2012 Jaguar XF

The 2012 Jaguar XF comes in three trim levels. i.e. Base, XF Portfolio, and XF Supercharged. You also have an XFR variant which will be reviewed separately. For 2012 MY, XF Portfolio replaces Premium trim. Base XF trim loads features such as leather upholstery, keyless ignition, a sunroof, navigation system, rear parking sensors, cruise control, power front seats, and steering wheel. 

The XF Portfolio expands on it by offering keyless entry, ventilated front seats, front parking sensors, a rearview camera, and a faux-sued headliner. The top trim XF Supercharged comes with a more powerful engine, better brakes, tires, and suspension system, more luxury features, and an upgraded sound system. Moreover, Lots of these and other features are loaded under three different packages i.e. Sport package 1, Premium package, and a Cold weather package. 

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Although all three trims are impressive, according to us, the one which seems to be the best deal is the newest addition to the lineup- XF Portfolio. It is priced at $59,000 and gets you ventilated front seats, 12-way power-adjustable driver seat with lumbar adjustments, and a 16-way power-adjustable front passenger seat. Portfolio also offers front parking sensors and a rearview camera. On top of that one gets a premium headliner including keyless entry and adaptive headlights. If one wants, even more, features then just simply opt for performance package 2 and the cold weather package which loads more luxury and safety tech features. 

The 2012 Jaguar XF is available in two engine configurations. Both Base and XF Portfolio are powered by a 5.0 Liter V8 engine which can produce 385 horsepower and a torque of 380 lb-ft. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard throughout the lineup and power is sent to the rear wheels. Unfortunately, an all-wheel-drive system is absent for XF which will disappoint some potential buyers. 

Regardless, once put on the road you will get to experience one of the best engines in its class as it can move XF from 0-60 mph in 5.3 seconds and can finish a quarter-mile in 13.7 seconds. Not only is it fast but the collective unit results in a memorable driving experience that stays impressive on corners as well as on the straights. A supercharged version of the same engine cranks out 510 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque comes standard in the XFR which makes everything more exciting. It can reach 60 mph from a standstill in under five seconds.

Although both engines of the 2012 Jaguar XF are incredible on the road when compared to its rivals the base engine comes out a bit slower than the others. Do not let this discourage you though because the ride quality it offers is harder to compete with than the others. Infiniti comes with a humongous 5.6L V8 and has the best performance figures on paper. But on roads. Mercedes E550 is the quickest of the lot thanks to its turbo V8 motor.

It is a usual case that powerful engines often come with low fuel economy and when it comes to the 2012 Jaguar XF the story is a bit better but not completely opposite. The base V8 engine offers a moderate level of fuel economy; you get 16 mpg in the city, 23 mpg on the highways, and 19 mpg combined. 

The stats are unimpressive but the 18.4-gallon fuel tank it offers is decent and results in an acceptable driving range of 424 miles on the highway. So if one wants to just take it for a spin on long routes or drive daily to the office, Jaguar XF seems like a decent option to go for. If one decides to go for the supercharged V8 engine then naturally it is going to result in even lower mileage.

The standard V8 engine of 2012 XF offers acceptable mileage, which when compared to its rivals only surpasses BMW 5 Series. Both Mercedes and INFINITI offer better fuel economy. Even in the fuel tank capacity section, XF falls behind the others which is the main reason why it offers a lesser driving range than Mercedes and INFINITI.

Remember when we mentioned how Jaguar is known for its luxurious interior? Well get inside the 2012 XF and you will get your answer. Sure the traditional wood trim integrated within the interior design is there but instead of being bright and classy, this time XF is coming with a more darker and modern cabin. Every inch of the surface is covered with high-quality materials. Leather upholstery is standard and provides a decent level of comfort. The dashboard has also been refreshed with updated physical buttons which are blacked out. The beautifully designed steering wheel comes with a power tilt and telescopic functions.  

