Review
Don't let the XJ's retro design fool you - this is one of the most advanced passenger cars on the market. The XJ uses advanced weight-saving alloy construction and comes with a range of powerful engines - including a brilliant twin-turbo diesel.
Which is why the excessively old-fashioned design is such a shame, as relatively few potential buyers will be able to see beyond it to the fine car that lurks beneath. The XJ is part of the same design direction which gave us the equally old-fashioned looking S-Type and X-Type, and which Jaguar has since moved away from with the far more forward-looking XK coupe.
Inside the cabin the conservative theme continues. The XJ is very well finished, and comes with the sort of leather and wood trim you would expect from a car in this class. It's a supremely comfortable place to spend time, too, thanks to a brilliant driving position and excellent refinement levels. Rear seat space is only segment average in the standard car, but the long wheelbase version has plenty of room in which to stretch out. The boot is impressively large, as well - something that couldn't be said about (the admittedly far sleeker) previous generation XJs.
On the road the big Jaguar drives with a natural balance and fluidity completely in keeping with the wafty values of the Jaguar brand - yet handling is good on bendy roads and corners are dispatched cleanly too. All versions have respectable performance, from the basic 3.0 litre petrol upwards, although it is the 4.2 litre petrol V8 and 2.7 litre twin-turbo diesel V6 which are the stars of the line-up.