2018 Jaguar XJ Review

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.

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.

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.

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.