XJL's overall experience, and it's one area where the company ought to invest more than a little time and money in the very near future.
2015 Jaguar XJL Crash-Test Ratings: The Jaguar XJL has yet to be crash tested by either the NHTSA or the IIHS.
Fuel efficiency is a close spread, with the V-6 posting 18-mpg city and 27-mpg highway in rear-wheel drive trim and 16-mpg around town and 24-mpg highway with all-wheel drive installed. The supercharged V-8 turns in 15-mpg in stop and go driving and 23-mpg on the highway regardless of its output. I saw 20-mpg in combined driving with my AWD V-6 tester.
Next up is the XJ Supercharged (MSRP $90,600), which adds a supercharged V-8, 20-inch wheels, an upgraded stereo system, adaptive headlights with automatic high beams, bigger brakes, a performance-oriented rear differential, and a sport suspension system. The XJR (MSRP $116,000) squeezes more grunt out of the same supercharged V-8, and it also adds unique 20-inch rims, a sport exhaust, and an even more aggressive suspension setup.
The XJL shares both the Supercharged (MSRP $93,600) and XJR (called XJR LWB, MSRP $119,000) trims, but drops the 'base' appellation in favor of the XJL Portfolio name (MSRP $81,200). The Portfolio model includes niceties such as heated and ventilated, 14-way power adjustable front seats, a massage feature for both forward occupants (and driver memory), a dual automatic climate control system just for the rear seats (which are also ventilated) plus extended leather upholstery throughout the cabin.
My tester was a 2015 Jaguar XJL Portfolio AWD, which in addition to the option of all-wheel drive also featured a heated windshield, and a heated wood steering wheel. The total sticker price for the vehicle I drove came to $85,575.
Design
- The Jaguar XJL does not introduce any new design elements for the current model year.
The XJL's cabin is suitably refined in its appearance, with passengers fenced in to an enormous dark leather corral by a ribbon of wood trim that runs wide on the doors and narrow up the dash and across the base of the windshield. Huge binnacles for the round climate control vents dominate the center stack and almost had me thinking they're meant to simulate a home for an old-school oil pressure or voltmeter gauges. Too bad they dwarfed the tiny analog clock that sat between them.
Comfort and Cargo
- The 2015 Jaguar XJL does not introduce any new comfort or cargo features for the current model year.
Of course, if you can afford a near-$90,000 car, you're probably less interested in playing hide and seek with nickels and dimes and more interested in getting your business on in the back seat. To this end, the XJL is perfect, as you'll have enough space to spread out, use your laptop, have dinner, and execute whatever plans you might have for global economic domination within a surprisingly quiet and composed environment, even at highway speeds.
I spent most of my time in the Jaguar's comfy front left position, a sacrifice made easier by the presence of the vehicle's massage feature that did a decent job of releasing the tension that can often build up on longer road trips. I also enjoyed the heated steering wheel and seats, although not the steps I had to take to access them, which I'll delve into in the next section.
Features and Controls
- The 2015 Jaguar XJL does not introduce any new features or controls for the current model year.
Less laudable is the eight-inch touchscreen on the center stack that acts as the gateway to a significant number of XJL functionality. While there are knobs and buttons associated with important climate controls (and stereo volume), to access the heated and ventilated seats or the heated steering wheel you have to wait for the entire system to load, a process that can take 30 seconds of cheek-warming away from your frigid butt on a winter morning.
The system is a staple of Jaguar products, and it's showing its age: on-screen controls can be unresponsive, and menu systems are at times more complicated than they need to be. It's perhaps the only negative aspect of the Jaguar XJL's overall experience, and it's one area where the company ought to invest more than a little time and money in the very near future.
Safety and Ratings
- The 2015 Jaguar XJL does not introduce any new safety features for the current model year.
2015 Jaguar XJL Crash-Test Ratings: The Jaguar XJL has yet to be crash tested by either the NHTSA or the IIHS.
Engines and Fuel Economy
- The 2015 Jaguar XJL is mechanically unchanged for the current model year.
Fuel efficiency is a close spread, with the V-6 posting 18-mpg city and 27-mpg highway in rear-wheel drive trim and 16-mpg around town and 24-mpg highway with all-wheel drive installed. The supercharged V-8 turns in 15-mpg in stop and go driving and 23-mpg on the highway regardless of its output. I saw 20-mpg in combined driving with my AWD V-6 tester.
