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Jaguar XF Sportbrake Review 2022

2020 Jaguar XF 2.0d [180] Chequered Flag 5dr Auto Jaguar XF
2.0d [180] Chequered Flag 5dr Auto
£29,995
View Jaguar XF cars for sale

Jaguar XF Sportbrake At A Glance

4/5

+Attractive and comfortable family estate, thanks to standard fit self-levelling suspension. Available with all-wheel drive. Flat load floor with up to 1700 litres of boot space.

-Noisy engines. Sluggish four-wheel drive performance. German rivals provide better in-car entertainment.

New prices start from £35,995
Insurance Groups are between 28–43
On average it achieves 85% of the official MPG figure

The  XF Sportbrake is a large and elegant estate, with great practicality and a rewarding drive. However, while undeniably attractive and luxurious, the family friendly Jaguar falls a little short against its German rivals when it comes to diesel refinement and in-car tech.

Like the BMW 5 Series Touring, Audi A6 Avant and Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate, the Jaguar XF Sportbrake is an executive mix of style, luxury and space. At the business end of things, the Jaguar matches most of its rivals on storage, with 565 litres of boot space when the rear seats are in place. It also provides a completely flat floor and 1700 litres when you flatten the rear bench, while accessing the wide boot is easy with a powered tailgate fitted as standard. 

As well as a big boot, the swoopy-styled XF estate gets an opulent interior, with enough space to transport a family of four in limo-like comfort. Indeed, even entry-level models are kitted out in leather and soft-touch materials, along with smart features such as ambient interior lighting and in-car WiFi. Touchscreen infotainment has also been upgraded, although its useability remains a long way short of the tech found in the latest Audis and BMWs.

Like the saloon, the XF Sportbrake is extremely good to drive, with smooth and responsive steering that allows the driver to reach its performance limits with confidence. The self-levelling rear Integral-Link air suspension should ensure effortless towing for those more interested in the practicality of the XF, with it capable of shifting up to 2000kg - more than enough to cope with a standard caravan or horsebox.

Most buyers will choose diesel and the line-up includes three 2.0-litre engines, plus a performance focussed 3.0-litre V6. We'd recommend the 180PS diesel - returning an advertised 60.1 - 61.4mpg. Almost all powertrains are linked to rear-wheel drive and an eight-speed auto as standard, although four-wheel drive can be specified. Petrol buyers might feel a little short-changed, however, with just one option - a 250PS 2.0-litre engine. 

Jaguar makes no bones about the fact that the XF Sportbrake's designed for those who want a large family car with dynamic handling and a comfortable ride quality. This means, for the most part, it feels very close to the standard XF saloon on the road, with positive steering and excellent composure at motorway speeds. However, a few areas blot the Sportbrake's report card. The diesels are gruff at start-up and noisy at low speeds, while the engine stop/start system is crude in its operation. 

The XF Sportbrake doesn’t get anything dramatically bad, but equally it doesn’t excel in any particular area either. It is comfortable, efficient and luxurious. And for many family car buyers that will be more than enough for it to be a likeable alternative to the current crop of Germany executive estates.

Jaguar XF Sportbrake 2017 Road Test

What do owners think of the Jaguar XF Sportbrake? Check out our Owners' Reviews from people who live with the car day in, day out.

Real MPG average for a Jaguar XF Sportbrake

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

85%

Real MPG

20–54 mpg

MPGs submitted

51

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

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Reviews for Jaguar XF Sportbrake's top 3 rivals

BMW 5 Series
5/5
Rides superbly thanks to standard fit self-levelling air suspension. xDrive available on top models....
Volkswagen Arteon
4/5
High quality interior with impressive amounts of space, comfortable on the move.
Volvo V90
5/5
Beautifully finished cabin, high level of standard equipment, extremely impressive safety technology.

Ask Honest John

My Jaguar XF Sportbrake is on 20-inch wheels with low profile tyres. Can I make the ride more comfortable?
"I own a Jaguar XF Sportbreak Estate, which has 20-inch alloys with low profile tyres. I find the ride most uncomfortable as it's very hard and susceptible to uneven road surfaces. I'd like to improve the comfort and I understand that this can be improved by changing the wheels and tyres — which I have also been advised would require the suspension to be adjusted to take account of any revisions. Are you able to provide me with any advice or guidance? Kind Regards."
There are a few things to mention here. Firstly, while bigger wheels with low profile tyres generally make for a more uncomfortable ride, there's no hard and fast rule that can be applied across the board because no two makes of tyres are the same. The wheel-tyre combo on your XF Sportbrake will also have been designed with the car and its suspension in mind. Finally, fitting smaller wheels may also affect the resale value as some buyers prefer the look of larger alloys with low profile tyres. However, with that said, low profile tyres are more likely to be damaged by potholes and rough road surfaces, as well as proving fairly uncomfortable (especially with a firm suspension setup). What you could do is look at the manufacturer's recommended wheel sizes (or speak to your local Jaguar dealer) about potentially dropping down to 19 or 18-inch alloys. What you might want to try first, though, is putting the current tyre size into Kwik Fit or Black Circles and seeing what tyre options come back. Black Circles website will show you options that are the same size - along with customer reviews of the tyres, noise, wet grip and fuel economy ratings. Rather than dropping down a wheel size or two, it may be worth trying more comfortable tyres for your 20-inch wheels first. Obviously, if you do this and it's still uncomfortable then you may then be spending even more money to get new wheels so I'd speak to the dealer or a tyre retailer to see what they advise. Aside from the suspension, you may need to speak to your insurer if you change the wheel size, too — so keep that in mind.
Answered by Georgia Petrie
Dealers don't seem bothered about selling us a car. Should we wait?
"We're looking to change our car, and fancy either a Jaguar XF Sportbrake or Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The experience with the Mercedes dealership has been poor, they don't seem interested in selling a car (don't return calls or emails). I was told this was because they don't have enough stock and there are so many people out there wanting to buy, they don't need to chase customers (they also put up prices on three cars we were interested in overnight by a couple of thousand). We're looking for something a year to two years old, and wonder if it's worth waiting till September/October to see if there is more choice about?"
There's been a lot of pent-up demand over lockdown. People haven't been able to buy cars during this period and car auctions haven't been running (so dealers have been struggling to source stock). Now restrictions are being lifted, good used cars are flying out of showrooms and dealers aren't having to put much effort in. This is starting to change, though, as more used cars are trickling through and demand is dropping. This will continue after the September registration change as more used cars hit the market (as part-exchange vehicles) and demand drops. So yes, I suspect you'll find it easier to get a good deal in September/October.
Answered by Andrew Brady
More Questions

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