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2004 Jaguar XJ Series Full Review
Date Published: 2/20/08
Also in the 2004 Jaguar XJ Series Review:
1.
2.
3.
4.
2004 Jaguar XJ Series Review
Jaguar's flagship is redesigned for 2004, with new styling and one body length instead of two. Curtain side airbags and a 6-speed automatic transmission are also new. The new model's wheelbase is 1.5 inches longer than that of the previous extended-length XJ, but the car is 2.7 inches shorter overall. It is also 4 inches taller and 2 inches wider, but a new aluminum body/chassis structure makes it 200 lb lighter. Three models continue, all with a 4.2-liter V8 in place of a 4.0. The base XJ8 and more luxurious Vanden Plas have 294 hp vs. 290 before. The supercharged XJR has 390 hp, plus firmer suspension, larger wheels and tires, adaptive cruise control designed to maintain a set following distance, and unique cosmetic touches. All use automatic transmission, now with 6 speeds vs. 5. ABS and antiskid/traction control are standard, as is a self-leveling air suspension with automatic-adjusting shock absorbers. Power tilt/telescopic steering wheel and front torso side airbags return, joined for '04 by standard power adjustable pedals and head-protecting curtain side airbags. Options include heated front and rear seats, a navigation system with available voice activation, and new 4-zone automatic climate control. Also available is a rear-seat entertainment system with an LCD screen in the back of each front headrest.
News
British sources say Jaguar's new-generation flagship sedan will add a long-wheelbase version this fall. Targeting similar "stretch" models in the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes S-Class lines, this '05 supplement will likely be offered with just the standard V8, though a supercharged edition is possible. A horsepower boost to 320 base and 450 supercharged is expected by model-year '06. Otherwise, no big changes loom in the XJ's immediate future.
2004 Jaguar XJ Series Road Test
| Pros | Cons |
| Acceleration | Fuel economy |
| Ride/handling | Navigation-system controls |
| Quietness | |
Consumer Guide® Road Test Ratings
Acceleration
XJ8 feels as lively as XJR off the line, but XJR noticeably stronger above 40 mph. Both are fast enough for most any need: Test XJ8 ran 0-60 mph in 6.5 sec, an XJR in 5.6. New transmission a smooth operator, but somewhat slow to downshift in Drive; downshifts quicker in Sport mode.
| XJ8 | Vanden Plas w/nav. sys. | XJR | Class Average |
| 7 | 7 | 8 | 6.7 |
XJ8 feels as lively as XJR off the line, but XJR noticeably stronger above 40 mph. Both are fast enough for most any need: Test XJ8 ran 0-60 mph in 6.5 sec, an XJR in 5.6. New transmission a smooth operator, but somewhat slow to downshift in Drive; downshifts quicker in Sport mode.
Fuel Economy
Test Vanden Plas averaged 15 mpg in mostly city driving, test XJ8 18.3 with more highway miles. Test XJR averaged 18.8 in mostly highway driving. Both engines require premium fuel.
| XJ8 | Vanden Plas w/nav. sys. | XJR | Class Average |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4.2 |
Test Vanden Plas averaged 15 mpg in mostly city driving, test XJ8 18.3 with more highway miles. Test XJR averaged 18.8 in mostly highway driving. Both engines require premium fuel.
Ride Quality
Among world's smoothest-riding sedans. Composed over all but the worst surfaces, with a fine balance of impact absorption and highway comfort, though the ride can get floaty over high-speed dips. R models have more road feel, but are never nervous or busy.
| XJ8 | Vanden Plas w/nav. sys. | XJR | Class Average |
| 9 | 9 | 8 | 8.2 |
Among world's smoothest-riding sedans. Composed over all but the worst surfaces, with a fine balance of impact absorption and highway comfort, though the ride can get floaty over high-speed dips. R models have more road feel, but are never nervous or busy.
Steering/Handling/Braking
Stiffer chassis and lighter weight help this big cat feel nimble than before. Good grip in turns with little body lean. Steering linear though somewhat light, with good road feel and great straightline tracking. Brakes strong, but some testers felt those on XJ8 and Vanden Plas were a bit mushy and grabby.
| XJ8 | Vanden Plas w/nav. sys. | XJR | Class Average |
| 7 | 7 | 8 | 6.8 |
Stiffer chassis and lighter weight help this big cat feel nimble than before. Good grip in turns with little body lean. Steering linear though somewhat light, with good road feel and great straightline tracking. Brakes strong, but some testers felt those on XJ8 and Vanden Plas were a bit mushy and grabby.
