2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE review

LET’S CONSIDER the most memorable part of 1997’s big screen dinosaur romp, The Lost World: Jurassic Park. The giant T-Rexes? Nah. Richard Attenborough as John Hammond, the park’s lovable santa-alike owner? Close, but no. It was, in fact, the twin off-road prepped Mercedes MLs, one of which is used to help keep a giant laboratory from sliding off a cliff. Well, delay it, anyway.

The ML has come a long way since those Tyrannosaurus-bothering days. Now in its fourth generation, and having had a name change along the way, the new five- or seven-seat Mercedes GLE’s main job is to steal sales from the Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Land Rover Discovery.

Next to its more conservative alternatives, the Mercedes GLE’s exterior design is quite striking. Its large grille, with imposing Mercedes three-pointed star, combine with bonnet domes and prominent LED headlights give a butch look at the front, while at the rear, more LED lighting and a wide, squat stance continues the granite-hewn aesthetics.

And Mercedes has continued the in-your-face styling inside, where you’ll find sweeping lines, piano black trim and chrome accents. It’s all far more interesting to behold than the efforts from Audi, BMW and Land Rover, even if Audi still manages to offer the best build quality of the lot by a small margin.

BMW still makes the best infotainment system, but Mercedes is only just behind. The GLE comes with two huge 12.3in screens that sit side-by-side and look quite simply sensational. The right one can be controlled by touch or via a central controller at the base of the dashboard. The menus are simple to follow, too, and it’s worth adding Mercedes’ brilliant augmented reality to the sat-nav.

Tall adults sat in the GLE’s first two rows will be very happy. Rear knee room, in particular, is extremely generous, while even adding a panoramic sunroof doesn’t hinder head room in the back. A warning, though: if you go for a seven-seat model, the rearmost seats are best left for small children.

Two engines are available from launch — a four-cylinder 300 d diesel, and six-cylinder 450 petrol with a 48-volt hybrid system for electric boost assistance and improved economy. The 300 d is quick enough and returns respectable fuel economy, but is a little vocal when pushed hard. The 450 petrol is much quicker, yet also smoother and quieter, but will demand more fuel in return.

We’ve also tried the 335bhp, six-cylinder diesel 400 d, which will join the range later. It suits the GLE better than the other two engines, providing strong performance yet smooth operation and decent driving range between fills.

Don’t expect the GLE to out-handle a BMW X5; Mercedes has focused on comfort and quiet and in both respects the GLE is very good, if you pick the right model.

Entry-level 300 d diesels can’t have air suspension, so feel less settled over ruts and bumps. The 450 and 400 d get air suspension as standard and feel more comfortable both in town and on the motorway. All lean more through tight corners than an X5, though, and don’t steer with quite as much precision, although on the plus side, all keep wind and road noise nicely at bay on the motorway.

The Mercedes GLE has just one trim: AMG Line. It comes brimming with standard equipment but Mercedes has made adding options simpler by grouping them into packs such as Premium and Premium Plus. These include things like memory seats, wireless charging for your smartphone and keyless entry. Mercedes’ optional Driving Assistance package also includes more of the latest active safety systems, including one of the best semi-autonomous systems on sale.

Despite all this equipment and tech, the GLE is, broadly speaking, priced in-line with the Audi Q7 and actually slightly undercuts a BMW X5.

So, if your large premium SUV will often carry more than five passengers, then a Land Rover Discovery is still the best choice, while keen drivers should look to the BMW X5 for the most fun. But if the GLE is big enough for you, and comfort, quiet and tech are paramount, then stick your name down for a test drive, pronto.

