Jaguar X-Type

Jag offers its first production station wagon

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — A Jaguar station wagon may seem incongruous, but station wagons, or estates as they’re called back in the U.K., comprise about 30 to 40 percent of the worldwide midsize market.

 Jaguar’s X-Type Sportwagon is the first production Jaguar wagon. All-wheel drive is standard, and the price starts at $36,995. That gives it an edge on competitors such as the Audi A4, BMW 3-series and Mercedes-Benz C-class. A moonroof, navigation system, heated seats and reverse parking sensors are optional. Bluetooth phone compatibility will be available later in the year. 

 Jaguar has dropped the 2.5-liter base model for 2005. The 3.0-liter sedan with automatic transmission starts at $31,495. The Sport model starts at $36,695 and the more luxurious VDP begins at $37,995.

 The X-Type wagon is targeted at “thirtysomethings with active lifestyles.” Jaguar executives who presented the new wagon to auto writers said they’re seeing a station wagon renaissance in this country as people seek the utility and versatility of a small SUV without having to give up the benefits of a sedan.

 The 2005 X-Type wagon offers just that. It handled the twists and turns of the mountain roads near Palm Springs with the aplomb of a small luxury sedan. The 3.0-liter, 227-horspower V-6 pulled strongly on the hills and cruised with quiet confidence on the highway.

 The five-speed automatic transmission can be shifted manually by sliding the gear lever to the left side of the J-gate on the console. Sport mode changes the shift points for more performance.

 Jaguar’s all-wheel-drive system normally sends 60 percent of the power to the rear wheels and 40 to the front. The rear bias gives handling more like a rear-wheel-drive vehicle. More drive is shifted to the front as conditions require.

 The Sportwagon is not just a sedan with a box added to the back. The wagon has 420 new parts and 58 new body stampings. The body structure was designed for enhanced stiffness, and that contributes to its solid feel on the road.

 An independent rear suspension is a key ingredient in the Jag’s firm but supple ride. It has been tuned expressly for the wagon. Traction control, antilock brakes and vehicle stability control are all tuned for the wagon. The little wagon tackles turns with a minimum of fuss.

 The Sportwagon’s cargo space is accessed via the glass hatch or the entire tailgate. Details such as chrome tie-downs are useful for securing the cargo net. Jaguar said the cargo volume is greater than each of its competitors. The split-folding rear seat adds cargo versatility, too.

 The Sportwagon has 28 separate storage compartments, including one under the cargo floor with its own power outlet. Jaguar said this space could be useful for charging a laptop computer while keeping it out of sight. 

 The X-Type’s interior is much improved over the initial model. Wood trim and soft leather are as elegant as the materials in some of the larger Jaguars. Rear-seat legroom is on the snug side.

 Jaguar hopes to sell 100,000 X-Types in 2005, and executives think about 5,000 to 10,000 will be Sportwagons.

To get in touch with Tom Strongman, send e-mail to tstrongman@kc.rr.com.

 

There is no At a Glance box because this is a preview drive. I’ll have a regular test drive at a later date.