Super V8 4dr Sedan
2008 Jaguar XJ

Feature for feature, the Jaguar XJ sedan represents one of the best values among full-size luxury cars. Jaguar's flagship offers features and comfort comparable to the top-line luxury sedans from Audi, BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz for thousands less. Yet it makes a strong statement of luxury when it rolls up to a five-star hotel, stronger than some of those other marques muster.

For 2008, the XJ value equation improves further. Also for 2008, the XJ's looks have been updated to match recent Jaguar offerings.

New for 2008: The front bumper and grille are revised, the front fenders add power vents, a small rear spoiler is added, and most XJ models get larger wheels and tires. Inside, the seats are redesigned for better comfort and more rear seat foot room, Sirius satellite radio becomes an option on all models, and heated and cooled seats become standard on three of the five models.

As automobiles tend more toward generic and distinctions get harder to draw, the XJ sedan appears distinctive, even unique. The Jaguar XJ makes a true statement of luxury. Drive up in one of these and you'll be treated like royalty by bell hops and valets. The XJ's lithe, elegant lines ooze class, but not excess. Its cabin retains the charm of an upper-crust clubroom: nicely stuffed seats with piping, lots of polished wood and wool rugs underfoot.

Underway in town or on the highway, the XJ is smooth, quiet, stately and powerful, and it handles winding roads quite well for its size. It's easier to operate, certainly less complicated, than the BMW 7 Series, Audi A8, and Mercedes S-Class. It's less burdened with systems and processes that can frustrate with their complexity. The five XJ models are loaded with sophisticated safety and performance technology, mind you, but all that technology is tucked away in a less obtrusive fashion, and it generally works without annoyance or distraction. The XJs deliver the best EPA fuel mileage ratings in this class, and none carries a Gas Guzzler Tax.

The XJ sedan comes in regular and long-wheelbase versions. They range from the luxurious XJ8 to the opulent Vanden Plas to the powerful XJR. Stretched five inches, the long-wheelbase models offer enough rear-seat room to recline and watch a movie after lunch on a flip-down wooden tray. Yet these longer Jaguars are, for all practical purposes, as quick, nimble and fuel-efficient as the shorter wheelbase versions. The supercharged XJR is the quickest and nimblest of all, but it doesn't add nearly the price premium that competitors' high-performance models require; Mercedes, BMW, and Audi charge big bucks for the premium engines. Yet the XJ is constructed largely from aluminum, lighter and more expensive than steel, and usually associated with Audi. The long-wheelbase XJs are longer yet lighter than their competitors from Germany.

We could point out a half dozen specific things that other cars in this class do slightly better than the XJ. The Jaguars are neither the quickest nor the quietest in the class, …
Full Review

Feature for feature, the Jaguar XJ sedan represents one of the best values among full-size luxury cars. Jaguar's flagship offers features and comfort comparable to the top-line luxury sedans from Audi, BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz for thousands less. Yet it makes a strong statement of luxury when it rolls up to a five-star hotel, stronger than some of those other marques muster.

For 2008, the XJ value equation improves further. Also for 2008, the XJ's looks have been updated to match recent Jaguar offerings.

New for 2008: The front bumper and grille are revised, the front fenders add power vents, a small rear spoiler is added, and most XJ models get larger wheels and tires. Inside, the seats are redesigned for better comfort and more rear seat foot room, Sirius satellite radio becomes an option on all models, and heated and cooled seats become standard on three of the five models.

As automobiles tend more toward generic and distinctions get harder to draw, the XJ sedan appears distinctive, even unique. The Jaguar XJ makes a true statement of luxury. Drive up in one of these and you'll be treated like royalty by bell hops and valets. The XJ's lithe, elegant lines ooze class, but not excess. Its cabin retains the charm of an upper-crust clubroom: nicely stuffed seats with piping, lots of polished wood and wool rugs underfoot.

Underway in town or on the highway, the XJ is smooth, quiet, stately and powerful, and it handles winding roads quite well for its size. It's easier to operate, certainly less complicated, than the BMW 7 Series, Audi A8, and Mercedes S-Class. It's less burdened with systems and processes that can frustrate with their complexity. The five XJ models are loaded with sophisticated safety and performance technology, mind you, but all that technology is tucked away in a less obtrusive fashion, and it generally works without annoyance or distraction. The XJs deliver the best EPA fuel mileage ratings in this class, and none carries a Gas Guzzler Tax.

The XJ sedan comes in regular and long-wheelbase versions. They range from the luxurious XJ8 to the opulent Vanden Plas to the powerful XJR. Stretched five inches, the long-wheelbase models offer enough rear-seat room to recline and watch a movie after lunch on a flip-down wooden tray. Yet these longer Jaguars are, for all practical purposes, as quick, nimble and fuel-efficient as the shorter wheelbase versions. The supercharged XJR is the quickest and nimblest of all, but it doesn't add nearly the price premium that competitors' high-performance models require; Mercedes, BMW, and Audi charge big bucks for the premium engines. Yet the XJ is constructed largely from aluminum, lighter and more expensive than steel, and usually associated with Audi. The long-wheelbase XJs are longer yet lighter than their competitors from Germany.

We could point out a half dozen specific things that other cars in this class do slightly better than the XJ. The Jaguars are neither the quickest nor the quietest in the class, …
Hide Full Review

Retail Price

$94,085 MSRP / Window Sticker Price
Engine 4.2L V-8
MPG 15 City / 22 Hwy
Seating 5 Passengers
Transmission 6-spd auto w/OD
Power 400 @ 6100 rpm
Drivetrain rear-wheel
Smart Buy Program is powered by powered by TrueCar®
Autoblog Advertisement