The 2012 XF comes with newly designed seats for the maximum level of comfort. At the front, power-adjustable bucket seats are available which can be had with heating or ventilation functions. For the rear a 60/40 split-folding bench seat with headrests is available. Also, both front and rear row offers ample room. Thinking about loading some stuff for the tour? XF offers one of the biggest cargo capacities in its class with a wide opening. The same can be said about storage areas inside the cabin for your personal effects.

The 2012 Jaguar XF’s cabin is spacious and feels somewhat better when compared to its rivals. Except for the INFINITI M56 which offers more legroom for front passengers. On the other hand, the 17.7 cu ft cargo capacity of XF is better than its rivals except for the BMW 5 Series. On the other hand, the Infiniti M56’s cargo volume has not been officially released. Some Standout interior features include:

• Leather upholstery
• Sunroof
• Heated and ventilated power-adjustable front seats
• Faux suede headliner
• Heated power tilt and telescopic steering wheel

How intuitive is the 2012 Jaguar XF’s infotainment unit?

For 2012, Jaguar has updated the XF's infotainment system which is now similar to what one would find inside Jaguar’s flagship XJ sedan. The system comes with a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen which might not be as good as what XJ has but still takes a leap forward by offering smooth response and easy UI. The navigation system comes with clear graphics and rarely feels like a burden. 

As for the features, USB ports, SiriusXM, BlueTooth wireless technology for phones, HD radio, and interactive voice controls are available. For entertainment, a 400 watt 10 speaker Jaguar premium audio system is available on the base model which should be enough. However, buyers can upgrade to a 600 watt 11 speaker sound system by paying extra or opting for XF Supercharged. Standout infotainment features include:

• 7-inch infotainment touchscreen
• 600-watt 11-speaker Jaguar premium audio system
• SiriusXM
• JaguarVoice voice-activated controls for phone & navigation
• Bluetooth

The exterior design of the 2012 XF is easily one of the major differences which one can find when compared to last year’s model. As Jaguar has finally made it bolder than ever before with unique exterior styling. Sure the overall design is the same but it’s the key elements such as redesigned front headlights with a better grille design that make it distinct. Even the front bumper got interesting changes. At the rear, you will find newly designed tail lights with LEDs that just look bigger than the previous year’s model.  

From the sides, XF is still the same with chrome-trimmed windows and body-colored power mirrors. On top, a one-touch tilt and slide power glass sunroof is available which welcomes decent lighting inside the cabin. Different wheels from 18 to 20 inches are available according to the trim and yes performance wheels are available which certainly results in better control on the road.

Jaguar XF’s external dimensions when compared to its rivals seem to be somewhat similar to the others in the competition. However, the 4.1 inches of ground clearance is lesser than the others which will cause some problems on irregular surfaces. 2012 Jaguar XF is the longest of the lot but Mercedes-Benz E550 comes a little wider while BMW 5 Series has a large wheelbase which translates to better interior space. Standout exterior features include:

• 20-inch alloy wheels 
• Redesigned headlights and taillights
• One-touch tilt and slide power glass sunroof
• Adaptive headlights
• Performance tires

When it comes to safety, Jaguar has tried its best to load 2012 XF with the necessary features. By default features such as traction and stability control, active head restraints, multi-stage airbags at various key points, tire pressure monitoring system, and anti-lock brakes are available. 

Two Performance packages I and II are available which load features such as adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring system, forward impediment alert system, and adaptive headlights. For easy parking, front and rear parking sensors with rearview cameras are available. Oh, and yes bigger brakes and performance tires in the higher trims clearly bring better control over the vehicle. Standout safety features include:

• Adaptive cruise control
• Blind-spot monitoring system
• Forward impediment alert system
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Rearview mirror

By now it must be clear how impressive the 2012 Jaguar XF is. It offers a proper balance over performance and luxury. Here you get a vehicle with a spacious cabin that oozes with an unmatched level of comfort. Plus the long list of features and impressive cargo capacity makes it worth having inside your garage. The only flaws we could find were an average fuel economy and the nonavailability of an all-wheel-drive system. So if you can ignore those then yes we would fully recommend the 2012 Jaguar XF.