Acceleration

Sedan w/nav. sys.	Sedan w/18-in. whls.	Sportwagon	Class Average
6	6	6	6.6

Class competitive at best. Test sedan did 7.6 sec 0-60. Engine not satisfyingly strong below 4000 rpm, while transmission's tardy downshifts frustrate response in the 40-55-mph range.

Fuel Economy

Sedan w/nav. sys.	Sedan w/18-in. whls.	Sportwagon	Class Average
5	5	5	5.4

Test sedans averaged 19.0 in mixed city/highway driving, 21.4 in mostly highway travel. No opportunity to measure with wagon. Jaguar recommends premium-grade fuel.

Ride Quality

Sedan w/nav. sys.	Sedan w/18-in. whls.	Sportwagon	Class Average
6	5	6	5.9

Takes bumps as a solid unit, stable at speed, befitting sports/luxury positioning. Comfortably absorbs bad pavement with 16-inch tires. Wagon has 17-inch tires, suffers wheel patter and some impact harshness. All ride firmer still with 18-inch tires, but not uncomfortable.

Steering/Handling/Braking

Sedan w/nav. sys.	Sedan w/18-in. whls.	Sportwagon	Class Average
7	8	7	7.3

Secure, agile for the most part. Fast turns induce some body lean, but AWD maintains outstanding grip, even when powering out of wet corners. Steering is communicative, accurate, nicely weighted.

Quietness

Sedan w/nav. sys.	Sedan w/18-in. whls.	Sportwagon	Class Average
7	6	7	6.2

Wind rush impressively low. Obvious road noise with 18-inch tires. Under full throttle, the V6 growls nicely.

Controls

Sedan w/nav. sys.	Sedan w/18-in. whls.	Sportwagon	Class Average
6	6	6	7.2

Unobstructed instrumentation. Low-mounted audio controls require driver to look away from road. Navigation system no picnic to program, and incorporating some climate and audio functions monopolizes driver attention. Automatic transmission has Jaguar's J-shaped gate selector, which some testers fault for imprecise action and difficulty of use in manual mode. Standard leather and wood strive for an upscale cabin ambience, but some of the plastics disappoint.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

Sedan w/nav. sys.	Sedan w/18-in. whls.	Sportwagon	Class Average
6	6	6	6.9

Adequate six-footer head room. Standard tilt/telescope steering wheel helps set comfortable driving position. Front seats narrower and softer than the European norm but have good support. Smartly sized mirrors contribute to fine outward visibility, despite tallish cowl.

Room/Comfort (rear)

Sedan w/nav. sys.	Sedan w/18-in. whls.	Sportwagon	Class Average
4	4	4	3.7

As much usable space as any direct rival. Seat cushion too soft for best support, and narrow doorways compromise entry/exit.

Cargo Room

Sedan w/nav. sys.	Sedan w/18-in. whls.	Sportwagon	Class Average
5	5	8	4.2

At 16 cu ft, sedan trunk is among largest in class. Folding rear seatbacks, low liftover, nonintrusive strut hinges enhance versatility. Sportwagon increases cargo space, but has average capacity for a wagon in class.

Value within Class

Sedan w/nav. sys.	Sedan w/18-in. whls.	Sportwagon	Class Average
3	4	4	6.3

The X-Type is an acceptable blend of performance and luxury. It comes with the all-weather capability of all-wheel drive, and offers the versatility of a wagon body style. X-Type has Jaguar cachet, but top rivals are better all-around cars.

Total Score

Sedan w/nav. sys.	Sedan w/18-in. whls.	Sportwagon	Class Average
55	55	59	59.7

Scores for all Premium Compact Cars

Low Score		55
Average Score		59
High Score		67