2018 Jaguar XJ Review

Name: 2018 Jaguar XJ Review
Brand: Jaguar
Price: 35998 USD

Jaguar XJ XJL Portfolio Sedan Exterior Shown

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Jaguar XJ model years

Jaguar XJ for Sale

Jaguar XJ types

Sedan
XJR575

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Edmunds' Expert Review

byJonathan Elfalan^{Director, Vehicle Testing
Jonathan Elfalan has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. As a director of vehicle testing at Edmunds, Jonathan has tested and reviewed thousands of cars and written thousands of car-related articles over the course of his career. Jonathan got his start testing cars for Road & Track magazine as a newly minted mechanical engineer grad from University of California, Irvine, and has also contributed to Motor Trend and the Associated Press. He likes to say he learned to drive a manual transmission in a rear-wheel-drive mid-engine vehicle but often omits it was his family's 1991 Toyota Previa minivan.}

Pros

Strong lineup of supercharged V6 and V8 engines
Lively handling and responsive steering
Available with AWD and in short- and long-wheelbase configurations
Body lines are more seductive than many in the segment

Cons

Front-seat room is a bit tighter than the competition's
Touchscreen infotainment interface lags many in the segment
Trunk is somewhat shallow and small for the class
Rear seats do not fold down to accommodate long cargo

What’s new

For 2018, Jaguar is offering a more powerful, 575-horsepower version of its performance flagship model, dubbing it the XJR575. The XJ receives a new frameless rearview mirror and an update to its infotainment system, with a larger 10-inch central touchscreen, new software that allows for split-screen operation, and a quicker 4G Wi-Fi hotspot. Jaguar also adds more standard active safety features for its rear-wheel-drive models, including lane departure warning with lane keeping assist and a drowsy driver warning system. For cars with the surround-camera option, a new Forward Traffic Detection feature helps with approaching cross traffic when your view is limited.

Vehicle overview

The 2018 Jaguar XJ isn't likely to be the first model that comes to mind when people think of flagship luxury sedans, but that's part of the appeal. Quiet, comfortable and quick in any form, there's much to love about this quintessentially British sedan.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2018 Jaguar XJ R-Sport 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl S/C 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.45 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio

$252/mo

$219/mo

Avg. Large Car

Calculate my fuel costs

All XJs, including the base R-Sport trim, come nicely equipped. Features such as an adaptive suspension and heated and cooled seats are standard across the board, as are a number of active driver's aids. Planning to spend most of your time in the back seat? The long-wheelbase XJL models offer 5 more inches of legroom and can be outfitted with massaging and reclining rear seats, rear footrests, and a dual-screen rear entertainment system. As far as powertrains go, the XJ offers up a base supercharged V6 that provides more than adequate thrust for daily use, with two levels of supercharged V8s if sports car acceleration is also a requirement.

There are a few downsides to the 2018 XJ, though. Its infotainment interface, though updated for this year, isn't the easiest to use. The XJ also lacks some of the latest technology and ultra-luxury features found in more recently updated rivals such as the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. But even if the XJ isn't a class leader, there's palpable liveliness from behind the wheel, and Jaguar's designs always seem to age slower than most. It's worth checking out.

Edmunds' Expert Rating

7.3 / 10

The 2018 Jaguar XJ is the flagship luxury sedan styled to stand out from the usual selection of understated Teutonic offerings. Quiet, comfortable and quick in any form, there's much to love about this quintessentially British sedan, even if it isn't the class leader.

Trim tested

Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our First Drive of the 2016 Jaguar XJL Portfolio AWD (supercharged 3.0L V6 | 8-speed automatic | AWD).

NOTE: Since this test was conducted, the current XJ has received some revisions, including an updated infotainment system and more standard active safety features for rear-drive models. Our findings remain broadly applicable to this year's XJ.

Scorecard

Overall	7.3 / 10
Driving	7.5
Comfort	8.0
Interior	7.0
Utility	6.0

Driving

7.5

It's not top-of-the-class, but the Jaguar XJL Portfolio AWD is thoroughly competent, and it has the driving characteristics of a much smaller car. If the 3.0-liter V6 doesn't light your fire, the XJL Supercharged V8 or the top-dog XJR provides much more power in similar packages.

Acceleration

8.0

The base engine, a 340-horsepower supercharged 3.0-liter V6, never feels sluggish, even with 4,400 pounds of Jaguar to lug around. It allows the XJ to execute passing maneuvers with ease and sprint from zero to 60 mph in only 5.4 seconds, a solid showing for any sedan.

Braking

6.5

The XJL's brake pedal doesn't provide the feel or feedback we'd expect of a dynamic luxury sedan. Despite this numbness, it delivered surprisingly good results in our simulated panic-stop test from 60 mph, with a distance of 111 feet. This is shorter than average for the segment.

Steering

7.0

The steering weight is surprisingly light for such a large luxury sedan. Those looking for firmer, European-style steering may find it too feathery.

Handling

7.5

Ample grip, all-wheel-drive traction and modest body roll deliver confident handling on twisty roads that's likely beyond what most expect from a luxury sedan. That said, competitors in this space continue to push the envelope and offer sharper response.

