Name: Jaguar XE (2015 - present) | Expert Rating | The Car Expert
Item: Jaguar XE
Rating: 65.0

Summary

The Jaguar XE was a medium-sized premium saloon and was the entry-level saloon in the Jaguar range. Unveiled in Autumn 2014, it first hit UK roads in Summer 2015 and was in production until Summer 2024.

Built here in the UK at Jaguar’s Castle Bromwich factory in the Midlands, the XE was given a major overhaul and facelift in early 2019, with improved specification and a lower price. While it was praised for its stylish design and engaging driving experience, it was also criticised for its lack of practicality and underwhelming infotainment system compared to its rivals.

Sean Carson of Auto Express stated that the XE “really feels like a desirable product on every front”, while Stuart Gallagher of Evo said it had “sharper styling than ever inside and out”, and the Top Gear team concluded it was “comfy and quiet yet brilliant to drive. The handling-nerd’s car in this class.”

However, the XE was also criticised for its practicality. Carwow noted that, while the XE did come with a premium interior that was significantly improved after its 2019 facelift, its back seats were “very cramped”.

Parker‘s Keith Adams was critical of the car’s infotainment system, as it could be “quite difficult to press items on the lower screen accurately while on the move, especially as it’s partially blocked by the gear selector.”

Overall, reviewers concluded the Jaguar XE was a refined executive saloon and a good leftfield alternative to its German rivals in the premium compact executive car segment. As Heycar‘s Andrew Brady wrote, “people looking for a sporting, enjoyable to drive alternative to the 3 Series, A4 and C-Class are well served by Jaguar’s stylish XE. It’s a good choice if you dare to be different, and enjoy your driving.”

As of December 2024, the Jaguar XE holds a Used Car Expert Rating of C with a score of 65%. It gets good grades for its media review scores and decent CO₂ emissions, but its running costs and safety score are only average, while reliability has been very poor.

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Key specifications

Body style: Mid-sized saloon
Engines: petrol, diesel
Price when new: From £33,210 on-road

Launched: Summer 2015
Last updated: Spring 2019
Discontinued: Summer 2024

Image gallery

Media reviews

Reviews, road tests and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

The Car Expert+

Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel automatic S
“The Jaguar XE has undergone a mid-life revamp that ticks boxes on all fronts. Jaguar has clearly listened to complaints and set out to answer its critics.”
Read review

Auto Express+

Model reviewed: P250
Score: 8 / 10
“The updated XE really feels like a desirable product on every front. If you want to buy a slice of what will soon become a chapter in Jaguar’s history, there are few models out there as good as this.”
Read review

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“The Jaguar XE is a small saloon that delivers a fine balance between performance, efficiency and luxury.”
Read review

Model reviewed: Reims Edition
Score: 9 / 10
“Still, it doesn’t change the fact that the XE remains one of the best four-door execs in its class, and the cosmetic upgrades added here represent great value for money.”
Read review

Model reviewed: P300 R-Dynamic S AWD
Score: 9 / 10
“You could argue that the revised and much-improved Jaguar XE has become the car it always should have been. Either way, with its excellent new cabin and effectively redesigned exterior, the XE really is now good enough to compete head-on with the very best from its German competitors in this class.”
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Autocar+

Model reviewed: SV Project 8 Touring
Score: 8 / 10
“And with just 15 examples planned, it’ll certainly have exclusivity on its side.”
Read review

Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 9 / 10
“Jaguar has been brave enough to make a car capable of taking on the established players at their own game.”
Read review

Model reviewed: HSE R-Dynamic 300
Score: 8 / 10
“3 Series chaser now has greatly improved looks and equipment, and is better in other ways too.”
Read review

Model reviewed: P300 R-Dynamic
Score: 7 / 10
“The new Jaguar XE gets more soft-touch materials, more expensive veneers, a new centre console design, a new steering wheel, a digital instrument binnacle, and (as an option) a double-deck ‘Touch Pro Duo’ infotainment setup closely related to the one on the i-Pace and the Range Rover Velar and Evoque.”
Read review

Model reviewed: XE 20t automatic R-Sport
Score: 8 / 10
“Even with a downsized four-cylinder in its lowest state of tune, the Jaguar XE continues to deliver dynamics better than any rival.”
Read review

Car+

Model reviewed: SV Project 8
Score: 8 / 10
“I hope it’s a success, and that its success encourages SVO to produce more extrovert machines in its likeness.”
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Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 8 / 10
“Has Jaguar succeeded in improving the appeal of the XE? Yes, it’s sharper-looking and offers better interior quality than before. Dynamically it’s up there with the best, and it’s no longer the rolling disappointment it used to be inside.”
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Carbuyer+

Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 8.6 / 10
“The Jaguar XE is an excellent rival to German executive saloons but engine choices are now very limited.” (Andy Goodwin)
Read review

Carwow+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The Jaguar XE is a sporty saloon car that’s fun to drive and comes with a premium interior but its back seats are very cramped and alternatives come with a much broader choice of engines.”
Read review

Daily Mail+

Model reviewed: (range review)
“Clearly, it’s not a sports car but it does impart sportiness – and a subtle Jaguar growl, or should that be a purr– to the brand which features a leaping cat as its symbol.”
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Evo+

