Jaguar XJ

The latest Jaguardoes what we all wanted it to... look forward. It gets a dramatic shape with a bold grille and a distinctive sweeping profile, while no other car in the class is as involving to drive. A Mercedes S-Class is a better all-rounder though as the XJ's sharp handling comes at the expense of some comfort; rear seat room isbetter in a Mercedes S-Class and an Audi A8, too. There are a variety of engines available, and the XJ also comes in standard and long wheelbase forms.
It might not please everyone, but the Jaguar XJ is a fantastic departure from thetraditional look of old. That front end, with its slim lights and imposing grille looks thebusiness and the sweeping profile is gorgeous. The XJ looks like nothing else onthe road, and makes the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series and Mercedes S-Class looksterile. So it's a shame the rear end, with its curious blacked-out C-pillars and fussy tail-lights is so at odds with the rest of the design.
Inside, the Jaguar XJ mixes traditional woods and leathers with the latest technology – and it mostly works. Some may think the digital dashboard – borrowedfrom the is a bit gimmicky, but we like the way it moves the revcounter to the centre in Sport mode. We also like the central touchscreen control display as well, even if it can be a bit fiddly. It's certainly more fun than a BMW 7 Series inside. Material quality is first class, and detailing exquisite - just check out those huge metal air vents on the facia. Equipment is generous, with leather-trimmed, electrically adjustable front seats, dual-zone climate control and twin glass sunroofs all as
 Simply put, there's no better large luxury car to drive than the XJ. It's made from lightweight aluminium, so it feels agile on the move, turning into corners swiftly and, thanks to adpative dampers, staying taut and adjustable even when cornering hard. The steering is very precise too; it all adds up to car that certainly shrinks around you in a way that a Mercedes S-Class simply doesn't. However, the pay-off can be a jittery ride over poor surfaces. As for engines, if you can afford it, the 380bhp 5.0-litre V8 is rapid and makes a great noise, while the 503bhp supercharged version is supercar fast in the gears. However, the 275bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel is the pick, as it does 0-60mph in six seconds, 155mph all-out and sounds super smooth. Together with hushed road noise, it dispenses with long distances with ease, although a Mercedes S-Class and Audi A8 are even better in this area.

Simply put, there's no better large luxury car to drive than the XJ. It's made from lightweight aluminium, so it feels agile on the move, turning into corners swiftly and, thanks to adpative dampers, staying taut and adjustable even when cornering hard. The steering is very precise too; it all adds up to car that certainly shrinks around you in a way that a Mercedes S-Class simply doesn't. However, the pay-off can be a jittery ride over poor surfaces. As for engines, if you can afford it, the 380bhp 5.0-litre V8 is rapid and makes a great noise, while the 503bhp supercharged version is supercar fast in the gears. However, the 275bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel is the pick, as it does 0-60mph in six seconds, 155mph all-out and sounds super smooth. