How’s that! Jaguar updates its two sedans with cricket inspiration

The Jaguar XF gets an expanded front grille with mesh design. Photos: Jaguar

Jaguar has updated its XE and XF sedans with the latest generation of "features" that have also been introduced into the Land Rover Defender and Evoques. 

The XF sedan and sportbrake get more dramatic changes than the XE, to try to make its bigger brother more competitive with its peers, such as BMW’s 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz’s E-Class and Audi’s A5.  

The XE and XF get the same three engines, being the 2-litre four cylinder diesel with mild hybrid capability and good for 151kW.  Both also get a pair of 2-litre petrol fours, putting out 185kW and 222kW, with the hotter of the two engines also getting all-wheel-drive. All engines run through eight-speed automatics.  

The XE gets no exterior changes after its facelift last year, but there are new seats and a revised steering wheel. The R Dynamic Black trim gets black mirrors and black side sills.  The number of derivatives has been halved to make the range less complicated.  

 The XF gets major interior updates to bring it more up market. Gone are scratchy plastics, and in its place are materials off the Range Rover but with a Jaguar twist. Say hello to cricket ball stitching on the gear lever, Jaguar leapers in the headrests and further new Jaguar tags across the interior.  

It's all meant to feel much more Jaguar like we used to know! 

According to Jaguar design director, Julian Thomson, the Jaguar XF updates deliver "a more assertive and assured presence while the all new interior is more luxurious, tactile and demonstrates an exceptional level of craftsmanship".

New in both the XE and XF is the Pivo Pro infotainment system that debuted on the Defender. The XF gains a sexy curved 11.4in curved touchscreen, and both XE and XF get  "over the air update" software, wireless phone charging and improved cabin air ionisation. 

The XE had an exterior update last year but ha the Pivo Pro infotainment system.

Exterior-wise on the XF we see an expanded front grille with mesh design, as well as slimmer LED headlights which can be optioned up with pixel technology.  At the back are smoked tail light surrounds and a wider bumper. Like its smaller brother, the number of XF models has been more than halved.  

Jaguar is under more pressure than ever to get buyers into its cars and these updates should help more than ever. Although in markets like New Zealand, the trend is away from sedans and instead people are buying SUVs, such as the Jaguar E-Pace.

There is cricket ball stitching on the gear lever and a new infotainment system in the XF.