2005 Jaguar XJ Series Full Review - Consumer Guide Automotive

Jaguar gives its flagship more rear-seat room with an available stretched body style for 2005. Base XJ8 and performance XJR models continue on a 119-inch wheelbase. XJ8 L, Vanden Plas, and the new Super V8 use a 124-inch chassis. All models use a 4.2-liter V8. The XJ8, XJ8 L, and Vanden Plas have 294 hp. The supercharged XJR and Super V8 have 390. A 6-speed automatic is the only transmission. ABS and antiskid/traction control are standard, as are head-protecting curtain side airbags and front side airbags. All models also have a self-leveling air suspension with automatic-adjusting shock absorbers. For '05, the XJ8 exchanges 17-inch wheels for the 18s used on the XJ8 L and Vanden Plas; XJR and Super V8 have 19s. The XJR also has a firmer suspension than other models and unique cosmetic touches. Vanden Plas and Super V8 versions have a more luxurious interior, including wooden fold-down trays for rear-seat passengers. A rear-seat entertainment system with a video screen in the back of each front headrest is standard on Super V8 and available on all other models except XJ8. Available features include adaptive cruise control designed to maintain a set following distance, 4-zone automatic climate control, heated front and rear seats, and a navigation system.

Competition

Consumer Guide® Automotive places each vehicle into one of 17 classes based on size, price, and market position. Premium Large Cars are top-of-the-line sedans in size and luxury. Many are manufacturer flagships and/or showcases for the newest automotive technology. Some have 6-figure price tags.

Our Best Buys include the Audi A8 and Lexus LS 430. Our Recommended picks include the Buick Park Avenue, Cadillac DeVille, and Volkswagen Phaeton.

News

The XJ may muscle up soon, sources say, with the base V8 pushed to some 320 hp and the supercharged version to around 450. When this might happen is unclear, but it could be as soon as the '06 models. Otherwise, no big changes loom in the XJ's immediate future. However, Jaguar is working to cut production costs so its flagship sedans will be more profitable, this in the face of staggering losses--some $1.1 billion in 2003 alone.

2005 Jaguar XJ Series Road Test

Pros	Cons

Acceleration	Fuel economy

Ride/handling	Navigation-system controls

Quietness

Consumer Guide® Road Test Ratings

Acceleration

XJ8	Vanden Plas	XJR	Super V8	Class Average
7	7	8	8	6.7

Off the line, nonsupercharged models feel as quick as supercharged versions. But XJR and Super V8 noticeably stronger over 40 mph, despite occasional delay in throttle response. All are fast enough for most any need: Test XJ8 ran 6.5 sec 0-60 mph, test XJR 5.6. Transmission a smooth operator, but somewhat slow to downshift unless in Sport mode.

Fuel Economy

XJ8	Vanden Plas	XJR	Super V8	Class Average
4	4	4	4	4.1

In a mix of city/highway driving, Test XJ8s averaged 15-18.3 mpg, XJ8 L 18.4. In tests that included mostly highway miles, Vanden Plas averaged 19.7 mpg, XJR 18.8, Super V8 20.6. All models require premium-grade fuel.

Ride Quality

XJ8	Vanden Plas	XJR	Super V8	Class Average
9	9	7	7	8.2

Among world's smoothest-riding sedans. Fine balance of impact absorption, highway comfort, though not as settled as European rivals over washboard surfaces. XJR and Super V8 have more road feel, but are never jittery or harsh.

Steering/Handling/Braking

XJ8	Vanden Plas	XJR	Super V8	Class Average
7	7	8	7	6.8

Weight-saving aluminum-intensive body construction, stiff chassis help this big cat feel nimble. Good grip in turns, little cornering lean. Steering somewhat light, but linear, with good road feel and great straightline tracking. Extended-length models add little weight and handle nearly the same as regular-length models. Brakes strong, but some testers judged those on nonsupercharged test models a bit mushy, grabby.

Quietness

XJ8	Vanden Plas	XJR	Super V8	Class Average
9	9	8	8	8.5

Supercharged engine whirs faintly in rapid acceleration. Otherwise, cabin free of mechanical noise, wind rush, road rumble at all but very high speed.

Controls

XJ8	Vanden Plas	XJR	Super V8	Class Average
7	7	7	6	6.2

Typical premium large car: lots of buttons, controls. Most are clearly marked, conveniently placed. Navigation system absorbs some audio and climate functions, complicating their use. Standard steering-wheel-mounted redundant audio controls help. J-shaped shift gate's manual-mode markings obscured by gear lever. Rear-entertainment-system controls not intuitive to some testers, and DVDs load via inconvenient trunk-mounted changer and only with ignition engaged. Pleasing cabin materials on XJ8 and XJR. Vanden Plas and Super V8 have upgraded wood and leather, but still not best in class.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

XJ8	Vanden Plas	XJR	Super V8	Class Average
7	7	7	7	8.7

Firm, comfortable, highly supportive seats. Head and leg room tight for the very large, but power-adjustable steering column and pedals help most adults find agreeable driving position. Visibility to rear compromised by tall trunklid.

