Media post: The 2020 Jaguar XE

Over the years, Jaguar has gained considerable street creed thanks to its high horsepower vehicles. Unfortunately, this hasn’t translated to much success into the compact sedan world as other brands continuously beat out Jaguar in terms of innovation and technology. Fortunately, Warren Henry Jaguar says this seems to be taking a turn for the better with the unveiling of the Jaguar XE with its sleek design and rear-wheel drive capability. While consumers may be skeptical, there is a lot to love about the XE.

Let’s start things off with the XE’s styling. The XE is an attractive vehicle that comes with 19-inch alloy wheels, a gorgeous black trim, bright headlamps, and an exquisite looking mesh grille. The design gives the XE a German luxury car feel while keeping true to the Jaguars of the past. Inside the cabin, the materials are eye-catching with its diamond leather seats that are heated and ventilated. Creatures comforts include a Meridian Surround Audio system, dual-zone climate control, and a power sunroof. As with most modern Jaguar vehicles, you also get a touchscreen for navigation, audio, and phone, as well as a smaller touchscreen for audio controls. On the safety front, you will see all the usual suspects, including lane keep assist, blind-spot warning, adaptive cruise control, and rear cross-path detection.

Under its perfectly sculpted hood is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that pumps out 247 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent through its rear-wheels via a paddle-shifted eight-speed automatic transmission. When you put the peddle to the metal, you’ll find that the XE likes to move as it can go from 0-60 mph in 6.2 seconds or less on the way to a top speed of 120 mph. There are a few adjustable driver modes to help configure the powertrain, which includes one for Bad Weather, Eco, Comfort, and Sport.

Technology has always been a big plus for Jaguar, and the XE has that in spades. The S provides consumers with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability that is provided through a spectacular Touch Pro system. The system works perfectly, and thanks to the recent Siri updates, the voice commands will trigger certain smartphone apps. Also available for the 2020 XE is an onboard navigation system as well as a Wi-Fi hotspot. Round out the technological updates is a driver attention monitor to help with drowsy drivers. Meanwhile, the lane departure warning system sends vibrations through the steering wheel and shows on the driver on the infotainment screen where the car is heading. It should be enough to get even the most distracted drivers back on track.

There is so much to love about the all-new Jaguar XE as it remains every bit as sporty to drive as it has ever been. It remains easy to handle even at the highest speeds and takes sharp corners with ease and does not mind patches of breaks in the road. It’s immediately apparent what Jaguar was hoping to accomplish with the XE, and for the most part, it’s succeeded. The car looks as good as it ever has with a cabin that looks luxurious and an unmatched drive. This is a compact sedan that is sure to give the competition a run for its money.