Is the Jaguar XJ good for families? Here’s our verdict.
The pinnacle of British luxury performance saloons for the everyday man was the Jaguar XJ. Unfortunately, as the world moved on the XJ fell out of favor and has had to make way for bigger and better cars. We tack a look at the last Jaguar XJ to see if a second-hand model would make a good family car
Family of Style, Luxury, and Power
As the world continues marching towards an automotive future consisting of electric and hybrid SUVs there have been a number of nameplates that have gone the way of the Dodo. With consumer attention firmly focused on SUVs with hybrid and electric drivetrains, certain vehicles have had to be axed to make way for new models and innovations.
Related: Jaguar XJR575 (2018) A thug in a tailored suit - Review
As such, vehicles like the Jaguar XJ (Experimental Jaguar) have been discontinued to allow for further expansion into the aforementioned market segments. The XJ was first released in 1968 and was soon the flagship model of the brand, being the epitome of style, luxury, and power but by late 2018 the XJ nameplate had been pulled globally with the last few models rolling off dealership floors in 2019.
Needs of the family
As mentioned before, the XJ was crammed full of luxury and convenience as well as powerful engines that did well to service the needs of well-heeled families that not only wanted a luxury sedan with modern fitments but also wanted to show off a little. The last of the 2018 XJ's came with a boatload of convenience features ranging from climate control and driver assistance services to a spacious interior and deep 520l boot space.
The interior is covered in plush and supple leather with quality trimmings for the time period. Jaguar had, at the time, fitted the XJ with the best infotainment they had and also offered high-end audio systems as options.
Economy
The last XJ's were fitted with a range of either V6 or V8 engines depending on trim level and were rather thirsty, needing to move around the barge-like weight of the vehicle. Fuel consumption figures in the low 8's from the diesel V6's and mid 12's for the V8 petrol derivatives were not uncommon.
Verdict
Jaguar didn't sell many of the XJ's in their last few years as the surge of SUVs were taking over at that point. There are a few for sale if you search AutoTrader but sedans just don't carry the sway that SUVs do now. If you do happen to find on that has been well-kept and has a full-service history, it will be nothing short of amazing as a driver's cars, but it will fall short of being a user-friendly family car.
