Jaguar XE Review 2024

Jaguar XE At A Glance

4/5
Honest John Overall Rating
Engaging alternative to the usual small German premium cars, but cramped rear seats and no estate option hinder the Jaguar XE’s appeal.

+Superb ride comfort and fuel economy. Eight-speed automatic is excellent. Interior is much improved from 2019.

-Not a lot of room in the back. Boot is smaller than its rivals. No estate version.

New prices start from £31,165
Insurance Groups are between 22–35
On average it achieves 93% of the official MPG figure

The Jaguar XE is everything a car from the British brand should be, just in a more compact package than its Jaguar XF big sister. It looks smart yet discreet, drives very well and has a superbly controlled ride on bumpy roads. The smart cabin comes with all the kit you could want from this class, although the rear seats and boot are less spacious than those in its key German rivals. Read on for our full Jaguar XE review.

With attractive styling, a satisfying drive and – from 2019 – a much-improved interior, the Jaguar XE is a strong competitor to the likes of the Mercedes C-Class, highly polished Audi A4 and great-handling BMW 3 Series. It also gives potential Volvo S60 buyers pause for thought.

The Jaguar XE takes a lot of its styling cues from the Jaguar XF, using the same aluminium construction techniques to rival its German counterparts for weight and rigidity. As a result the Jaguar XE is extremely good to drive. The suspension also impresses, striking a good balance between comfort and engagement when it comes to tackling challenging corners. 

Power comes from a range of four-cylinder all-aluminium petrol and diesel engines, with the headliner being the 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel, which returns an official 58.1mpg. 

While initially available with a six-speed manual gearbox, an excellent eight-speed automatic gearbox is now standard across the range. Rear and all-wheel-drive variants are available, although four-wheel drive is reserved for the most powerful petrol model.

The cabin is comfortable and well-equipped, with cruise control, navigation and a smart rising rotary controller – for automatics – included as standard on early models. Every Jaguar XE now uses an automatic transmission.

However, there are a few areas that initially disappointed on quality and some of the plastics felt below par. The layout of the dashboard and conservative styling also lacks the innovation of Audi and BMW equivalents, which makes the Jaguar XE feel a little dull inside.

Things were improved for 2019, when Jaguar’s Touch Pro Duo infotainment system – as seen on the Jaguar i-Pace – was offered for the first time. This uses a pair of touchscreen displays in the centre of the dash, providing access to navigation and Apple CarPlay, as well as climate control settings. It’s slick to use and does a really good job of modernising the interior.

Unfortunately, the Jaguar XE doesn’t match its rivals for practicality. Its sloping roof and limited rear legroom make it a tight fit for large adults in the back, while its 455-litre boot isn’t as big as those on German rivals. The narrow opening can make loading large items tricky, too, and there isn’t an estate model available.

The Jaguar XE is still an impressive car, though, particularly following its 2019 updates. It’s great to drive (although the BMW 3 Series is better), and the interior feels tech-packed and up-to-date (if not as plush as the Mercedes C-Class).

Looking for a second opinion? Read heycar’s Jaguar XE review.

Ask Honest John

How do I solve AdBlue problems with my diesel Jaguar?

"I own a Jaguar XE 180 2.0 diesel with an Ingenium engine which has done only 53k miles. For the third time in six months a message is displayed "Incorrect diesel Fluid Quality Detected" so I take it to my Jaguar dealership which plug in a computer and they switch off the sensor and charge me £200 for so doing but this is not curing the recurring problem. There are many reports on the Jaguar forum about this problem but neither the dealership or Jaguar seems to be able to solve it. I like the car but I am seriously considering getting rid of it as this is becoming expensive motoring. What do you suggest as to curing the problem? Do other diesel cars have this problem too?"
As you say, this appears to be a common fault with JLR diesel engines, with many possible causes that are bringing up the fault message. Unfortunately some many dealers over-rely on diagnostic tools without sourcing the cause of the problem. If you want to try and tackle the problem yourself, you may find it worthwhile to invest in an OBD tool so you can read and reset fault codes yourself. Possible causes for the fault may be an overfilled AdBlue tank, degraded AdBlue fluid, a blocked AdBlue injector nozzle, EGR valve or NOx sensors, all of which are potentially fixable but it will still require some time and investment. Alternatively we would recommend finding an independent JLR specialist, who at the very least will offer a cheaper diagnostic service and will have likely encountered and solved this problem on numerous vehicles before.
Answered by David Ross

I'm looking to buy either a new Jaguar XE or a Genesis G70 - which is the better option?

