2010 Jaguar XF Premium: Improvements from 2009

Written by Steven Macoy
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 09:27

When you drive as much as we do, mostly you just want to get where you’re going and be done with it. But when the car you’re driving is a 2010 Jaguar XF … well, the trip can take as long as it wants. We drove our Jag from Western Connecticut to the Westchester County Airport via Interstate 684, then back along Route 22 to avoid a traffic jam, on one of the few bright days of midsummer. And we would have been happy just to keep on going.

In theory, any $62,875 car ought to have that effect, but in reality, not all do. Jaguar, however, nailed it with this model. The comfortable seats, ideal driving position, the exquisite performance and handling, and the elegance every Jaguar brings to the road, all imbue the driving experience with pleasure.

The 2010 model marks the second year for this most unusual Jaguar. It comes in four flavors: the XF, XF Premium, XF Supercharged, and XFR. The major differences can be found under the hood. The XF comes with a 300-horsepower V-8 engine; the XF Premium, a beefier engine that delivers 385 horsepower; and the two supercharged models, each packing 510 horsepower. We drove the XF Premium.

The 2009 XF was well received by the critics and the public, but Jaguar, now owned by Tata Motors of India, did not rest on its laurels. One improvement we noticed immediately. The supercharged XF we drove last year felt twitchy on the highway ; the new model, with similar tire and wheel sizes, was more stable. Jaguar has been working on the engines as well; the supercharged model we drove last year had only 35 horsepower more than this year’s normally aspirated XF Premium, but our overall fuel economy jumped 2 mpg, to 20.2.

As before, the Jaguar had some unique features, including a shifter in the form of a dial that rises up from the console when the engine starts; and covers that close down over the louvers when the engine shuts down, giving the dash a smooth, finished look. No doubt because owners complained of poor visibility to the rear, Jaguar made a rear-view camera and blind-spot warning system standard on all but the base ($52,000) model.

The familiar Jaguar DNA can be found in the somewhat cramped rear seat and oddly shaped back doors, which have a tendency to whack unwary passengers in the gut while boarding. Here, Jaguar nods to its form-over-function tradition.

Data on safety and reliability are not available on this new model. The standard-equipment list suggests superior accident-avoidance traits as well as good protection in the event of a crash.

Managing to blend a modern look with traditional Jaguar cues, without the undersized trunks and poor reliability records that have marred the brand in the past, the XF is an eye-pleaser that drives as good as it looks.

Price: $62,875
Engine: 5.0-liter V-8, 385 horsepower, 380 lb.-ft. torque
Transmission: 6-speed shiftable automatic
Drive: Rear-wheel
Weight: 5,038 lb.
Suspension: Four-wheel independent, double-wishbone front, multi-link rear
Wheels: 20 x 8.5 inch alloy Senta
Tires: P255/35-R20 Dunlop Sport Maxx
Seating capacity: 5
Luggage capacity: 17.7. ft.
Fuel capacity: 18.4 gallons
Fuel economy: 16 mpg city, 23 mpg highway
Fuel type: Premium

Steven Macoy ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) is a longtime car enthusiast and full-time editor who lives in Bethel, Conn.