Quietness
Supercharged engine whirs faintly in rapid acceleration. Otherwise, cabin free of wind and road noise at all but very high speed.
| XJ8 | Vanden Plas w/nav. sys. | XJR | Class Average |
| 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 |
Supercharged engine whirs faintly in rapid acceleration. Otherwise, cabin free of wind and road noise at all but very high speed.
Controls
Typical luxury car, with lots of buttons and controls. Most are clearly marked, conveniently placed. Optional navigation system absorbs some audio and climate functions, complicating their use. Standard steering-wheel-mounted redundant audio controls help. Shift knob obscures Jaguar's J-gate shift pattern in manual mode. Optional rear-seat entertainment-system controls not intuitive to some testers, and DVDs must be loaded into trunk-mounted changer with ignition on. Some cabin materials disappoint compared to previous XJs and are not up to lofty standards set by top rivals.
| XJ8 | Vanden Plas w/nav. sys. | XJR | Class Average |
| 7 | 6 | 7 | 6.1 |
Typical luxury car, with lots of buttons and controls. Most are clearly marked, conveniently placed. Optional navigation system absorbs some audio and climate functions, complicating their use. Standard steering-wheel-mounted redundant audio controls help. Shift knob obscures Jaguar's J-gate shift pattern in manual mode. Optional rear-seat entertainment-system controls not intuitive to some testers, and DVDs must be loaded into trunk-mounted changer with ignition on. Some cabin materials disappoint compared to previous XJs and are not up to lofty standards set by top rivals.
Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)
Firm, comfortable, highly supportive seats. Head and leg room tight for large adults, but power-adjustable steering column and pedals help most find an agreeable driving position. Narrow door openings, low ride height make entry/exit more difficult than in other luxury sedans. Visibility to rear compromised by tall trunklid.
| XJ8 | Vanden Plas w/nav. sys. | XJR | Class Average |
| 7 | 7 | 7 | 8.6 |
Firm, comfortable, highly supportive seats. Head and leg room tight for large adults, but power-adjustable steering column and pedals help most find an agreeable driving position. Narrow door openings, low ride height make entry/exit more difficult than in other luxury sedans. Visibility to rear compromised by tall trunklid.
Room/Comfort (rear)
More comfortable than previous XJs and comparable to direct European rivals, though toe space tight. Nicely bolstered cushions. Adjustable seatbacks with lumbar supports and power headrests are available as an option on Vanden Plas and XJR.
| XJ8 | Vanden Plas w/nav. sys. | XJR | Class Average |
| 8 | 8 | 8 | 8.2 |
More comfortable than previous XJs and comparable to direct European rivals, though toe space tight. Nicely bolstered cushions. Adjustable seatbacks with lumbar supports and power headrests are available as an option on Vanden Plas and XJR.
Cargo Room
Luggage volume average for class, though trunk is shallow. Lid opens wide on nonintruding hinges, however, and has assisted soft-touch close. Large glovebox, padded map pockets highlight interior storage.
| XJ8 | Vanden Plas w/nav. sys. | XJR | Class Average |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4.9 |
Luggage volume average for class, though trunk is shallow. Lid opens wide on nonintruding hinges, however, and has assisted soft-touch close. Large glovebox, padded map pockets highlight interior storage.
Value within Class
Ford owns Jaguar, and the British marque's special character feels watered down in the latest XJ. Still, this is a solid enough luxury sedan, and tends to undercut most rivals' top-line models on price. The XJ8 is the best value within the XJ lineup. Vanden Plas is pricey for the added features. XJR is fun to drive, but isn't as satisfying as its high-performance competition.
| XJ8 | Vanden Plas w/nav. sys. | XJR | Class Average |
| 6 | 4 | 4 | 5.1 |
Ford owns Jaguar, and the British marque's special character feels watered down in the latest XJ. Still, this is a solid enough luxury sedan, and tends to undercut most rivals' top-line models on price. The XJ8 is the best value within the XJ lineup. Vanden Plas is pricey for the added features. XJR is fun to drive, but isn't as satisfying as its high-performance competition.