Find out how much you could save on a Mercedes-Benz GLE at carwow

 

Mercedes-Benz GLE rivals

Audi Q7
Price: £53,250-£80,095
See how much you could save at carwow

BMW X5
Price: £57,495-£75,205
See how much you could save at carwow

Land Rover Discovery
Price: £47,405-£70,405
See how much you could save at carwow

The post 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE review appeared first on Sunday Times Driving.

source https://www.driving.co.uk/car-reviews/2018-mercedes-benz-gle-review/

2018 Ford Focus Vignale review

SINCE IT was first introduced, in 1998, the Ford Focus has been winning hearts and minds across the UK with its combination of great handling, spacious interior and low running costs. It’s business as usual with the latest 2018 model, but what you see here is something quite different: the new high-end, range-topping Focus Vignale.

Vignale was originally an Italian coachbuilder in the 1950s and Ford now adds the Vignale badge to its most expensive, luxurious and tricked-out models, including the Fiesta, Edge, Mondeo, S-Max and now, this Focus, available in standard hatchback of estate form.

Officially, it costs from £25,800, with the top-of-the-tree diesel-powered version priced upwards of £29,550, which is enough to make a few eyes water.

The Focus Vignale is immediately obvious thanks to it’s chrome detailing: on the front grille and around the side windows, and the 18in alloy wheels are also covered in the stuff. It’s a subjective matter, of course — this website’s editor loved the look of the Fiesta Vignale’s chrome rims — but to this reviewer’s eyes, all the bling makes the Focus look a tad outdated. Especially if you were to park one next to an upmarket rival like the Mercedes A-Class.

There are more unique Vignale touches inside. The main upgrade over a ‘standard’ Ford Focus are the Vignale’s leather seats — they are supple yet supportive enough to ensure you don’t slide around through high-speed corners. The seats are heated and cooled as standard with a wide range of adjustment.

The dashboard is covered in leather but the material feels closer to plastic than a fine Nappa, while the stitching seems a little low-rent too. Build quality is also inconsistent, particularly the centre console which isn’t as solidly constructed as those of Vignale’s German rivals.

However, space in the back of the Ford Focus Vignale is up there with the best in class, meaning two adults will be perfectly comfortable on a long trip and three kids shouldn’t complain either.  

The boot is average for the class and you don’t get an adjustable boot floor, but the shape of the load area is square and practical. However, all of this is available on the regular Focus for less money.

The Focus Vignale gets roughly the same selection of nippy and fuel-sipping engines as the regular Focus. The 1.5-litre petrol is the pick of the bunch thanks to good performance, low running costs and a pleasing exhaust note.

You can have your Focus Vignale with an automatic eight-speed gearbox but it’s not the best in this class, so only go for it if you really need to. In any case, the standard-fit six-speed manual really is a match for the very best ‘boxes out there.

Driving the Focus Vignale is much the same as driving any other Focus – there’s plenty of grip around tight corners and little body roll. The accurate steering gives you confidence when placing the car on the road and the car’s suspension is comfy enough to iron out the worst roads.

The only real complaint is that the car’s 18-inch wheels — unique to the Vignale — do produce a considerable amount of road noise at motorway speeds.

So, the best bits about the Ford Focus Vignale are really connected to the Ford Focus part, not the Vignale. While it’ll make for a plush company car, there’s little reason to go for one over a Titanium X version, which will save you around £2,500.

Or, if you really do want a premium hatchback, for similar money you could get that Mercedes A-Class with similar equipment and better tech.

See how much you could save on a Ford Focus Vignale at carwow

 

Ford Focus Vignale rivals

Mercedes-Benz A-Class
Price: £22,850 – £35,435
See how much you could save at carwow

Audi A3 Sportback
Price: £22,190 – £32,040
See how much you could save at carwow

BMW 1 Series
Price: £22,450 – £40,400
See how much you could save at carwow

Volkswagen Golf
Price: £18,340 – £27,910
See how much you could save at carwow

The post 2018 Ford Focus Vignale review appeared first on Sunday Times Driving.

source https://www.driving.co.uk/car-reviews/first-drive/2018-ford-focus-vignale-review/

2019 Audi R8 V10 Performance review

BEFORE THE original Audi R8 arrived in 2006, the idea that Audi would be able to build a Ferrari-rivalling supercar was met with more than a raised eyebrow. Yes, the company had a history of rallying success but when it came to road cars, Audi was at the time largely known for rather lumpen (if powerful) saloon and estate cars.

