The Finalists - 2009 Jaguar XF - 2009 Motor Trend Car of the Year

2009 Jaguar XF

What They Did Right: Sexy, smooth speed

Room For Improvement: Potentially glitchy sliding air vents and pop-up gear selector

Sexy, slick, and inherently British in philosophy, the all-new XF represents cool elegance in a gorgeous, modern wrapper with an equally gorgeous, modern cabin. It offers a level of stability at speed and effortless, smooth acceleration that don't make it immediately obvious you're going as fast as you are. (Its 4.8-second 0-to-60 time was third fastest in COTY, after the GT-R and 1 Series.) The Jaguar XF doesn't snap your neck back as you accelerate-perhaps the last-ditch sensation that keeps you from being cited for speeding-and the well-insulated cabin reduces some of the telltale audible cues. No, this car is ticket bait, because its 420 horses and 413 pound-feet conspire to get you to freeway speeds-and then some-lickety-split. The supercharger is responsible for the extra 120 horses over the standard XF, and its likeable, subtle whine hints at rebellion, a combination that was charming enough for Ed Loh to refer to the XF as a "classy hooligan."

The XF displayed noticeable understeer on twisting roads, and its handling isn't as taut as that of the BMW 5 Series. Oddly, however, the ride doesn't benefit from this priority shift. As Kim Reynolds explains, "Its handling isn't as sharp as I hoped, while the ride was sharper than I expected on the special surfaces section." Another negative: as beautiful as the cabin is, it lacks the polish expected from Jaguar. Also, some disliked the counterintuitive HVAC and felt the center stack's design would quickly become dated. Plus, several editors were concerned that the peek-a-boo vents (which slide into view once the engine is started) and the pop-up knob gear selector are gimmicky and had the potential for glitches. The XF is a terrific Jaguar, perhaps the most desirable sedan from that company in decades, but it isn't the best in its class.
- Allyson Harwood