Total Score
| XJ8 | Vanden Plas w/nav. sys. | XJR | Class Average |
| 68 | 65 | 66 | 66.8 |
Scores for all Premium Large Cars
| Low Score | 57 | |
| Average Score | 66 | |
| High Score | 80 |
2004 Jaguar XJ Series Prices & Equipment
Model Prices
Prices Updated: 04/16/2003
| Trim Name | Retail Price | Dealer Invoice | Destination Charge |
|
|
|||
| XJ8 4-door sedan | $59,330 | $53,991 | $665 |
|
|
|||
| Vanden Plas 4-door sedan | $68,330 | $62,181 | $665 |
|
|
|||
| XJR 4-door sedan | $74,330 | $67,641 | $665 |
Pricing Key: Retail prices listed with each report are set by the vehicle's
manufacturer. These figures appear on each car's federally mandated window sticker.
Most price lists also include dealer-invoice prices. Dealer-invoice prices are
what the dealer pays the manufacturer for the car and its factory-installed options.
The destination charge is not included in the suggested-retail or dealer-invoice price
and must be added to the cost of the vehicle. Car companies change prices frequently
throughout the year. If the prices published do not match those on the vehicle's
window sticker, the manufacturer has probably altered the price recently.
NA = price note available, NC = no charge.
Rebates and Incentives
There are no rebates or incentives at this time.
Consumer Guide®'s Rebates and Incentives represent a summary of national
manufacturer programs available. Regional restrictions may apply, and offerings
may vary by model. For a complete list of Rebate & Incentive programs click here.
Standard Equipment
XJ8
Powertrain
4.2-liter dohc V8 engine, 6-speed automatic transmission, traction control.
Safety
Dual front airbags, front side airbags, curtain side airbags, antilock 4-wheel disc brakes, brake assist, antiskid system, rear-obstacle-detection system.
Comfort and Convenience Features
Air conditioning w/dual-zone automatic climate controls, interior air filter, power steering, power tilt/telescoping wood/leather-wrapped steering wheel w/radio controls, cruise control, leather upholstery, 12-way power front bucket seats, power-adjustable pedals, memory system (driver seat, mirrors, steering wheel, pedals), center console, cupholders, wood interior trim, heated power mirrors w/automatic day/night, power windows, power door locks, power sunroof, AM/FM/CD player, analog clock, tachometer, trip computer, automatic day/night rearview mirror, compass, rear defogger, illuminated visor mirrors, map lights, rain-sensing variable-intermittent wipers, automatic headlights, floormats.
Appearance and Miscellaneous
Theft-deterrent system, front and rear fog lights, computer-controlled self-leveling suspension, full-size spare tire, 235/55R17 tires, alloy wheels.
Vanden Plas adds to XJ8:
Comfort and Convenience Features
Heated front and rear seats, 16-way power front seats, Alpine sound system, 6-disc CD changer, power rear sunshade, lamb's-wool floormats.
Appearance and Miscellaneous
Xenon headlights, 235/50R18 tires.
XJR adds to Vanden Plas:
Powertrain
4.2-liter dohc supercharged V8 engine.
Safety
Upgraded brakes.
Comfort and Convenience Features
Adaptive cruise control, heated steering wheel.
Appearance and Miscellaneous
Deletes: lamb's-wool floormats.
Sport suspension, 255/40ZR19 tires.
Optional Equipment
Major Packages |
Retail Price |
Invoice Price |
|
Multimedia Pkg.
|
||
|
Vanden Plas, XJR
|
$2,650
|
$2,253
|
|
DVD player, two rear video screens.
|
||
|
Warm Climate Pkg.
|
||
|
XJ8
|
$1,750
|
$1,488
|
|
Vanden Plas, XJR
|
$1,300
|
$1,105
|
|
Quad-zone automatic climate controls (including rear controls), power rear sunshade (XJ8), manual side sunshades.
|
||
|
Alpine Audio Pkg.
|
||
|
XJ8
|
$1,600
|
$1,360
|
|
Alpine sound system, 6-disc CD changer.
|
||
|
|
||
Safety |
||
|
Front-obstacle-detection system
|
||
|
Vanden Plas, XJ8, XJR
|
$250
|
$213
|
|
|
||
Comfort and Convenience Features |
||
|
Navigation system
|
||
|
Vanden Plas, XJ8, XJR
|
$2,200
|
$1,870
|
|
Heated front and rear seats
|
||
|
XJ8
|
$950
|
$808
|
|
Heated steering wheel
|
||
|
XJ8, Vanden Plas
|
$350
|
$298
|
|
XJ8 requires heated front and rear seats.
