LIKES
- Design has aged gracefully
- Strong V-6 power
- Decent value and often discounted
- Intriguing wagon
- Excellent warranty
DISLIKES
- No more diesel
- Dated infotainment
- A little dark inside
- Can get very expensive
BUYING TIP
Especially in wagon form, the 2020 Jaguar XF is an appealing luxury car for those of us not totally sold on SUVs.
Don’t forget about the 2020 Jaguar XF, the spiritual heir to the marque’s decades of sporty sedans once as popular with cops as they were with robbers back home in England.
The 2020 XF is a sleek, stylish sedan with good underhood punch, though its basic lines are a decade old and they’re starting to show it. We score the handsome XF at 6.2 out of 10, a figure buoyed by its powerful engines but offset by a design that’s not as fresh as some rivals.
Jaguar offers the XF with two turbo-4s called 25t and 30t, as well as a supercharged V-6 called the XF S. Last year’s turbodiesel has been dropped, though the XF Sportbrake wagon sticks around.
Forget the 25t and 30t names, both XF sedans use versions of the same 2.0-liter turbo-4. The base car’s 247 horsepower is sufficient, while the 30t ups to a healthy 296 hp. Neither XF is especially refined, though the engine provides good grunt and works well with the standard 8-speed automatic transmission. Healthier yet is the 380-hp supercharged V-6, but it’s pricey. Rear-wheel drive is standard on sedans, though the optional all-wheel-drive system is likely to be more popular. Wagons come only with all-wheel drive and don’t offer the 247-hp engine.
The XF handles well and rides nicely, though no rorty high-performance version exists to take on Germany’s super sedans. That’s a shame, but we concede that buyers are fleeing mid-size luxury cars for SUVs, and offering a hi-po Jag would leave the automaker with a tough car to sell.
Those who do stick around will find a bright 10.0-inch touchscreen loaded up with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, plus a baked-in operating system that’s only mildly frustrating. The XF’s interior is supple and mostly luxurious, even if it isn’t as warmly decorated as Jaguars of years past. Wagons are particularly spacious and make an excellent crossover SUV alternative for those willing to think outside the box.
Starting at around $52,000, the XF slightly undercuts its rivals, especially given that discounts are common. Its wagon configuration is matched only by the divine—and priced accordingly—Mercedes-Benz E-Class. A long warranty should ease any lingering concerns about Jaguar reliability, too. Should you find yourself shopping for a mid-size luxury car, don’t forget about this one.
Styling
The slick exterior style of the 2020 Jaguar XF is not matched by its dark interior.
The 2020 Jaguar XF is among the more attractive cars on the road, a remarkable feat given that it’s a sedan and four-doors are more often dowdy than delectable.
We wish we could say the same about the medium cat’s interior, which doesn’t meet the luxury standards we’ve come to expect from Jaguar. We rate the 2020 XF at 6 out of 10 for its looks.
The XF shares its proportions with the smaller XE. There are no old-world cues, aside from the nearly vertical grille with its mesh-style insert and, of course, the feline badge. Higher-trim cars look best with their larger wheels that fill the wells better, and we applaud the automaker’s restraint in limiting chrome exterior trim.
A notch above is the XF Sportbrake, which wears its longroof lines oh so well. The XF is a rare sight, but one we’ll never forget.
Inside, the cars place function above form in ways we don’t expect from Jaguar. Sure, the lines are clean and controls are convenient, but there’s little of the visual drama typically found in luxury sedans. Avoid the relentless black or the dull grays in favor of the browns and reds Jaguar offers, and perhaps specify wood rather than aluminum trim for more warmth.
Performance
A trio of engine options provide the 2020 Jaguar XF with good, if not thrilling, performance.
Jaguar aims for the mainstream with the engines under the 2020 XF’s hood. Don’t go looking for a high-performance model in the vein of BMW’s M cars or those tuned by Mercedes-AMG, however.
We rate the lineup at 6 out of 10 for their comfortable ride and pleasing handling.
Base cars use a 2.0-liter turbo-4 rated at either 247 or 296 hp. The base cars take more than six seconds to accelerate from 0-60 mph, and about a second less with the high-po turbo-4. Admittedly, we’ve not yet driven this car with either engine, though our experience with the turbo-4 in other Jags has been mostly positive. Refinement is not its forte, but acceleration is strong and the 8-speed automatic transmission kicks power rearward or to all four wheels with excellent response. 
