Second Hand Sense: Jaguar X-typeThere was a suspicious, if not downright sniffy response by Jaguar enthusiasts to the arrival of the X-Type when it was launched some six years ago.
Not alone was this an "affordable" Jaguar, but rear-wheel drive had been abandoned on the versions with the smaller 2.0-litre engine and the car itself was based on the platform of the Ford Mondeo. The X-Type, however, was a sign of the times for Jaguar and it needed the car to try to attract a younger type of driver and those for whom the Jaguar name had a rather stuffy image.
While the X-Type has never really emerged to frighten the horses at BMW or Mercedes, it has done its little bit to make the Jaguar name more youthful. It is compact, its styling origins are undeniable and it is quite a fun car to drive. It has been around with 2.0-litre petrol and 2.0-litre diesel engines but also with 2.5 and 3.0-litre petrol engines. The latter two versions come with wholly unnecessary four-wheel drive.
I liked the 2.0-litre diesel version the best - it is smooth and economical and this engine has also increased in ability and size in the past two years.
Diesel is also a rather dirty word for some Jaguar fans, but at the time it was introduced, no car manufacturer in Europe was going anywhere without a diesel option. There is little cause for complaint with the diesel version.
The design of the X-Type is very attractive and could not have been further from the Mondeo of the day. The elegant lines were offset by well-chosen wheels and the flanks were classically Jaguar. Its compact nature, however, means that it is not very spacious inside.
The same, of course, is true of the BMW 3-Series and the Mercedes E-Class but it seems somehow more pronounced in the case of the X-Type.
As you would expect from a Jaguar, there is an air of refinement. Ride and handling are good and the overall driving experience is pleasant. The tall driver is not going to feel that comfortable in the X-Type and will probably have to look at a bigger Jaguar or another car altogether if legroom is important. The boot is not huge, which is surprising when one considers its Mondeo origins.
Jaguar has enjoyed much better quality levels since the takeover by Ford but the X-Type has had some recall problems. The car has a four star rating out of a possible five in the Encap crash tests, but the restraint system for the driver was criticised for the fact that the driver's "head" bottomed out on the steering wheel.
A 2002 car with just 53,000 miles on the clock and with the 2.5-litre V6 petrol engine, leather, multiple airbags, climate control, metallic paint and plenty of other extras is on offer for €18,950. A 2004 diesel with similar equipment and only 24,000 miles is on offer for €24,950. A 2004 model with the 2.0-litre petrol engine and 31,000 miles up has an asking price of €19,950.
FOR:Jaguar style AGAINST:Cramped for tall drivers. Pointless four-wheel drive on some models