First Glance
You don't have to get close enough to see the famous leaping cat on the hood to know the X-TYPE is a Jaguar. Four rounded headlights and a chromed grille announce that this is the XJ sedan's smaller brother. The X-TYPE's face is not a new one, but the Sportwagon's rump is; the Sportwagon is the first production station wagon ever offered by Jaguar.
As with the X-TYPE sedan, the Sportwagon is based on Ford's European-market Mondeo. (Ford owns Jaguar.) For us North Americans, that puts the X-TYPE Sportwagon in a unique size class, somewhere between compact wagons like the Suzuki Forenza and mid-sizers like the Subaru Legacy. It's got a lower profile than compact SUV/wagon crossovers like the Subaru Forester and Chevrolet HHR. In many ways, it’s the size that sets it apart: despite somewhat bland rear-end styling (there's only so much you can do with a station wagon), the X-TYPE still stands out.
My test car looked sharp painted in Jaguar Racing Green; alas, as with many European cars, metallic paint like this costs extra. Colors other than white, black or British Racing Green (like Jag green, but non-metallic) will run you an additional $595. Welcome to the wonderful world of Jaguar ownership.
Scroll down for more...In the Driver's Seat
Once inside, there's plenty more than the Jag logo on the steering wheel to remind you what you're driving. The dash is slathered in wood and leather-trimmed seats with power adjustment for the driver are standard fare.
Concealed from view are airbags galore: Front and side for front seat passengers and side curtain airbags for all. There's even an airbag under the dash to protect the driver's knees. In a front-end collision objects in the cargo area can hit the rear seatbacks with tremendous force, so the X-TYPE's rear seats are designed to withstand the strain of flying cargo.
My test car's options included the Premium Package (10-way power seats for driver and passenger, upgraded stereo, wood-and-leather steering wheel, self-dimming rear view mirror, rain-sensing wipers and auto-off headlights), a good value at $2,200, Bluetooth connectivity (the car becomes a giant speakerphone - $500), and a great touch-screen navigation system ($2,300). The nav system gives spoken directions with options for several languages, including US English and UK English. I chose the latter -- after all, a British car ought to speak with a British accent!
On the Road
The Mondeo on which the X-TYPE is based was designed for front-wheel-drive. But a front-drive Jaguar would jibe with tradition. Jaguar's solution: The engine drives all four wheels. An excellent choice, as all-wheel-drive's traction and performance are superior to both front- and rear-drive.
Said wheels are driven by a 3-liter 227 horsepower V6 with a 5-speed automatic transmission with Jag's famous J-shaped shift pattern. Years before Tiptronic and other "manumatics" were in vogue, the Jag J-Gate offered an easy way to manually shift the automatic transmission. It works as well now as it did then.
The powertrain gives the X-TYPE Sportwagon some serious scoot, though EPA mileage (17 city/23 highway) is nothing to write home about for a car as small as this. In terms of handling, the Jag's Mondeo lineage is a boon: Designed for European roads, its handling is crisp, responsive and predictable. Living in a neighborhood full of kids, I liked knowing that the Jag would be easily controllable in a sudden swerve. The X-TYPE Sportwagon's size is especially city- and suburb-friendly. It's easy to drive and fits into small parking spaces that SUV driver's wouldn't dream of trying.
Journey's End
I like what the X-TYPE Sportwagon is trying to do and I like the way it does it. Luxury appointments are usually reserved for large cars. If all you need is an about-towner, why should you have to drive an oversized SUV? The X-TYPE Sportwagon is an excellent alternative.
Though the cargo bay is small compared to most mid-size wagons and SUVs, what space there is is used well: the cargo bay has a flat floor, split/fold rear seats and a couple of hidden storage areas. The hatch is big and easy to close and the rear window opens separately, a handy feature more common to SUVs than wagons. No, the X-TYPE Sportwagon isn't huge. But when I consider the uses to which I put my own second car -- grocery shopping, shuttling kids to school, solo runs to Best Buy -- the X-TYPE Sportwagon is a lot more practical than our old Accord sedan.
A small car priced in the high 30s to low 40s may seem off-putting. Sure, you can buy a big luxury SUV for that price -- but if you don't need the extra space, why put up with the hassle of driving a big ol' barge? The Jaguar X-TYPE Sportwagon offers true Jaguar luxury with a healthy dose of down-to-earth practicality. We need more cars like this!
