No other car in this class has an interior as alluring as the XF’s. Even the rather old-fashioned beige and brown leather of our test car could not dim the appeal of what is a beautifully designed cabin.
There is aluminium aplenty and bold surfaces abound, draped in finely stitched leather or with slabs of real wood. There’s a sense of occasion and a dose of fun, too. On entry the start button pulses red, while on start-up the air vents swivel to open and the rotary gearlever rises from the dash. It all feels far less contrived than we’d feared.
Functionally, the cabin is almost as well developed as it is aesthetically conceived. The centre console’s touch-screen control unit is simple to use, while the most commonly used controls get their own separate switches.
Other neat touches abound with mixed success. The front cabin lights and glovebox lid are triggered by proximity switches, but the glovebox is sometimes reluctant to open. There’s also a fine complement of cupholders, and a deep central cubby with a power socket and a mini-USB port.
Where the XF is not class leading is in its ergonomics. The driving position is good but the front seats are only just okay, and although rear room is better than you’d expect, tall passengers will find headroom tight. The boot opening and floor is a little compromised, too.
Traditionally, what Jaguars might have given away in competitiveness, they’ve made up for on price, but that isn’t the case this time. Specify a BMW 530d SE or Mercedes E280 CDI Elegance to a similar level to our test XF and you’ll find little difference in price.
Some price guides are predicting that the XF’s residuals will be among the best in this class, but on that score the jury is still out. Ultimately, the XF’s long-term ownership proposition could be as much an indicator of Jaguar’s health as the car’s strengths and weaknesses.