Jaguar XJ

Jaguar XJ at a glance

XJ generations from 1968 to 2019

Series I to III (1968–1992)

The first XJ6 appeared in 1968 and, according to the old 1cars text, replaced four separate saloon lines with one model. It was the last Jaguar saloon designed under Sir William Lyons. The 5.3-litre V12 XJ12 followed in July 1972, and the Series II arrived in 1973 for the 1974 model year. The Series III of April 1979 had a revised body shaped with the help of Pininfarina. The V12 Series III stayed in production until 1992.

XJ40, X300 and X308 (1986–2003)

The XJ40 was shown at the Birmingham motor show on 8 October 1986. The XJ40 kept the traditional XJ look but was a new car underneath. Jaguar came under Ford ownership in 1989. The X300, shown at the Paris Motor Show in October 1994, brought the first supercharged XJR. The X308 of 1997 introduced Jaguar's own AJ-V8 in 3.2- and 4.0-litre sizes; the 4.0 was also offered with a supercharger.

X350 and X358 (2003–2009)

The X350 of 2003 was the most radical step since 1968: an all-aluminium body and chassis made the big saloon lighter than a comparable steel car. The old 1cars text notes that this generation also brought diesel engines to the XJ. A facelift, the X358, followed at the end of February 2007. Over seven years, 83,518 X350 and X358 saloons were built.

The last XJ: X351 engines and performance

Design director Ian Callum's team began work on the X351 in 2005. It was unveiled at the Saatchi Gallery in London in July 2009 and built at Castle Bromwich. The aluminium body contained about 50 % recycled material.

At first the X351 XJ used a six-speed automatic; from 2013 every version had the ZF eight-speed gearbox. All-wheel drive became available with the 3.0 V6 petrol from the 2014 model year. The 2.0 petrol and the 300 PS diesel figures come from the old 1cars text, based on Jaguar's 2015 data.

X351 size, cabin and boot

By our calculation the long-wheelbase car adds 125 mm, all of it between the axles, for rear legroom. The old 1cars review describes wood, leather and soft plastics, front seats with heating, cooling and massage, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument display. Autobiography versions added rear seats with electric adjustment and massage, plus two 10.2-inch screens in the front seat backs. A Meridian audio system with 14 to 16 speakers was available.

According to the same text, the XJ won Top Gear magazine's "Interior of the Year" award in 2009 and its "Luxury Car of the Year" title for 2010.

Fuel use and running costs

The 3.0 diesel was the economical choice: Jaguar's launch figures were 184 g/km of CO2 and better than 7.1 l/100 km (40 mpg imperial). The old text says the 2015 update cut CO2 to 149 g/km. The V8 petrol models use far more fuel, and the supercharged XJR is very expensive to run. Air suspension, large brakes and complex electronics make servicing costly on every X351.

X351 updates and trim levels

The 2014 model year made stop-start standard. The update for the 2016 model year, shown in 2015, brought full LED headlights with "J-Blade" daytime lights, a revised grille and bumpers and the InControl Touch Pro infotainment system. A 10-inch central screen replaced the earlier 7-inch unit for 2017–2019. The old 1cars text lists the trims after that update as Luxury, Portfolio, R-Sport, Autobiography and the supercharged V8 versions.

The news of that facelift is still on 1cars as Jaguar XJ improved.

Safety of the last XJ

We found no published Euro NCAP rating for the X351, which is common for large, low-volume luxury saloons. The car had a full set of airbags and stability control, and the 2016 update added further driver-assistance systems.

Rivals: how the XJ compares

The XJ was widely praised for its styling and handling, but it sold in small numbers. In September 2018 only 301 were sold, making it Jaguar's least popular model at the time. Put the XJ against any rival with the 1cars comparison tool, or check the supercharged versions with the power-to-weight calculator.