|
||
|
Power rear seats
|
||
|
Vanden Plas, XJR
|
$1,750
|
$1,488
|
|
Includes power headrests and reclining backrests w/4-way lumbar adjustment. Requires Multimedia Pkg.
|
||
|
|
||
Appearance and Miscellaneous |
||
|
Xenon headlights
|
||
|
XJ8
|
$675
|
$574
|
|
Headlight washers
|
||
|
Vanden Plas, XJ8, XJR
|
$200
|
$170
|
|
Special paint
|
||
|
Vanden Plas, XJ8, XJR
|
$1,000
|
$850
|
|
235/50R18 tires
|
||
|
XJ8
|
$800
|
$680
|
|
20-inch modular alloy wheels
|
||
|
XJR
|
$4,500
|
$3,825
|
|
|
||
2004 Jaguar XJ Series Specs & Safety
Vehicle Dimensions
| Specification | Jaguar XJ Series 4-door sedan |
| Wheelbase, in. | 119.4 |
| Overall Length, in. | 200.0 |
| Overall Width, in. | 73.2 |
| Overall Height, in. | 57.0 |
| Curb Weight, lbs. | 3766 |
| Cargo Volume, cu. ft. | 16.6 |
| Standard Payload, lbs. | -- |
| Fuel Capacity, gals. | 22.5 |
| Seating Capacity | 5 |
| Front Head Room, in. | 38.4 |
| Max. Front Leg Room, in. | 43.1 |
| Rear Head Room, in. | 38.6 |
| Max. Rear Leg Room, in. | 38.7 |
Specifications Key: NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.
Engines
| Supercharged dohc V8 | dohc V8 | |
| Size, liters/cu. in. | 4.2 /256 | 4.2 /256 |
| Horsepower @ rpm. | 390 @ 6100 | 294 @ 6000 |
| Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm. | 399 @ 3500 | 303 @ 4100 |
| Availability | Standard | Standard |
|
EPA City / highway mpg
|
||
| 6-speed automatic | 17/24 | 18/28 |
Engine Key: l/cu in. = liters/cubic inches; ohv = overhead valve; ohc = overhead camshaft;
dohc = dual overhead camshaft; I = inline cylinders; H = horizonally opposed cylinders;
V = cylinders in a V configuration; W = cylinders in a W configuration; rpm = revolutions
per minute; CVT = continuously variable (automatic) transmission; NA = not available; "--"
= measurement does not exist.
Safety Features
 Antilock Brakes Traction Control Antiskid System |
Front Side Airbags Curtain Side Airbags Rear Side Airbags |
NHTSA Crash-Test Results
| Test | Jaguar XJ Series 4-door sedan |
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests a vehicle's
worthiness in front- and side-impact collisions and rates its resistance to
rollovers. Front-impact crash-test numbers indicate the chance of serious injury:
5 = 10% or less; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-35%; 2 = 35-45%; 1 = More than 45%. Side-impact
crash-test numbers indicate: 5 = 5% or less; 4 = 6-10%; 3 = 11-20%; 2 = 21-25%;
1 = More than 26%. Rollover resistance numbers indicate the chance for rollover
when the vehicle leaves the roadway: 5 = Less than 10%; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-30%;
2 = 30-40%; 1 = More than 40%.
Manufacturer's Warranty
| Class | Years/Miles | Comments |
| Powertrain | None/-- | -- |
| Bumper-to-bumper | 4/50,000 | -- |
| Corrosion | 6/unlimited | -- |
| Free roadside assistance | 4/50,000 | -- |
| Free scheduled maintenance | 4/50,000 | -- |
Manufacturers may periodically offer additional coverage as a purchase incentive.
There offers are not reflected on this chart. The federal government requires two
other warranties. The Exhaust Emission Warranty covers corrosion-related parts for
2 years/24,000 miles, plus 8 years/80,000 miles on the catalytic converter and any
on-board diagnostic device. The Passenger Restraint Warranty covers seat belts
and airbags for 5 years/50,000 miles.
Built in:
England
Drivewheels:
rear-wheel drive
Also in the 2004 Jaguar XJ Series Review:
1.
2.
3.
4.
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