Then the motoring press drove the car. And loved it.

The R8 had four-wheel drive but unlike other quattro Audis, power was primarily sent to the back wheels. This meant that, most of the time, the R8 handled a rear-wheel drive supercar. A good one, too.

Throw in an open-gated manual gearbox and a NASCAR-esque 4.2-litre V8 engine, pinched from that year’s RS 4, and you ended up with a machine of which the gods themselves would be proud. Some experts even said it was better than a Porsche 911, an idea that nevertheless resulted in much smirking at dinner parties.

Amazingly, the R8 has only got better with age. In 2008 the aluminium-bodied supercar got the 5.2-litre V10 from the Lamborghini Gallardo and by 2013 the quick-shifting S Tronic DSG automatic gearbox had replaced the original — and clunky — robotised R Tronic auto.

The DSG proved such a success that by the time the current R8 was launched in 2015, the manual gearbox had been dropped entirely. The charismatic V8 was also killed — you now got two V10s to choose from. Nevertheless, 50kg had been shaved from the R8’s weight.

It’s with this backstory that we meet the latest in the lineage — the R8 V10 Performance, which replaces the old top-of-the-range V10 Plus.

Most easily spotted by the horizontal air vents that run along the edge of its bonnet and the huge grille that stretches across the back of the car, the facelifted R8 V10 Performance gets 612bhp and 428Ib ft of torque — up from 602bhp and 398Ib ft in the Plus – a better-equipped cabin and, well, that’s about it.

Unsurprisingly, you’d struggle to tell the difference between old and new model to drive because both deliver an experience that is dominated by the engine’s laser-like responses and screaming noise at the top of its rev range.

Banging through the DSG gearbox’s seven speeds is tantamount to willingly giving your neck small doses of whiplash but doing so gets you from 0-62mph in 3.1 seconds, and the R8 will top 205mph.

Impressive stuff, but the difference between the naturally-aspirated R8 and its turbocharged competition is that you need to squeeze every last rev out of the engine to get best from it. And newer supercars are also starting to surpass the R8 in corners, but you’re talking small percentages.

The R8 is a hoot to drive, but it’s the day-to-day drudgery of modern driving where the Audi comes into its own

The Audi’s standard carbon-fibre-reinforced ceramic disc brakes effortlessly scrub speed as you turn into a bend, but the level of feedback offered by the steering isn’t quite as detailed as you’d like. That said, the acres of grip on offer mask the loss of the finer details and the steering is still extremely quick and accurate.

The four-wheel-drive system, meanwhile, makes corner exits easy, either locking to the Tarmac like velcro or letting you wag the tail with a dab of throttle, depending on how loose you set the car’s Drive Select.

All of which makes the R8 a hoot to drive, but its when you can’t have fun that the Audi really comes into its own, because it’s also still amazingly good at the day-to-day drudgery of modern driving.

Sat behind the steering wheel, visibility is excellent and the R8 has the kind of cabin quality that makes a mockery of many supercars. The huge Virtual Cockpit display, meanwhile, remains a paragon of usability and for 2018 it comes with Android Auto and Apple Carplay, plus a reversing camera, as standard.

Sure, you only get two seats but they’re spacious enough even if you’re tall and there’s a decent amount of room behind them for soft bags. Factor in the luggage compartment between the front wheels and the R8 has enough space for you and a partner to get away for a weekend.

So, the R8’s gone full circle. In a time when even Ferrari’s mid-engined supercar is turbocharged, the Audi represents a pocket of resistance for the naturally aspirated engine.