Drivability

8.0

Acceleration is always smooth and confident thanks to the tractable engine and the quiet decisiveness of the eight-speed transmission. The engine's auto stop-start transition isn't where it needs to be in terms of smoothness, but it can be disabled.

Comfort

8.0

Although others have surpassed it in this area, the XJL is still extremely comfortable. It comes with standard dual-pane side glass, four-zone climate control, soft-close doors, heated and ventilated front and rear seats, and one of the quietest cabins around.

Seat comfort

8.0

The front seats offer good adjustability with four-way power lumbar and a massaging function, but they may be narrow for some frames. The rear seats gain 5 inches in legroom over the standard-wheelbase XJ; optional premium rear seating adds niceties such as power reclining and electric sunshades.

Ride comfort

7.0

The standard adaptive, self-leveling suspension on the XJL is comfortable for the most part, but on poorly maintained roads it can feel busier than you'd expect. The Supercharged and XJR variants get a specially tuned, stiffer suspension, which will exacerbate the busy ride quality.

Noise & vibration

8.5

The XJL is exceptionally quiet at any speed with wind and road noise distant and dispersed. It, in fact, isolates you from the outside world so well that the sounds of the seat cooler fans are much more noticeable.

Climate control

The four-zone climate control means all the people on board can have it their way. All controls have physical buttons for easy, straightforward temperature and fan-speed adjustment, and all seats come with heating and cooling functions.

Interior

7.0

Rated from the back seat alone, the XJL's interior would be excellent, but ergonomic woes affect its score. The premium rear-seat package — which includes power seats, dual 10-inch screens, laptop tables, electric shades and winged headrests — adds considerable luxury points.

Ease of use

5.5

Despite recent updates, the infotainment touchscreen interface still falls behind some newer systems. The graphics are attractive, but functionality is average. Also, the many mirror-finish surfaces throw off glare when it's sunny out and can be distracting.

Getting in/getting out

9.0

The large soft-close doors require only a light touch, and access to all seats is excellent. The sloping roofline, often a problem with such highly styled sedans, may only be an issue for tall occupants. Keyless entry with push-button ignition is also standard.

Roominess

7.5

The XJ is large enough inside to qualify as a short limousine. There's ample room for rear passengers, but front occupants may feel a little cozy due to the high center console and the way the dash wraps around like a cockpit. There's plenty of headroom both front and rear for average-height adults.

Visibility

7.0

The forward view is especially good thanks to the slender front windshield pillars and a long sloping roof. There is a sizable rear three-quarter blind spot, but blind-spot monitoring, a rearview camera, and front and rear parking sonar are standard and alleviate this issue.

Quality

7.0

The paint and leather are excellent, but other aspects come up a little short. The interior appears impressive at first glance, but a closer inspection reveals seat cross-stitching that doesn't look as clean as it should, and the use of plastic parts is a little too liberal for a vehicle of this ilk.

Utility

6.0

There's good small-item storage front and rear thanks to the center armrest bins and a large glovebox. But the XJ's shallow trunk is slightly smaller than those of most competitors.

Small-item storage

A large glovebox and medium-size center console bins front and rear provide decent storage options, though the door pockets are narrow and not made for water bottles. Both front and rear cupholders have an anti-tip design and a pass-through to accommodate cups with handles.

Cargo space

The XJ's long but shallow trunk has a total carrying capacity of 15.2 cubic feet, which puts it on the lower side of average for the class. The rear seats are fixed in place and don't fold to expand the trunk, which is common in this class of car.

Technology

Jaguar's technological strengths rest on its generous and well-sorted active safety aids, but it falls short of the competition with an average nav system and smartphone integration that can't match Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The response and graphics of the InControl Touch system are improved.

2018 Jaguar XJ models

The 2018 Jaguar XJ is a sporty full-size luxury sedan that seats up to five and is available in regular XJ and long-wheelbase XJL models. Trims consist of the R-Sport and the Supercharged for XJ cars and the Portfolio, Supercharged and the new XJR575 for XJL. All models have supercharged engines and eight-speed automatic transmissions and come standard with rear-wheel drive. The R-Sport and Portfolio share a 3.0-liter V6 (340 horsepower, 332 pound-feet) and can be equipped with all-wheel drive. The Supercharged trim gets a 5.0-liter V8 (470 hp, 424 lb-ft) and the XJR575 a higher-output V8 (575 hp, 517 lb-ft).

It may be the base model, but the R-Sport comes very well equipped with standard 19-inch wheels, an adaptive and self-leveling suspension, adjustable drive modes, front and rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, automatic wipers, adaptive LED headlights with automatic high beams, a panoramic sunroof, power soft-close doors, a power trunklid, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning with lane keeping assist, driver condition monitoring (RWD models only), auto-dimming mirrors, and keyless ignition and entry.

