Jaguar's new XF is more sustainably built

By topgear, 08 October 2020
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Is the Jaguar XF the best-looking saloon currently on sale? It’s certainly up there, we’d argue. It’s been given a mid-life update, but Jaguar’s had the good sense to keep the surface updates at detail level (tweaked lights, grilles and bumpers) and keep its main fiddling to the oily bits beneath.

Or the wiry bits beneath, to be more accurate. It’s 2020, after all, so the big news concerns electrification, connectivity and sustainability. So there’s a new mild-hybrid diesel version, a combined 24 inches of display screen inside (fed by over-the-air updates) and a much smaller range than before.

Jaguar’s slimmed the range from 64 cars to 28, simplifying both making and selling the car to cut yet more carbons. Those 28 flavours of XF contain just three engine choices: that aforementioned diesel hybrid, with a modest 204bhp and available with rear- and all-wheel drive, as well as 250bhp RWD and 300bhp AWD petrols. All are automatic as standard, and all can be turned into the handsome Sportbrake estate for an extra couple of grand.

If you’re the glass-half-empty type, though, this does provide yet more evidence we won’t see an XFR sports saloon this time around. It’s been doubtful since Jag made the XF four-cylinder only, and this new slimming of the range surely makes the addition of a near-600bhp V8 further down the line – to rival the BMW M5 and E63 AMG – about as likely as a night out clubbing any time soon.

Prices start at £32,585, a mere three grand more than the dinkier, also-updated XE saloon.