The Jaguar XE is a sleek, refined, and quintessentially British take on the sports sedan, and it deserves more attention. Last year, XE sales were dwarfed by the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class, and there is an army of newcomers also eyeing the prize, with entrants from Alfa Romeo, Genesis, and even Cadillac. For 2020, Jaguar has decided to step up their game with a mid-cycle revision on the XE, bringing to the table updated styling, a revamped interior, and an amended powertrain lineup.
The already handsome Jaguar sheet metal receives slimmer front and rear lights that are narrower than before, much like the new F-Type coming later this year. The front grille is slightly larger. There are currently only two trims for the 2020 XE, SE (49.900 USD) and SE R-Dynamic (55.800 USD), the latter adding a more powerful engine tune, larger front brakes, a more aggressive body kit with blacked-out elements, larger front air intakes, a leather steering wheel, sport leather seats with contrast stitching, and new wheel designs.
Both XE trims are powered by the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder but in two states of tune. The SE P250 receives the 247-hp tune (0-100 km/h in 6.5 s) while the R-Dynamic P300 gets the 296-hp output instead (0-100 km/h in 5.7 s). All-wheel drive is standard, as is an 8-speed automatic transmission. Normally I would suggest holding off until the inevitably more powerful XE S variant comes into fruition, but this four-cylinder is plenty eager, capable, and more than enough for the casual runabout.
Though not as free-revving as a BMW’s four-cylinder, the power is good and acceleration feels stronger than the G70 2.0t. Switching to Dynamic mode via the center toggle spices up the powertrain, and the speakers begin to pipe in some extra noise once you pass 5,000 rpm. We also noticed some over-throttle whereby lifting off the accelerator does not instantly equate to a drop in acceleration.
The steering feels more electrically assisted and boosted than before, and while incredibly reactive to even the most minute of rotation inputs, makes it tricky to modulate at speed. The same goes for the brakes, which almost feel like a hybrid’s regenerative brakes in terms of its initial springboard-like feedback and tricky nonlinear travel. With the Alfa Romeo Giulia and BMW 330i both harboring crisper and more progressive steering with predictable brakes that you can lean on, I feel like Jaguar took a step in the wrong direction here. At least the chassis pays dividends to the XE’s excellent road manners, absorbing vertical undulations like a larger mid-size sedan, all without upsetting its already impressive inherent balance. Our XE did not come with the adaptive dampers either, and I don’t think it needs it.
We have yet to receive word of a diesel or a supercharged V6 offering, though we have high hopes for the latter or JLR’s new inline-six. The chassis is just begging for a larger motor, and it should make for one underrated and engaging driving experience. In the meantime, the four-cylinder is all you get, and a good one at that. Mixed with a buttoned-down chassis and outstanding new interior, the updated XE remains one of our top picks in the segment.