Room/Comfort (rear)

XJ8	Vanden Plas	XJR	Super V8	Class Average
8	9	8	9	8.3

Regular-length models have adequate leg room, though toe space tight. Extended-length models' leg room is expansive; toe space unrestricted unless front seat fully back. Nicely bolstered cushions. Standard on Super V8, optional on Vanden Plas are seatbacks that adjust for angle, lumbar support.

Cargo Room

XJ8	Vanden Plas	XJR	Super V8	Class Average
4	4	4	4	5

Plenty of usable trunk space. Lid opens wide on nonintruding hinges and has assisted soft-touch close. Large glovebox, padded map pockets highlight interior storage.

Value within Class

XJ8	Vanden Plas	XJR	Super V8	Class Average
6	4	4	3	5.7

Ford owns Jaguar, and the British marque's special character feels watered down in the XJ. Still, this is a solid enough luxury sedan, and it tends to undercut most rivals on price. The XJ8 versions are the best value within the XJ lineup. While the XJR is fun to drive, it isn't as satisfying as its high-performance competition. XJ8 L, Vanden Plas, and Super V8 add limousinelike rear-seat room without penalizing performance.

Total Score

XJ8	Vanden Plas	XJR	Super V8	Class Average
68	67	65	63	68.2

Scores for all Premium Large Cars

Low Score		58
Average Score		68
High Score		79

2005 Jaguar XJ Series Prices & Equipment

Model Prices

Prices Updated: 05/17/2005

Trim Name	Retail Price	Dealer Invoice	Destination Charge

XJ8 4-door sedan	$61,330	$55,811	$665

XJ8 L 4-door sedan	$63,830	$58,086	$665

Vanden Plas 4-door sedan	$71,330	$64,911	$665

XJR 4-door sedan	$76,330	$69,461	$665

Super V8 4-door sedan	$90,330	$82,201	$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 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, emergency inside trunk release.

Comfort and Convenience Features

Air conditioning w/dual-zone automatic climate controls, interior air filter, power steering, power tilt/telescope wood/leather-wrapped steering wheel w/radio controls, cruise control, leather upholstery, front bucket seats, 12-way power driver seat, 8-way power passenger seat, 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, remote keyless entry, power sunroof, AM/FM/CD player, analog clock, tachometer, trip computer, automatic day/night rearview mirror, compass, outside-temperature indicator, illuminated visor mirrors, universal garage-door opener, map lights, rain-sensing variable-intermittent wipers, rear defogger, automatic headlights, floormats.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

Theft-deterrent system, front and rear fog lights, computer-controlled self-leveling suspension, full-size spare tire, 235/50R18 tires, alloy wheels.

XJ8 L adds to XJ8:

Comfort and Convenience Features

5-inch-longer wheelbase.

Vanden Plas adds to XJ8 L:

Comfort and Convenience Features

Heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel, 16-way power front seats, Alpine sound system, 6-disc CD changer, rear-seat fold-down trays, power rear sunshade, lamb's-wool floormats.

XJR adds to Vanden Plas:

Powertrain

4.2-liter supercharged V8 engine.

Safety

Uprated brakes.

Comfort and Convenience Features

Adaptive cruise control.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

Deletes: 5-inch-longer wheelbase, rear-seat fold-down trays, lamb's-wool floormats.

Xenon headlights, sport suspension, 255/40ZR19 tires.

Super V8 adds to XJR:

Safety

Front-obstacle-detection system.

Comfort and Convenience Features

4-zone automatic climate controls, navigation system, rear-seat DVD entertainment system, adjustable rear seat, rear control for front-passenger seat, rear-seat fold-down trays, manual side sunshades, heated washer jets, lamb's-wool floormats, 5-inch-longer wheelbase.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

Deletes: sport suspension.

Optional Equipment

Major Packages	Retail Price	Invoice Price
Multimedia Pkg.
XJ8 L	$2,950	$2,508
Vanden Plas, XJR	$2,650	$2,253
DVD player, two rear video screens, 16-way power front seats (XJ8 L).

Warm Climate Pkg.
XJ8 L	$1,750	$1,488
Vanden Plas, XJR	$1,300	$1,105
4-zone automatic climate controls (including rear controls), power rear sunshade (XJ8 L), manual side sunshades.

Cold Weather Pkg.
XJ8, XJ8 L	$1,325	$1,126
Heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel, heated windshield.

Safety
Front-obstacle-detection system
XJ8 L, Vanden Plas, XJR	$250	$213


Comfort and Convenience Features
Navigation system
XJ8, XJ8 L, Vanden Plas, XJR	$2,300	$1,955


Premium sound system
XJ8, XJ8 L	$1,600	$1,360
Alpine sound system, 6-disc CD changer.