The R8’s gone from being perceived as the anodyne choice to offering one of the most satisfying experiences the supercar world has to offer.

Find out how much you could save on the Audi R8 at carwow (not on sale at time of publishing)

 

Audi R8 V10 Performance rivals

Mercedes-AMG GTR
Price: £142, 945
See how much you could save at carwow

Honda NSX
Price: £144,895
See how much you could save at carwow

Nissan GT-R
Price: £81,995 – £151,995
See how much you could save at carwow

The post 2019 Audi R8 V10 Performance review appeared first on Sunday Times Driving.

source https://www.driving.co.uk/car-reviews/first-drive/2019-audi-r8-v10-performance-review/

2019 Honda CR-V Hybrid review

A HYBRID version of the Honda CR-V might not exactly get the pulse racing but for Honda, this is a crucial new entry into its model line-up. “This is our most important powertrain for last 10 years,” Honda UK’s managing director told us at the car’s launch in Seville, Spain. “It’s a really big car for us.”

Why? Because since the dieselgate crisis, in which VW was found to be cheating diesel emissions tests and anti-diesel reports in the media subsequently reached fever pitch, sales of Honda’s oil-burning CR-Vs have been tumbling. So much so, in fact, that the company decided to ditch the fuel entirely for the latest (fifth) generation of its mid-size SUV, which launched earlier this year in petrol form only.

And this has happened with the SUV market still booming, and every car maker finding gaps in their product line-up to fill with the high-riding soft-roaders.

So Honda needed an “electrified version” of its long-running CR-V — the first in a raft of new hybrid models as the company aims for two thirds of its cars to be electric or hybrid by 2025 — ready to take the diesel’s place as the sole alternative to the 1.5-litre petrol model. Honda expects 50% of CR-V sales to be hybrid next year.

But if you’re a diesel SUV owner looking to upgrade, don’t think the CR-V Hybrid is a direct replacement — there are a couple of important things for you to know. Read on.

Of course, Honda is no stranger to hybrids. Its first — the original Insight — arrived in 1999, around the same time as the Toyota Prius. But while Toyota stuck at it, and the Prius went from strength to strength, Insight sales were slow and Honda took a less confident approach, with piecemeal offerings in the intervening years. Honda’s attempts have proven marginally less efficient and less practical than those of its Japanese rival, which has now rolled out hybrid tech to most of its models.

So Honda’s latest attempt had better be a good one.

Before we get to the economy and performance bit, it’s worth pointing out that, as SUVs go, the latest CR-V is quite attractive, and the hybrid model gets a few unique details that help lift the exterior even more, including chrome trim along the door sills and rear tailgate.

Inside there’s good news, too. Honda’s reputation for top build quality is evident, with tight and flush gaps between panels. The mix of leather with soft- and hard-touch touch plastics help lift the cabin, with the only questionable material being the wood-a-like veneers on the dash and door trim, which appear to have come off a laser printer rather than a tree. It’s relatively inoffensive, though.

The 7in touchscreen is standard across all models and a vast improvement on Honda infotainment systems of the past, but fans of Android Auto and Apple Carplay will be pleased to hear that both are standard across the range.

There’s acres of space up front and in the rear, where even giant people have plenty of leg room, thanks to a 30mm increase in distance between the wheels over the previous generation car (cabin space has increased by 50mm, in fact). Sadly the seats aren’t that deep, meaning taller passengers’ knees hang a long way off the squab, and the passenger and rear seats’ low position mean hips end up below the knees.

But the rear floor is almost flat, even in the 4×4 models, and rear passengers get two USB sockets even in base SE specification – clearly Honda understands its customers’ need to keep the kids in the back entertained. The boot is vast and square with higher spec models getting kick-to-open power tailgates.