"We are looking to replace my car in the next six months and need a bit of your advice. My wife has taken a shine to the Jaguar XE so we have been looking at a new one. I have moved away from diesel engines as my mileage is approximately 10,000 a year, but the Jaguar D200 MHEV on paper looks good on price and CO2 figures, while the petrol model has higher CO2 and appears less attractive as well as much more expensive to buy. Which option would be better? With car prices on the up I am keen to keep the cost to under £40,000 with regards to luxury car road tax cost. I have also looked at the Genesis G70 which looks a beautiful car, but the emissions for the petrol and diesel engines is higher than the Jaguar, but the purchase price a bit lower for a higher spec and comes with a five year total service warranty package. Looking at long term value and resale value, what do you think is the best option?"
In respect of petrol versus diesel, the latter still represents the better option in terms of fuel consumption, although both options are likely to suffer from increasing VED rates over the next few years. With your relatively low annual mileage, unless all of your journeys tend to be motorway trips we would suggest petrol as the better choice to avoid any issues with diesel particulate filters. As for the choice of the Jaguar XE compared to the Genesis G70, the Jaguar offers the better driving experience while the G70 has a better ownership package, particularly in terms of the warranty and Care Plan. Residual values will mean the G70 will likely lose more money over the years, but this is partly offset by the lower purchase price. If trouble-free ownership over a number of years is the key, then we would go for the Genesis, but in all other respects the Jaguar is the better car.
Answered by David Ross

Which car should I buy for motorway commuting?

"I am looking for a car for motorway commuting and I am spiralling down an endless rabbit hole of options! I drive around 500 miles a week - a mix of 80% double carriage/motorway and 20% single carriage/broads/town. Comfort and economy are important to me so ideally I'm thinking of a biggish car (though I'm not keen on SUVs). I do quite like my options too (i.e. adaptive cruise control, digital dashboard). My budget is around £30k and I'm considering the following: Mercedes-Benz C-Class or E-Class, BMW 3 Series or 5 Series, Skoda Octavia or Superb, Jaguar XE or XF, or Volkswagen Arteon. What do you recommend? "
The Skoda Superb estate scores well for user satisfaction and your budget will get you a post-facelift example with all the toys you mention. For ultimate comfort, the Mercedes C-Class is a good shout and it's just been replaced so there may be deals to be done on slightly older cars. The E-Class is even more comfortable and many of them will have been specified with air suspension that takes them to another level compared to the rivals you mention. The Jaguars offer a great balance between comfort and handling, particularly the XF, but they're feeling a little dated now. The BMW prioritises comfort at the slight expense of comfort, but both the 3 and 5 Series are still great cars to do lots of miles in.
Answered by Russell Campbell

Downsizing from a Jaguar XE - what should I buy?

"I presently have a five-year-old Jaguar XE. I'm looking to change for a smaller car as I’m getting older and no longer do as many long journeys. However, I really enjoy the heated seats, sunroof, reversing camera and comfortable seats. Can I get these in a small car?"
Heated seats and a reversing camera are pretty universal now, although a sunroof might take a little more finding. Take a look at the Volkswagen Polo – it's one of our favourite small cars, available with heated seats, an opening sunroof and a reversing camera. Also consider a Ford Fiesta – you can get it in posh Vignale trim, which feels like a mini luxury car.
Answered by Andrew Brady
More Questions

What does a Jaguar XE cost?