Driving Impressions
The 2015 Jaguar XJL's chassis
offers two distinct driving personalities to those fortunate enough to
make its not-inconsiderable payment each month. The first is of course
that of the comfortable cruiser, a car with pillow-soft suspension
tuning that does its best to level the road regardless of how pockmarked
and frost-heaved it might be. If you're riding out back and have
instructed your driver to his or her utmost to avoid the kind of
chattering pavement and sharp maneuvers that could smear the ink on the
checks you are undoubtedly signing, you'll be more than pleased with the
Jaguar's smooth demeanor.
For chauffeurs, once your quarry has been dropped of at whatever private heliport signals the next stage of their luxury travel itinerary, it's time to sample the XJL's surprisingly boisterous second face. It wasn’t until I had the chance to turn the Jaguar loose on the two-lane roads of Quebec's mountainous Eastern Townships region that I realized just how competent the car was at hiding its enormous dimensions. Even the presence of all-wheel drive couldn't disguise the XJL's willingness to tackle corner after corner with a gusto more typically associated with mid-size models. The aluminum-intensive chassis is to be credited here, as the car's 4,151 lbs of curb weight are below par for its class, but what astonished me the most is how much more fun the XJL felt as compared to the smaller and ostensibly sportier XF sedan I drove on the same roads the week before.
I can only assume that injecting Jaguar's supercharged V-8 into the equation would enhance the XJL's enthusiast-friendly character. While the six-cylinder model's output was adequate, and offered precisely the right amount of thrust for most of the scenarios I encountered during our week together, it never came close to putting a blush in my cheeks or snapping my head back. These visceral reactions aren't important if one expects to be driven more than doing the driving themselves - and you'll forsake the availability of all-wheel drive should you choose to embrace eight-cylinder power - but it's really worth exploring the pricier drivetrain options before settling for the six.
For chauffeurs, once your quarry has been dropped of at whatever private heliport signals the next stage of their luxury travel itinerary, it's time to sample the XJL's surprisingly boisterous second face. It wasn’t until I had the chance to turn the Jaguar loose on the two-lane roads of Quebec's mountainous Eastern Townships region that I realized just how competent the car was at hiding its enormous dimensions. Even the presence of all-wheel drive couldn't disguise the XJL's willingness to tackle corner after corner with a gusto more typically associated with mid-size models. The aluminum-intensive chassis is to be credited here, as the car's 4,151 lbs of curb weight are below par for its class, but what astonished me the most is how much more fun the XJL felt as compared to the smaller and ostensibly sportier XF sedan I drove on the same roads the week before.
I can only assume that injecting Jaguar's supercharged V-8 into the equation would enhance the XJL's enthusiast-friendly character. While the six-cylinder model's output was adequate, and offered precisely the right amount of thrust for most of the scenarios I encountered during our week together, it never came close to putting a blush in my cheeks or snapping my head back. These visceral reactions aren't important if one expects to be driven more than doing the driving themselves - and you'll forsake the availability of all-wheel drive should you choose to embrace eight-cylinder power - but it's really worth exploring the pricier drivetrain options before settling for the six.
Final Thoughts
The 2015 Jaguar XJL is fun when it
need not be, comfortable when it should be, and at all times a
strikingly-styled alternative to the glowering German luxo-machines that
prowl the autobahn with relentlessly clinical precision. While its
technology might come across as dated - particularly on the dash and in
the safety department - the liveliness of its chassis and the supreme
comfort of its cabin are a winning combination.
Personality goes a long way, and the XJL gives executives the chance to stand out in a segment where homogeneity of design and purpose has been embraced as a core value. There are of course scores of wealthy business people who enjoy the anonymity of their long-wheelbase Teutonic chariots, but for those who don't mind being mistaken for royalty from time to time, there's the Jaguar XJL.
Watch more: The 2015 Jaguar XJL AWD is a sleek, comfortable and capable luxury sedan. With full time all-wheel-drive and plenty of back seat room this is an executive ride like no other. In this TFLcar review Roman spends some quality time behind the wheel of this biggest Jaguar and lists his top 3 likes and dislikes.Personality goes a long way, and the XJL gives executives the chance to stand out in a segment where homogeneity of design and purpose has been embraced as a core value. There are of course scores of wealthy business people who enjoy the anonymity of their long-wheelbase Teutonic chariots, but for those who don't mind being mistaken for royalty from time to time, there's the Jaguar XJL.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Stand-out looks in a homogenous segment
- Outstanding rear seat room and comfort
- Optional all-wheel drive
- Available supercharged V-8 power
- Nimble for its size
- Supercharged V-6 is adequate, but not much more
- Infotainment system is dated
- Few advanced safety systems available
- Trunk space is only average for such a large car
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