“If you’ve been sensing a ‘but’ coming, well done… the CR-V Hybrid is a bit of a weakling when it comes to towing”

So what’s it like out on the road? Well, let’s get our heads around the hybrid system for a moment. Without getting overly technical, Honda’s “Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive” (i-MMD) uses a 2-litre petrol engine to power a generator motor, which in turn sends power to either a lithium ion battery pack or an electric propulsion motor, which drives the wheels.

There’s a front-wheel drive model but also an all-wheel-drive model, with power being sent to the rear mechanically via a prop shaft, rather than adding an extra electric motor to the back axle, as you’d find in a Lexus NX or RX.

Under some circumstances, the petrol engine can drive the wheels directly but Honda has done away with any form of gearbox, so this only happens between around 50mph and 75mph, via a “lock-up clutch” and single ratio. This is at the engine’s revs-per-minute “sweet spot”, Honda says, providing maximum efficiency for motorway driving.

At lower speeds there’s also an EV mode, with the car able to run on pure-electric power for around 1.2 miles, meaning some zero emissions running in urban environments. We found we could get at least that range on electric power, in fact.

The good news for buyers is that they don’t need to know any of this, really, as the car’s computer will work out the best mode to run in at any given time.

More important to customers will be what it all means for performance and efficiency: peak power is 181bhp, with 232lb ft of torque, which enables a zero to 62mph time of 8.8 seconds in FWD guise, and 9.2sec for the AWD model, with a top speed of 112mph for both.

Neither version feels at all sluggish, and while the sound from the engine is unlike you’d expect from a traditional petrol automatic car, it relates more closely to the speed you’re travelling at than the Toyota Hybrid Drive system; the Toyota’s “planetary gearbox” and continuously variable transmission systems means the engine can be screaming away with the car seemingly making comparatively sluggish progress. Honda’s i-MMD has a much more “natural” engine note and power delivery.

Not that you’ll hear it much; noise is kept in check thanks to extra sound deadening and active noise cancellation, via the stereo speakers. That does mean tyre noise is more evident, as is wind noise, mainly around the larger wing mirrors, but it’s certainly at more-than-acceptable levels.

The Hybrid system is pretty decent in the fuel economy and emissions stakes, with the front-wheel drive CR-V Hybrid rated at 120g/km of CO2 and average fuel economy of 53.3mpg, and the four-wheel drive version only a little less efficient, with CO2 emissions of 126g/km and average fuel economy of 51.4mpg.

We found the 4WD model averaged more like 42mpg, with the 2WD version getting around 47mpg; lower than most diesel CR-V drivers have been achieving, according to owner forums, but certainly impressive for a big car like this. And when you factor in the higher prices at the pump for diesel fuel, the potential for diesel cars to be banned from cities in the future, and pricing similar to the petrol automatic, the CR-V Hybrid is starting to look like a seriously good proposition.

Handling errs on the sporty side, and the suspension gives the car a slightly firmer ride than some rivals, but it’s not jarring over broken roads and it means the CR-V doesn’t roll much through corners, and remains stable. We preferred the 2WD model in most situations, as it felt noticeably more sprightly.

Interestingly, it has paddles behind the steering wheel but they’re not for changing gear — there are none, remember. Instead, they decrease or increase the amount of force applied to the regenerative braking, changing how quickly the car decelerates when lifting off the throttle. Having it on max doesn’t increase how much battery is topped up, we were told; it recoups the same amount, but over a shorter distance.

Strangely, it resets back to the least resistance after a few seconds, so you then have to use the left paddle again to add resistance; this is because it’s meant to mimic a downshift in gears, and is designed for use as you approach a corner — like using engine braking.

Standard across all trim grades are safety features such as auto emergency braking with forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, road departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition.

Honda’s active cruise control and steering assist is one of the best we’ve tried, actually, with strong support in turning the wheel allowing you to cruise for miles with just the lightest of touches.

