Highlights
- Incredibly spacious
- High performing
- Extensive features
- Enjoyable driving experience
Introduction
Stylish, engaging to drive, and blessed with the space of a small warehouse – sounds like a near perfect recipe for a family estate car.
Add a serious dollop of punch along with the premium presence of the premium Jaguar badge, and you have a model more than likely to live up to its racy name of Sportbrake.
Design and Practicality
Jaguar’s XF saloon range is a distinguished line-up in its own right, but the Sportbrake caters for drivers requiring appreciably more space, and delivers it with a shedload of panache.
In fact, while the F-Pace and E-Pace both cater admirably for the SUV market, if it is a traditional estate you require, then the Sportbrake really takes some matching.
The XF Sportbrake provides a relaxing interior environment, and is more focused thanks to several upgrades introduced over the past 12 months.
As for that all-important carrying capacity, the giant boot with its powered tailgate can accommodate 565 litres with all five seats in place and a whopping 1,700 litres with them folded down, making it second only to estate versions of the Mercedes E-Class.
There are plenty of smaller storage spaces too with seatback pockets, door bins, cup holders, coin trays and a lockable cooled glovebox.
Engine and Performance
4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines are up for grabs along with the option of rear or all-wheel drive and our tested version, the sporty R-Dynamic SE trim, featured the lower powered of the two petrol units, producing 247bhp.
The P250 may be the smaller of the two petrol engines on offer, but it certainly performs well, even if drivers may struggle to match the claimed average fuel economy figure of 33.9mpg.
Performance is extremely spirited, clocking 0 to 62mph in 6.7 seconds as the car accelerates sweetly through the eight-speed automatic gearbox.
The Sportbrake feels composed, well balanced and quiet.
Mike Torpey
You can also tailor the experience via drive modes called Comfort, Dynamic and Rain/Ice/Snow, the first two proving ideal for everyday motoring or a sportier drive with sharpened throttle responses.
Equipment and Technology
The XF features a larger Pivi Pro touchscreen, a dashboard that is easy on the eye, a 3D surround camera, a Meridian surround sound system and a smarter steering wheel. There is also a fixed panoramic roof that brought a bright, airy feel to the car's cabin, along with fully powered and heated seats.
There are other useful features like a cabin air ionisation system and air quality sensor, as well as other handy items like the wireless mobile phone charger.
Summary
All of this adds up to a premium family offering that not only looks incredible in its design, but accomplishes the bread and butter job of an estate car.
The Jaguar XF Sportbrake R-Dynamic SE is a real show-stopper and continues to impress thanks to recent refinements.