The supercharged V-6 is a proper mid-level performance motor with its 380-hp rating, and 60 mph comes by in just 5.0 seconds. Selecting the V-6 means you’ve also opted into all-wheel drive. The V-6 is quiet—perhaps too much so for a sedan Jaguar would like to consider sporty.
Underneath, the suspension is tuned more softly than in AMG and M versions of Germany’s super sedans. For most driving, its compliance is an asset though there’s also more body lean into corners in the XF than in BMW’s 5-Series. The thick-rim wheel delivers low-effort, but accurate steering.
Comfort & Quality
The 2020 Jaguar XF is far from traditional inside, though it is spacious.
If you’re used to cramped Jaguar sedans with thick wool carpets, rich leather upholstery, and decadent woodgrain trim, the 2020 XF will seem like it has come from another brand. The 2020 Jaguar XF is a different kind of Jaguar, and we wish it was a little less somber inside. Still, its impressive cargo utility earns it 6 out of 10 points, while the spacious wagon would almost earn another point.
Up front, the XF’s seats are just so-so. They’re not especially plush, while the armrest is narrower than in some competitors. Rear-seat riders have decent leg room, though taller passengers may brush the headliner.
Where the XF excels is in its cargo space. Sedans offer more than 19 cubic feet, while wagons stretch to nearly 32 cubes with the second row upright. The XF Sportbrake doesn’t match capacious Volvo and Mercedes wagon rivals, but it’s still pleasantly useful.
We just wish the interior was less sullen. Most cars are trimmed in stark hues reminiscent of, well, British weather. We’d like to see brighter colors and warmer tones throughout, though they’re there if you take the time to custom-order your XF.
Safety
The 2020 Jaguar XF hasn’t been crash-tested, and some collision-avoidance tech that should be standard is optional.
Don’t look for the 2020 Jaguar XF to be crash-tested any time soon. It’s unlikely it’ll happen given the car’s relative rarity.
Jaguar fits every 2020 XF with the basics, though it charges extra for automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alerts, lane-departure warnings, and active lane control on most trim levels. Most of those features are bundled in a single option package, though high-line XF S and Checkered Flag trim levels come loaded up. Still, we think that’s all tech that ought to be standard fare by now.
Other options include a surround-view monitor and a head-up display.
Features
The 2020 Jaguar XF can be had in a wide variety of configurations. All are lavish, none are cheap.
The 2020 Jaguar XF is far from a bargain, though dealers may be willing to discount. We score the lineup at 8 out of 10 points, nudging it above average for its warranty, its customizability, and most of its standard fare.
Base XF Premium sedans run about $52,000, and they’re fitted with a 10.0-inch touchscreen, 18-inch wheels, synthetic leather upholstery, keyless ignition, dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth connectivity, one USB port, a moonroof, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
Most XF sedans are likely to include the Prestige package that tosses synthetic leather in favor of real hides, adds heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, navigation, adaptive dampers (on V-6 cars), and a few other niceties. The XF 30t Prestige with all-wheel drive costs $62,545, including destination but before options, and that’s likely where we’d stop with the sedan.
Loaded up, an XF Sportbrake with the V-6 can top $80,000 once you’ve swapped in the 12.3-inch instrument cluster, cooled seats, and other luxurious features. Spoiling doesn’t come cheap, does it? A modestly optioned XF Sportbrake for $70,000 isn’t a value, but it doesn’t feel overpriced compared to other luxury wagons.
The standard 5-year/60,000-mile warranty is unmatched and should provide some long-run confidence.
Last year, the automaker updated its infotainment system, and while it’s better, it still trails some rivals. Still, the screens are bright and responsive, and smartphone compatibility is finally standard after it was an inexpensive (but still nickel-and-diming) option last year.
Fuel Economy
The 2020 Jaguar XF is reasonably thrifty given its performance.
Though last year’s frugal turbodiesel is no longer part of the lineup, the 2020 Jaguar XF remains a relatively green choice. We rate the line at 5 out of 10 based on the turbo-4 engine in the XF 25t.
With rear-wheel drive, that car is rated at 25 mpg city, 34 highway, 28 combined. Send power to all four corners and fuel economy takes a minor hit to 23/33/27 mpg.
The uprated 30t engine is thirstier at 23/31/26 mpg, which slides to 25 mpg combined with all-wheel drive.
Wagons are less aerodynamic and use more fuel. The EPA rates the Sportbrake 30t with its standard all-wheel drive at just 21/28/24 mpg.
Six-cylinder cars are predictably the least-efficient at 23 mpg combined for sedans and just 21 mpg combined for wagons.
All XFs are designed to run on premium unleaded.
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