2012 Jaguar XF Pros and Cons at TrueDelta: Extreme Luxury Meets Visceral Performance by bandit788

Safety & braking

Amazing breaks. Solid feel to the car, hope I never have to test that in a collision.

Exterior styling

Sexy in disguise, but not much. Everyone just notices it and wants to look at it, but driving down the road it does not beg for attention.

Interior styling

Simple yet amazing. Apple Inc. has had huge success with this philosophy. And like their products you either love that or you don't. I am in love with the interior! So simple and elegant, yet all the techno features you could ever want (except heads up display).So very quiet on the inside, can converse with the wife with a whisper. Actually wish I could hear more of the super charger.

Powertrain performance

Wow, this car just pulls and pulls. The torque is amazing and visceral. The sound that is engineered into the cabin complements the pull of this car. You get the sound and the pull for a adrenaline pump! I will say the transmission is great most of the time. Occasionally it is deciding on a gear so you get that split second delay before it kicks down. Reminds me of turbo lag, but the car has no lag unless this happens. Only occasional that it occurs. You do always have the option to shift with the amazing paddle shifters (so much better then my old BMW's design). The paddles shift with a quickness, you decide if there is a delay. So the auto transmission could be a bit better.

Handling

My XFR is an amazing car to drive. With the track mode activated you can tell the suspension stiffens. This is a heavier car so there is still some body roll, but you can tell the electronics kick in the active suspension when you start to get roll. I do wish that it would activate a little sooner. It's like you are taking a corner really hard and you feel like the car is rolling a bit and then all of a sudden the car "dives" into the corner. I assume that is the suspension activating, just wish it was activated much sooner. My old BMW 335i was smooth and tight the entire corner, but it was a lighter car that would beat you up due to it's constant rough ride. The XFR does luxury and racing.

Powertrain performance

Auto transmission is great when you are using the lightning fast paddle shifters to crack of amazingly fast shifts. When you let the transmission do it it's good, except for the occasional time you think you have turbo lag because it pauses for that split second to decide on the gear. The good news is with this supercharged engine that pulls hard and long, this is only an occasional fumble that can be negated by shifting your own gears.

Fuel economy

Or lack there of. So yes if on the highway and not playing to much you can set the cruise and get 21mpg...amazing for 510hp engine. However as soon as you start having fun stop light to stop light, on the back roads your mpg will drop to around 12mpg. However it was so much fun that you don't car:-)

Audio & nav systems

It is sad that they are losing the Bowers & Wilkins audio starting with the 2013 models. I am a audiophile and this is the best system you will ever hear...ever! Granted it is 1200watts and 17 speakers, but it takes power to create clarity and separation. B&W engineered the cross overs, EQ and everything. You have a treble, bass and sub setting. I suggest you leave everything in the middle, the way their engineers wanted it to sound. Did I mention this car will play DVD-A and other high definition source audio! The streaming bluetooth is amazing. I get in and out of the car with my phone and it immediately pics up my music were it left of no matter what I have done since then.

Tires

Tires are amazing performance tires, but that is not cheap. Yes I know if you are driving this car you can afford the tires, but it is still hurtful to think you will being paying roughly $2000 for tires. Especially if you drive it hard, like it should be.

As fast as a M5, yet cheaper, more luxurious with way better interior. Sorry BMW.