If you’ve been sensing a “but” coming, well done… the CR-V Hybrid is a bit of a weakling when it comes to towing. Whereas the petrol model can pull up to 2,000kg (braked) and Toyota’s rivalling RAV4 Hybrid can tow up to 1,650kg, Honda’s CR-V hybrid is only rated up to 750kg. This rules it out if you want a car for pulling a caravan or large-ish boat.

Also of note is that the CR-V Hybrid is strictly a five-seater, whereas the petrol model can now be specified with a third row of seats. And be aware an all-new Toyota RAV4 is on the way.

Those negatives aside, this a compelling alternative to the current RAV4 Hybrid, with an enjoyable driving experience, decent economy, plenty of tech as standard and heaps of interior space. It’s definitely worth a test drive when it arrives in showrooms in February 2019, but if you have a lot of towing to do, you’ll have to go for the petrol or nip across to the Toyota dealership instead.

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Head to head

Honda CR-V Hybrid vs Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Drive

	2019 Honda CR-V Hybrid SE AWD	Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Design AWD
Price (OTR)	£32,065	£34,030
0-62mph	9.2sec	8.4sec
Top speed	112mph	112mph
Economy (official combined)	51.4mpg	50.4mpg
CO2	126g/km	127g/km
Boot space (seats up, to tonneau)	497 litres	501 litres
Towing capacity (braked)	750kg	1,650kg

The post 2019 Honda CR-V Hybrid review appeared first on Sunday Times Driving.

source https://www.driving.co.uk/car-reviews/first-drive/2019-honda-cr-v-hybrid-review/

Jaguar XF review (2015-on)

THE DEATH of the saloon car has been greatly exaggerated. In fact, according to Jaguar UK’s product expert, on hand during our drive this week of the latest XF iterations, there may even be a revival for the three-box body style.

The assertion at Jag’s informal briefing nearly caused me to choke on my latte, given what has happened to the car market in recent years — sport utility vehicles (SUVs) have dominated sales, knocking saloons (and people carriers) for six.

And Jaguar knows this better than any car maker. Last year, the high-riding F-Pace became its biggest seller, with a whopping 40% of its customers opting for the mid-size crossover, while last month the new E-Pace was even more popular than its big brother; expect it to become the company’s big hitter next year.

But a slightly upturn in saloon sales is enough for Jaguar to think we may be about to see a resurgence for the executive cruiser. Why? Jaguar’s spokesman had no idea but he scoffed at the suggestion they might one day have to kill off the XF, its mid-size exec saloon. There’s still strong demand for it, he said.

The first XF arrived in 2008 but that model was replaced in 2015 by the car you see here, known internally at Jaguar as the X260. The exterior styling updates are subtle, with the same coupé-like sloping roofline, and similar headlights and rear light cluster. But it has a slightly more aggressive look (as is the way these days) borrowing Jag’s new saloon styling language from the smaller XE, with a larger air intakes and bigger grille being the most obvious changes.

And this model is very slightly shorter than the old XF, by 7mm, but the distance between the front and rear wheels has grown by over 5cm, making it feel roomier inside.

This is particularly noticeable in the rear seats — two 6’3” passengers can sit in tandem, front and back, although if you’re that tall your head will almost touch the roof and the rear, and your knees will be a fair bit higher than your hips. But then, if you’re that tall not many cars will accommodate you comfortably in the back.

Open the boot, with its powered (and gesture-controlled) lid, and you’ll find it’s also spacious, with 540 litres of room for luggage — gargantuan for an executive saloon. There’s also a Sportbrake (estate) model, which should be a hit with dog owners and the country set, although to be honest they’re more likely to walk past the XF in the dealership and head straight for the F-Pace. Still, it does increase the XF’s utility.

Climb into the driver’s seat and the XF does make a lot of sense, though. It’s an extremely comfortable place to be, with the powered rake and reach adjustment for the steering wheel, and powered seat adjustment, making it easy to find the perfect driving position.

