2011 Jaguar XJ Review

Before the 2011 Jaguar XJ arrived, its previous generations were known most for their dowdy, old-world styling. A low, sloping roof gives the XJ a distinctive sports sedan design that also makes the car look a lot smaller than it actually is. The car comes in six different trim lines, all of them with V-8 engines. The range-topper is the Jaguar XJ Super sport, which gets the same high-performance supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 found in Jaguar’s XKR and XFR models. This bad boy offers 510 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque, which should be more than anyone could ever want in a full-size luxury sedan.

The Jaguar also only gets a six-speed paddle-shifted automatic transmission while some of its rivals, like the latest BMW 7-Series and Audi A8, have eight-speed automatics.If you've ever wanted to try the flying car found in the Hammacher Schlemmer catalog but don't quite have $350,000, you might consider trying the $79,900 base-priced 2011 Jaguar XJL. The front seat is just as fabulous and enjoyable, with the exception of the tortoise-slow touch-screen multimedia center.

2011 Jaguar XJ

This car got a lot of attention during my weeklong test drive, and it was exactly the kind of attention that any busy mom deserves. When parking it with the hotel valet for a work event, the valet noticed my kids booster seats in the back and said, Wow This is a hot car for a hot mom. The XJL's trunk was power operated, something you don't see in sedans regularly. Families with youngsters also will appreciate the sunshades for the back and rear side windows in the XJL. The front seats also have a massage feature when needed. If my $200 iPhone can respond to my touch immediately, why can't this $81,450 (as tested) Jaguar?

The XJL's standard blind spot monitoring system was such a huge help to me when driving. The Jaguar XJL also has standard rear-wheel drive, all-disc antilock brakes with brake assist, an electronic stability system with traction control, active front head restraints in the front row, and six airbags, including side curtains for both rows.

Parents with kids of any age will be thrilled by the incredible legroom in the XJL's backseat. Rear-facing child-safety seats fit with room to spare. High-back booster seats with side-impact head protection fit like a glove in the slightly bolstered rear seats. Find out how the XJL did in MotherProof.com's Car Seat Check.
CONCLUSIONS:
It may be different inside and out, but the newest Jaguar XJ premium sports-luxury sedan is still every inch a Jaguar.