2017 Jaguar XE 35t Prestige Road Test and Review

The 2017 Jaguar XE 35t Prestige has a mountain to climb. It’s competing in a class dominated by the BMW 3 Series and about to be joined by an all-new generation of the Audi A4. But the Jaguar XE has some advantages, several of which we’ll be going into with this road test review.

But let’s state the obvious first: it’s not a BMW, an Audi, or a Mercedes-Benz C-Class. As great as those cars are, they’re far from exclusive. The XE is an opportunity to acquire a premium compact sedan with plenty of gadgets and an enthusiast-pleasing chassis, yet remains just a degree or two away from the mainstream.

The 2017 Jaguar XE 35t Prestige starts at $46,595 for the rear-wheel drive version. All-wheel drive means another $2,500, which is somewhat on the steep side even for an intelligent system like this.

Prestige trim is the most plush model before reaching the top-of-the-line R-Sport version, but it has the same amount of power. Among the many features are 18-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, heated front seats, keyless entry/ignition, navigation, power sunroof, 380-watt/11-speaker sound system, and a rearview camera.

Here’s another advantage teh XE 35t Prestige has over the competition, albeit a subjective one. It looks pretty darn sleek, especially in 35t Prestige trim. People will stop you in the street and ask what it is. You could tell them it’s the result of 1,200 computational fluid dynamics simulations and a million hours of processor time, or just accept the compliment.

The interior doesn’t quite match the exterior, though. The XE is meant to be a rival to the Audi A4, but seems as compact as an A3 inside. This “cockpit-like” design (a common thing with Jaguars) is mostly deliberate, yet could it work against the XE when a potential buyer checks out several contenders.

The quality of materials could also work against the XE. There are some hard-to-the-touch plastics in places like the door tops and dashboard top. The plastic door pockets also feel like they’d be more appropriate in a Toyota than a Jaguar.

The front Taurus leather seats feature contrast stitching, and are just one aspect of the XE Prestige’s high comfort levels. They’re heated, well shaped, supportive, and generously cushioned. A whole day of driving will zip by. The quiet cabin also helps to keep fatigue at bay.

Another aspect of comfort is how well the chassis can absorb bumps. Despite a somewhat disappointing interior design, it’s still crystal clear that the XE rides like a luxury car.

Rear passenger space is not a major asset, but as long as there’s no one bigger than an average-sized adult male up front, then a person of similar build will fit in behind. Moving further back, trunk space measures 15.9 cubic feet, which is well above average. More respect to the exterior designers here, because the car’s rear end doesn’t look out of proportion at all. Oh, and a power open/close trunk lid is on the options list.

One of the most important features is that a lot of the body is aluminum. Although the XE is not particularly light (3,605 lbs. in rear-drive form), this construction does allow Jaguar more scope to distribute weight wherever it wants. The result is a well-balanced feel to the car and even the all-wheel drive system sends most of the power to the rear wheels in normal conditions.

The rotary gearshift knob has become a modern-day Jaguar hallmark. It rises out of the center console when the ignition is activated and retracts when turned off. It’s basically a dial for a shift-by-wire system, but it’s still cool.

The Jaguar XE has not yet been tested by any agencies in the United States, but it did score a full five stars in the standard European crash test program. Among the legally required items of safety equipment are dual-stage front airbags, front seat-mounted side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags.

On the subject of advanced driver aids, it’s somewhat disappointing that this Prestige trim is not eligible with adaptive cruise control with autonomous braking, lane departure warning, parking assistance, or a 360-degree camera system. But blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert can be ordered, as well as parking sensors front and rear.

A 3.0-liter V6 in the XE 35t is supercharged to produce a respectable 340 horsepower and 332 lb.-ft of torque. Supercharging is a method of forced induction. No need to go into the technicalities here, but it differs from turbocharging in that there’s no lag. In the XE 35t Prestige, there’s no waiting even a split second for it to kick in.

Rear-wheel drive is the standard setup, with all-wheel drive as an option. In both cases, the transmission is an 8-speed automatic with paddle shifters mounted below the steering wheel.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates fuel consumption for rear-drive versions at 21 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined. All-wheel drive affects things to the tune of 20/29/23 mpg.

Acceleration isn’t crazy fast—Jaguar claims a standstill to 60 mph sprint time of 5.1 seconds. There’s enough torque to make overtaking simple and quick.

The best aspect is the XE’s poise and agility, with no adverse impact on comfort. This is a Jaguar specialty. In England, they would call it a “gentleman’s express,” and that’s how it feels—refined, subtle, and pleasantly swift. For extra choice, though, a drive mode selector is available, offering the ability to switch between Comfort, Sport, and Sport Plus. Even in Sport mode, though (where the steering, throttle and transmission responses are also sharpened), there’s a pleasing flow to the suspension.

Despite the steering being electrically assisted, it still brings some weight and information about what the front wheels are up to. Not sports car levels, but tactile enough to strike the right balance for a premium machine with a dash of performance talent.

Jaguar does not offer Apple CarPlay or Android Auto yet, but the XE has InControl, a system that forms the basis of the infotainment setup and includes stolen vehicle location, emergency services calling, and a smartphone app for some remote functions like starting up the engine, adjusting climate control, and locking and unlocking.

The optional head-up display uses laser technology, making it visible even when wearing polarized sunglasses (like Ray-Bans). That’s not the case with head-up displays using LED technology.

It’s a funny old world when BMW offers the option of wood trim and Jaguar doesn’t. Yes, the XE is meant to appeal to a younger crowd with different perceptions of what Jaguar means. They want everything cutting-edge and modern. But that also results in a cabin that doesn’t seem as high-end as the outside of the car and not as high-end as its rivals. Don’t be surprised if subsequent versions see an improvement in materials.

Also, anyone looking at the 2017 Jaguar XE 35t Prestige owes it to themselves to check out the BMW 3 Series and the new Audi A4, since these are two of the best in the class.