Glance around the cabin and the XF still exudes confidence and refinement, with a leather dash topped by what Jag calls its Riva Hoop (also found on the XE and XJ) — a characteristic protrusion running the width of the car where the dash meets the windscreen, which continues into the doors.

The XF also adds a dramatic flourish with air vents rotating and the gear select dial rising from the centre console when you turn on the power. Somehow these don’t seem like gimmicks; rather flashes of contemporary style.

All XFs have a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system and smartphone connectivity but as part of Jaguar’s incremental updates, the 2018 model also includes Apple Carplay and Android Auto integration. Jag’s own menu system is greatly improved, and faster, in the second gen XF, especially post-2018, but if you’re a fan of either third party system (if you use Waze navigation, for example) this will be good news.

When you do hit the twists and turns of the countryside, you’ll find the XF has engaging handling, with a lithe front end

Range topping models also get a 12.3-inch TFT instrument cluster featuring four visual themes and full-screen navigation display, rivalling the similar systems found on Audis.

The dash and window line feel quite high in relation to the seat, making it feel like you’re sitting low in the car; a striking contrast with the feeling of driving an SUV, which tend to give the impression of sitting on top of, rather than inside the car.

The combination of comfort and sportiness continue out on the road. Under the bonnet you can specify a 2-litre, four-cylinder  petrol engine with (from 2018) 197bhp, 247bhp or 296bhp, in the 300 Sport model.

Between 2015 and 2018 there was also the range-topping 3-litre V6 XF S, with 375bhp, but as less than 2% of customers wanted to buy one, that was dropped and the XF S now just comes with a V6 diesel.

The rest of the diesel range comprises 2-litre turbocharged motors with 161bhp, 178bhp, and (from 2018) 237bhp.

Most XFs send power to the rear wheels but you can also get all-wheel drive versions of the more powerful 2-litre petrol and diesel variants, with both six-speed manual and eight-speed automatic transmissions, and electronic “all-surface progress control” allows you to set the car into Dynamic, Normal, Snow or Eco modes, to set the traction, power and dampers up to suit conditions.

Jaguar is keen to highlight its new petrol engines, for obvious reasons (#dieselgate), so we tried the XF with the mid-powered unit and found it to be gutsy, with power coming in a wave from under 2,000rpm, with smooth delivery as speed increases.

We also tested the 296bhp engine (although in the XE), which offers a more potent experience with a growlier soundtrack.

Diesel may still be the right option for many, though, especially considering XFs are likely to spend much of their time hammering up and down motorways.

When you do hit the twists and turns of the countryside, you’ll find the XF has engaging handling, with a lithe front end. Turn the wheel hard left and right and it can become unsettled in a way that a BMW 5-series won’t, but for quick progress along sweeping roads the XF offers a splendid alchemy of refinement and driving pleasure.

Our test car was shod with 20in wheels, the largest on offer, and even these big rims, which take thinner tyres and so have less inherent shock absorption, offered a composed and supple ride on a combination of A and B roads.

Sticking it in Dynamic mode firmed up the suspension, made the engine more responsive and added weight to the steering on the 247bhp Portfolio model, but not in extremis; the standard XF never feels like a wild performance car.

The XF, then, does have a fun side but remains a grown up, sophisticated offering in the saloon segment. The loss of the petrol-powered XF S is a shame to steely-eye helmspeople, but it’s perhaps evidence that buyers aren’t after an in-your-face driving experience from the Jag; they just want to arrive in comfort and style, and the XF delivers that in spades. Apparently doing it well enough to ensure this saloon car, at least, has a bright future.

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Jaguar XF rivals

• Mercedes-Benz E-class
• BMW 5-series
• Audi A6
• Tesla Model S

The post Jaguar XF review (2015-on) appeared first on Sunday Times Driving.

source https://www.driving.co.uk/car-reviews/jaguar-xf-review-2015/

Press Release: Phoenix AZ Auto Detailing Classic & Collector Car Mobile Services Launched