Model reviewed: D180 HSE R-Dynamic AWD
Score: 8 / 10
“Jaguar’s small saloon finally shines in a congested market. Chassis quality from ride to dynamics is exemplary, and its style is sharper than ever inside and out.”
Read review

Model reviewed: SV Project 8
Score: 9 / 10
“Jaguar’s XE SV Project 8 takes a rather extreme approach to the supersaloon recipe than most, but has an equally extreme price tag to match.”
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Model reviewed: P300 R-Dynamics S AWD
Score: 8 / 10
“Mid-life makeover for Jaguar’s 3 Series rival means sharper style, classier cabin, more tech and a stronger, keener value package.”
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Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 8 / 10
“The Jaguar XE chassis is one of the best but it lacks sparkle in other areas.”
Read review

Heycar+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“Ubiquity in the premium class plays to the Jaguar XE’s favour, as people looking for a sporting, enjoyable to drive alternative to the 3 Series, A4 and C-Class are well served by Jaguar’s stylish XE. It’s a good choice if you dare to be different, and enjoy your driving.”
Read review

Honest John+

Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 8 / 10
“With attractive styling, a satisfying drive and – from 2019 – a much-improved interior, the Jaguar XE is a strong competitor to the likes of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series.”
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Parkers+

Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 8 / 10
“Great to drive and characterful, usefully improved by minor facelift”
Read review

The Sun+

Model reviewed: (range review)
“The facelifted Jaguar XE delivers the Audi, BMW and Mercedes competitor it should have been all along. So would I buy an XE? Probably not. The 3 Series is still top dog in my book. And if I wanted something different, something not German, I’d go Volvo S60 for the interior alone.”
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The Sunday Times+

Model reviewed: S P300 AWD 2.0-litre petrol automatic
Score: 8 / 10
“Baby Jag grows up thanks to a plusher interior and sportier styling.”
Read review

The Telegraph+

Model reviewed: 2.0-litre petrol automatic R-Dynamic
Score: 8 / 10
“There was never much wrong with the way the Jaguar XE drove, but this revision has made huge strides in cabin quality, facia appearance and driver interfaces. If you like driving, there’s not much out there to touch this car – and now you don’t have to sacrifice anything like as much as you used to.”
Read review

Top Gear+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“Comfy and quiet yet brilliant to drive. The handling-nerd’s car in this class.”
Read review

What Car?+

Score: 8 / 10
“The Jaguar XE is wonderful to drive and well equipped, even if rivals have it licked for interior quality and practicality. Go for the D180 diesel if you’re a company car driver or worried about fuel costs, while the P250 petrol is a better choice is you’re buying privately and do below average miles.”
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: December 2015
Date expired: January 2022
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 92%
Child protection: 82%
Vulnerable road users: 81%
Safety assist: 82%

Notes on safety rating

The Jaguar XE was tested by Euro NCAP back in 2015 and awarded a five-star rating. However, this rating expired in January 2022 and is no longer valid as the car no longer meets the standards required for such a rating. This is normal practice, as Euro NCAP reviews its ratings on most cars annually with most ratings expiring after about six or seven years.

Although the rating has now expired, the score is still useful if you are comparing a used XE to vehicles of similar age – whose ratings will have probably also expired.

Eco rating

Independent emissions and efficiency ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

The Jaguar XE was not tested by Green NCAP during its production life.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

Total claims: 286
Average repair cost: £1116.83
Last updated: October 2024

Reliability score

All data based on MotorEasy average workshop costs for extended car warranty claims

The Jaguar XE has a very poor reliability rating of just 33%, according to workshop and warranty claim data provided by our partner MotorEasy.

Like other saloons in the Jaguar range, a common repair that XE owners claim for is electrical repairs, which in this case cost over £400 on average. The most common, though, are engine problems. Unfortunately, they’re also by far the most costly, with an average repair fee of more than £2,100.

If you’re looking at a used Jaguar XE, make sure any extended warranty cover you purchase covers all of these potential problem areas.

Running cost rating

Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

CO₂ output	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	193 g/km	D	178 – 211 g/km	C – D
Diesel models	133 g/km	A	127 – 170 g/km	A – C

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	29	C	26 – 33	B – C

Service and maintenance	Cost	Score
Year 1	£278	C
Year 2	£631	B
Year 3	£1,040	B
Year 4	£1,318	C
Year 5	£1,724	C
Overall	£4,991	C

The Jaguar XE is a relatively affordable car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

While insurance premiums are expected to be around the market average, maintenance and servicing costs should be good over the course of five years of ownership.

Security rating

Independent vehicle theft and security ratings from Thatcham Research

Rating: Superior | Good | Basic | Poor | Unacceptable
Relay Attack: Pass

Date: 2019

Awards

Trophies, prizes and awards that the Jaguar XE has received

2016

UK Car of the Year Awards – Best Executive Car
Auto Express Awards – Compact Executive Car of the Year
BusinessCar Awards – Business Car of the Year
SME Company Car of the Year Awards – Company Car of the Year + Best Large Company Car

2015