Hands-free cellular telephone link
Super V8, Vanden Plas, XJ8, XJ8 L, XJR	$500	$425


Adaptive cruise control
XJ8, XJ8 L, Vanden Plas	$2,200	$1,870


Heated front and rear seats
XJ8, XJ8 L	$950	$808


Heated steering wheel
XJ8, XJ8 L	$400	$340
Requires heated front and rear seats.

Heated windshield
Super V8, Vanden Plas, XJ8, XJ8 L, XJR	$300	$255


Power rear seats
Vanden Plas	$1,750	$1,488
Includes power headrests and adjustable backrests w/4-way lumbar adjustment. Requires Multimedia Pkg.

Appearance and Miscellaneous
Xenon headlights
XJ8, XJ8 L, Vanden Plas	$675	$574


Headlight washers
XJ8, XJ8 L, Vanden Plas, XJR	$200	$170
XJ8, XJ8 L, Vanden Plas require xenon headlights.

Special paint
Super V8, Vanden Plas, XJ8, XJ8 L, XJR	$1,000	$850


19-inch alloy wheels
XJ8, XJ8 L, Vanden Plas	$1,200	$1,020


19-inch chrome alloy wheels
XJ8, XJ8L, Vanden Plas	$2,600	$2,210
Super V8	$1,400	$1,190


20-inch modular alloy wheels
XJR	$4,500	$3,825

2005 Jaguar XJ Series Specs & Safety

Vehicle Dimensions

Specification	Jaguar XJ8, XJR 4-door sedan	Jaguar XJ8L, Vdn. Pl., Spr. V8 4-door sedan

Wheelbase, in.	119.4	124.4

Overall Length, in.	200.4	205.3

Overall Width, in.	76.5	76.5

Overall Height, in.	57.0	57.3

Curb Weight, lbs.	3726	3777

Cargo Volume, cu. ft.	16.4	16.4

Standard Payload, lbs.	--	--

Fuel Capacity, gals.	22.5	22.5

Seating Capacity	5	5

Front Head Room, in.	38.4	38.4

Max. Front Leg Room, in.	43.3	43.3

Rear Head Room, in.	38.6	38.6

Max. Rear Leg Room, in.	38.7	39.3

Specifications Key: NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Engines

	dohc V8	Supercharged dohc V8

Size, liters/cu. in.	4.2 /256	4.2 /256

Horsepower @ rpm.	294 @ 6000	390 @ 6100

Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm.	303 @ 4100	399 @ 3500

Availability	Standard	Standard

EPA City / highway mpg

6-speed automatic	18/28	17/24

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 XJ8, XJR 4-door sedan

Jaguar XJ8L, Vdn. Pl., Spr. V8 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

Tester's Comments

(what's this?)

Vehicle Evaluated: 2005 Jaguar XJ Series
Trim Level: Vanden Plas
Arrival Date: 10/14/2004
Engine: dohc V8
Bodystyle: 4-door sedan
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
4WD/AWD: No
Base Price: $70,330
Price as Tested: $74,595
Mileage at Beginning of Test: 3586
Mileage at End of Test: 3992
Total Measured Miles:
Total Fuel Used: 19.736 gals.

Major Options: Navigation System, Warm Climate Pkg.

Consumer Guide® Fuel Economy: 20.57 mpg (what's this?)

Problems During Test: None

From The Back Seat
Mark Bilek Can't imagine paying extra for the VPD. The materials are really no better than lesser models and the amenities, while nice, aren't anything I couldn't live without.

Vehicle Evaluated: 2005 Jaguar XJ8 Super V8
Trim Level: Super V8
Arrival Date: 10/11/2004
Engine: Supercharged dohc V8
Bodystyle: 4-door sedan
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
4WD/AWD: No
Base Price: $89,330
Price as Tested: $89,995
Mileage at Beginning of Test: 3057
Mileage at End of Test: 3427
Total Measured Miles:
Total Fuel Used: 21.379 gals.

Major Options: none

Consumer Guide® Fuel Economy: 17.31 mpg (what's this?)

Problems During Test: None

From The Back Seat
Chuck Giametta No way this is a $90,000 value. But let's get real. People who buy this are looking for a "jag with all the bells and whistles" and are not like you and me. Oddly, the Super V8 may not look distinctive enough to satisfy those flashy types, and its odd behavior over some bumps denies it the deep-down world-beating all-around performance it should have to make someone consider it over, say, an E55 or S55.

Kirk Bell No $90,000 car makes sense, and this one just doesn't feel that special. The supercharger is nice for highway passing, but all the other do-dads just don't seem to be worth $28,500--the equivalent of an Audi A4 1.8T quattro.

< 2005 Jaguar XJ Series Photos

Also in the 2005 Jaguar XJ Series Review:

Jaguar XJ Series

Jaguar XJ Series Road Test

Jaguar XJ Series Prices & Equipment

Jaguar XJ Series Specs & Safety

Jaguar XJ Series Photos

Jaguar XJ Series Full Review

All Jaguar XJ Series

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