2015 Jaguar XJ: full details

Jaguar has updated their executive saloon, the Jaguar XJ, for 2015. The super-saloon, including the XJR, has undergone some minor changes to keep it fresh in the luxury cars market. The updated model has a cleaner and more powerful diesel engine and a range of new interior technology upgrades.

The current generation of the XJ saloon has been in production since 2009, but upgrades have kept the model fresh in the face of tough competition from cars like the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7 Series, with the latter due an imminent redesign.

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Ian Hoban, vehicle line director for the XJ, said the new model will “deliver even greater levels of luxury and performance.”

Jaguar have also partnered with Bloodhound SSC and will use a modified version of their XJR as a Rapid Response Vehicle for their land speed record testing. The modified XJR has had its luxurious rear seats removed and there's space inside for specialised medical and safety equipment.

New Jagaur XJ 2015 design and interior

The new Jaguar XJ will be a treat for spot-the-difference fans, as very little of the car’s exterior design has changed.

The front grille has been made larger and more upright, while the new LED headlights turn to follow the direction you’re steering. There are LED lights in the rear clusters, too, incorporating a distinctive ‘J’ shape when illuminated.

Little has changed inside. The broad design of the dashboard and centre console is the same and still has neat Jaguar touches such as metal air vents and a rising gear selection dial. The only major change is the inclusion of a new, bigger central touchscreen.

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Buyers will also notice some new materials used inside. Leather is still everywhere, whether perforated or quilted, and there’s even leather headlining on certain trim levels.

Engines and fuel economy

The Jaguar XJ’s 3.0-litre V6 diesel, which is already the most popular engine in the line-up, now has more power and is even more efficient than before. Power has jumped from 273 to 298bhp and CO2 emissions have dropped to 149 grams per kilometre for an annual road-tax bill of £145 a year.

Two petrol engines are also available. The 3.0-litre V6 petrol has 338bhp and the 5.0-litre V8 produces 508 and 548bhp respectively in the top-of-the-range Autobiography and high-performance XJR models.

All of the engines are connected to Jaguar’s eight-speed automatic gearbox, which allows you to change gears manually using steering wheel-mounted paddles.

Technology

One of the biggest tech advancements inside the revised XJ is the new InControl Touch Pro system. The eight-inch screen works a lot like a smartphone or tablet, where the interface can be personalised and individually tailored to your needs. A total of 60GB of storage space means you can access your music without connecting your smartphone or MP3 player.

The satellite navigation has a feature that enables the car to calculate its location even when there’s no GPS signal. Jaguar claims this feature works best in cities, where it can be hard to pick up a signal due to numerous tall buildings.

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Connectivity is key with the XJ. The InControl Remote App lets you remotely check details like how much fuel the car has left, while the Premium version lets you lock and unlock the car remotely, too.

For those lucky enough to be driven, the back seats can be fitted with a pair of 10.2-inch HD screens that fold away, digital TV and 100GB of extra memory storage for movies and music. Smartphones and tablets can be charged through USB ports, too.

Safety

Along with clever connectivity and improved comfort, the new XJ will feature a huge range of safety technology. The InControl Protect app works like other concierge systems seen in the likes of Mercedes and BMW, immediately contacting the emergency services if the airbags are deployed in a crash.

Jaguar’s All-Surface Progress Control also features. Already seen in the smaller XE and XF saloons, this system is basically a more advanced version of traction control that helps to adapt the car to adverse weather conditions.

Other safety equipment, such as adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, hands-free parking assistance and blind-spot monitoring, is also available.

Price and release date

The new Jaguar XJ goes on sale in autumn this year and prices will start from £58,690. Both short and long-wheelbase versions are available, but the hot XJR model is only available with a short wheelbase.

For more on all Jaguar models, including our review of the current XJ saloon, check out Carbuyer’s review page.

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