Inside the R-Sport you'll find leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated and ventilated seats, driver-seat memory settings, and a power-adjustable and heated steering wheel. A new larger 10-inch touchscreen anchors the infotainment system featuring navigation, Bluetooth, voice controls, Jaguar's InControl app suite, a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot, and a 14-speaker Meridian audio system with a satellite and HD radio, a CD player, digital music storage and a USB connection.

Options and packages available for the R-Sport include the Comfort package that adds upgraded front seats with massage functions, front passenger-seat memory settings, four-zone climate control and power rear sunshade. Other notable options include a surround-view camera, 360-degree parking sensors, an automatic parking system (RWD models only), adaptive cruise control, an upgraded Meridian sound system, and a heated wood-and-leather steering wheel.

The Portfolio model is the equivalent base trim of the long-wheelbase XJL. In addition to the 5 inches of rear legroom gained, you'll get the features from the Comfort package as standard. The options list for the Portfolio is similar to the R-Sport, with the addition of a Premium Rear Seat package that includes reclining rear seats with footrests as well as massage and memory functions, extra-cushy winged headrests for all seats, power rear side-window sunscreens, fold-down tray tables and a rear-seat entertainment system.

The V8-powered Supercharged trim, again available in both the regular and long wheelbase, includes the Portfolio model's standard equipment, along with unique exterior trim, an active locking rear differential, tauter suspension tuning, 20-inch wheels with performance tires, and larger brakes. All of the R-Sport and Portfolio options are also available on the Supercharged model.

Topping the range is the fire-breathing XJR575 models with 25 more horsepower on tap compared to last year's XJR model. If that isn't enough to get excited, you also receive exclusive 20-inch wheels, XJR575-specific exterior and interior body details, a carbon-fiber engine cover, premium paint colors (an extra-cost option on lesser XJs), R-specific suspension tuning, an active exhaust system (varying the amount of exhaust noise), sport seats, aluminum paddle shifters, a heated steering wheel, a suede headliner and unique carbon-fiber interior trim. But due to the XJR's performance focus, you unfortunately lose the massaging seats, and the Premium Rear Seating package and the upgraded Meridian stereo are not available.

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

2/5Below Average

#47 out of 48 among Luxury Fullsize Cars

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Jaguar XJ from 2008-2022.}

$953/yr

vs. $729/yr
for Average Luxury Fullsize Car

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

2.57x/yr

vs. 1.74x/yr
for Average Luxury Fullsize Car

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

21.5%

vs. 14.7%
for Average Luxury Fullsize Car

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2018 Jaguar XJ.

5 (73%)

4 (9%)

3 (12%)

2 (0%)

1 (6%)

4.4

33 reviews

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Most helpful consumer reviews

Awesome Jaguar XJRsport

Bill A, 05/30/2018

2016 Jaguar XJ R-Sport 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl S/C 8A)

This is a big, extremely good looking, very comfortable, excellent handling, luxury, sedan. I've owned it two years, and nothing has broken. All of the electronic toys are a bit much, but it seems that most people want this crap these days. This car is so much superior to my previous Mercedes CLS 550 that there is just no comparison, and it is trouble free, unlike my CLS, that had many …

My third Jaguar, but my first XJ

cbrandi, 03/27/2015

2014 Jaguar XJ 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl S/C 8A)

I cross shopped all the major cars in the class, wanted a luxurious car with a definite performance edge. Decided Maserati Ghibli was too much an unknown and its interior wasn't up to snuff. The S Class was superb but too large and too expensive. The BMW 7 series needs updating, it looks and felt like a bloated 3 Series. Audi's are boring. I've been very happy with my decision. Its …

Jaguar XJL portfolio, awesome car

Bill A, 05/30/2017

2013 Jaguar XJ XJL Portfolio 4dr Sedan (5.0L 8cyl 8A)

After you buy one you will not want to drive anything but a Jaguar. I have owned many fine cars but the Jag is so comfortable, quiet, plush, and powerful, it makes my Lincolns, and Mercedes pale by comparison, and the Jag costs less than the my Benz. Since purchase in 2013, nothing has broken. For required service the dealer picks up my car and leaves me a new Jag to use and delivers my …

Love this car

Tim Murray, 08/20/2016

2014 Jaguar XJ XJL Portfolio 4dr Sedan AWD (3.0L 6cyl S/C 8A)

I purchased this car as a demo/used vehicle directly from a dealer. The price was great and the luxury of the car is unsurpassed versus it's direct competition: Lexus, Mercedes and BMW. I have owned all 3 and will choose the Jaguar again.

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2018 Jaguar XJ, so we've included reviews for other years of the XJ since its last redesign.

See all 33 reviews of the Jaguar XJ

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2018 XJ Highlights

Type:

Sedan

Trim:

R-Sport

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$75,400
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	21 MPG
Cost to Drive	$252/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	15.2 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	5 years / 60,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the XJ models:

Driver Condition Monitor: Monitors driving inputs to detect driver fatigue and uses audible and visual alerts to tell the driver to take a break from the road.
Forward Traffic Detection: Uses cameras to detects and warn of approaching front cross traffic when your view is obstructed.
Surround Camera System: Displays images on the central touchscreen from four cameras positioned around the car, creating a 360-degree view.