Because Jaguar plans to sell only a few thousand copies of the 2005 X-Type 3.0 Sportwagon, it is offered in a single level of trim and with a limited number of options.

Standard equipment includes leather upholstery, an eight-way power driver's seat, Sapele wood interior trim, and a wood-and-leather tilting and telescoping steering wheel. Heated exterior mirrors, a power sunroof, automatic single-zone climate control, power windows with one-touch operation, and a 120-watt Alpine audio system with a single-slot CD player are also part of the 2005 Jaguar X-Type 3.0 Sportwagon's starting price of $36,995 including destination charge.

A Premium package is optional. It includes a trip computer, a programmable garage door opener, an eight-way power front passenger's seat, power lumbar support for both front seats, a memory feature for the seats and mirrors, and rain-sensing wipers. Other options include metallic or special-order paint, heated front seats, reverse park control, xenon headlights, Bluetooth wireless communications, a navigation system, a CD changer, stability control, and 18-inch wheels. Fully loaded, the 2005 Jaguar X-Type 3.0 Sportwagon costs nearly $47,000, and this is before adding dealer-installed options such as JaguarVoice voice recognition for the navigation, stereo, and climate systems; or a Motorola hands-free phone for those buyers opting to skip the X-Type's new Bluetooth wireless communications technology.

The new-for-2005 Sport and VDP option packages are not available on the Sportwagon, and interesting options such as the gorgeous Melbourne 18-inch wheel design and the 320-watt Alpine audio system are not currently planned for this model. Jaguar did show reporters a Sportwagon equipped with the $3,000 Melbourne wheels, and it looked terrific. Company spokespeople claim that these wheels might be available through Jaguar dealers, if not the factory, in the future.

Though Jaguar claims that the new X-Type 3.0 Sportwagon is a better value than comparably equipped models from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, we'd like to point out that when loaded with every option, a 2005 Lexus IS300 Sportcross or 2005 Volvo V50 T5 AWD has trouble surpassing the Jaguar's base price and is nowhere close to the sticker of a loaded X-Type 3.0 Sportwagon.