Has The Big Cat Finally Got Its Teeth Into The Small Sedan Segment?

Jaguar’s XE is an exciting car. It’s their second try at the lucrative small sedan segment and going off their recent products (XF, XJ, F-Type), all of which have received high praise; the precedent is set for yet another success. This time though, there’s the small matter of the Audi A4, BMW 3-series and Mercedes C-class to beat.

Until they release the fire-breathing V8 ‘R’ version, the hottest XE will be the XE-S. It borrows its engine from the F-Type sports coupe and should be plenty for the time being.

The figures suggest that the XE-S is going to be very competitive; in the power stakes, it’s only bettered by the Mercedes and there is very little difference in pace between all four. Though the Audi has a better acceleration figure, the difference could be due to its 4WD system providing better traction. The Jaguar’s lighter kerbweight and better power/torque figures means it will claw back that advantage. It does lose out in power & performance to the Mercedes, but it makes up for that with its stunning aesthetics both inside and out.

On paper, the three Germans seem to have met their match and with early reports suggest that the XE is deeply impressive to drive, Jaguar’s time may well have come.