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2020 Jaguar XE P300 Sedan Unveiled

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2020 Jaguar XE P300 Sedan Unveiled https://youtu.be/3BN2Yal_KSA

Jaguar had its work cut out for it. The XE compact sedan must compete with a new-generation BMW 3 Series that seeks to regain more of its mojo, a strong Mercedes C-Class, the ever-improving Audi A4, and other contenders in a crowded and diverse field that range from the Alfa Romeo Giulia to the Volvo S60.

The XE launched with great promise in 2015, but it had a lot of hard plastic packed into an otherwise beautiful shape. It's hardly a sales contender, selling about 4,700 in the U.S. last year. For the 2020 refresh, designers have further enhanced the look with slimmer LED headlights, a wider but slimmer grille at the end of the long hood, and new bumpers. More important, they brought the inside up to grade with nicer soft-touch materials and the dual-screen infotainment system from the I-Pace.
Past quibbles with the XE weren't with its driving capability. On some beautiful, curvaceous roads between Nice and Saint-Tropez in the French Riviera, the car continues to display the catlike agility that comes from a lightweight aluminum body and 50/50 weight distribution.

The more time we spent with the car, the more we appreciated its handling. We started with a P250 model with a 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 engine tuned for 247 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. As of the 2020 model year, Jaguar has dropped manuals across its portfolio. The P250 comes standard with rear-wheel drive; AWD is a $2,000 option. The vehicle we drove was a European trim but would spec to a $40,895 sedan in the U.S.

For 2020, Jaguar has also dropped the supercharged V-6. The I-4 gets the job done, though it's a bit of a drone compared with the throatier V-6. We credit Jaguar for not filling the void with artificial engine noise. During acceleration, there was sometimes the slightest hesitation and a mini lurch forward with the tap of your foot; after that, though, power delivery proceeded with smooth aplomb. The ride didn't titillate as much as we wanted as we left the turquoise waters for the mountains, wound our way through incredible rock formations and arches, and then snaked our way back down to azure seas. Dynamic mode improved the exhaust note and tightened the responses. Again, the Jag did everything it was supposed to, but its performance was more measured than heart pounding.
As we were now nicely warmed up, it was time to get behind the wheel of the higher-performance P300. This model uses a 296-hp, 295-lb-ft version of the 2.0-liter, and all-wheel drive is standard. The exhaust note was much more satisfying. And although it was largely psychological—the steering is unchanged beyond the fact that the car is AWD—each turn of the wheel just felt more responsive. In short, it was that much more fun to drive. The P300 starts at $47,290, and the model we drove was optioned up to $58,030.
Category
Car Tech
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