Don’t mention the X-Type to anyone who works for Jaguar. This compact saloon, manufactured from 2001 to 2009, ended up a source of mild embarrassment for the storied Brit carmaker. Spawned from the humble Ford Mondeo, the X-Type was seen by the public as a cynical dilution of the leaping cat, akin to a shabby country-bumpkin cousin that no one in the family would want to acknowledge as a relative. No surprise, then, that the X-Type’s sales figures were lacklustre, or that it was unceremoniously laid to rest.
This bitter experience prompted the company to shy away from the small-prestige-saloon segment until earlier this year, when it unleashed the all-new XE, touted as a legitimate rival to the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class, rather than just a mutton-dressed-as-lamb pretender.
This time around, Jaguar hasn’t decided to cut corners and do it on the cheap, and therefore what you get with the XE is a car that’s underpinned by the company’s state-of-the-art new modular aluminium architecture, which is both light and stiff, theoretically resulting in sprightly performance, frugal fuel consumption and nimble handling.
All the basic ingredients to tantalise a driving purist are there – rear-wheel drive (unlike the front-drive-based X-Type), 50:50 weight distribution over front and rear axles, and a squat, sporty stance, thanks to pumped fenders and minimal front and rear overhangs.
In the Middle East, we’re offered a choice of 2.0L turbo four-cylinder and 3.0L supercharged V6 engines, and it’s the former we test via the XE R-Sport 25t.
It has some tasty goodies, including gloss-black 19-inch wheels and black leather sports seats with contrasting stitching. Other features that distinguish the R-Sport from its less sporty siblings include a black grille with chrome surround, a front bumper with chrome blades, body-coloured side sills, a boot spoiler and chrome side vents in the fenders.
There’s no doubt the XE is a sharp-looker – especially in R-Sport trim. Hunkered down menacingly on its sinister black rims, there’s really not a bad angle to the car, and its overall proportions gel nicely, even though it looks a bit too close for comfort to the newly launched XF we reviewed a couple of months ago. I don’t think XE owners will mind, but would-be XF buyers might be a bit peeved that their pricier purchase could be mistaken for the entry-level model in the Jag line-up.
The interior also has a hint of dynamism, particularly as the instrument cluster is the same as the one you’d find in the F-Type sportster. There’s a push-button start that pulses like a heartbeat, urging you to fire it up, and the familiar Jag rotary-dial gear selector – which I’m not totally sold on, because it can be a bit balky if you want to go from “D” to “R” in a hurry.
The eight-inch infotainment touchscreen dominates the centre console, and the piano-black trim lower down also helps endow the cabin with a premium feel. Yes, there are some semi-hard plastics elsewhere, but they’re quite nicely finished, so the XE doesn’t come across as a bargain-basement special.
The front seats are comfy and supportive, but space in the rear is a bit tight. There’s only just enough room for two average-height chaps, and perhaps a small child in the middle pew. Everyone will feel very secure though, because there’s an armoury of airbags all around, as well as active safety features (designed to help you avoid a shunt in the first place), such as blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning and auto braking that activates if on-board sensors detect you’re in danger of rear-ending the car in front.
Once under way, it’s clear the 2.0L turbo motor has decently long legs when you wind it up, but there’s a distinct lack of oomph lower in the rev range. This means you have to keep the thing on the boil if you’re a press-on motorist. The eight-speed auto is a smooth-shifting device, but it can be a bit lazy if you leave the transmission in “D’, slurring up to higher gears at the earliest opportunity in the quest to preserve fuel. It’s better to slot it to “S” (Sport) if you fancy hustling along.
And the latter is something the XE does pretty well on twisty roads, thanks to accurate, nicely weighted steering, high grip levels and a well-sorted suspension set-up that keeps body roll in check while also serving up a fairly supple ride. It’s as dynamic an offering as you’ll find in this segment – right up there with the 3 Series and C-Class.
There’s no doubt that Jaguar has a legitimate contender for class honours in the XE. It’s well-built, pleasing to the eye and entertaining to pedal hard. The C-Class and 3 Series offer better power-trains and more rear-seat space, but you certainly won’t feel short-changed if you opt for an XE instead.
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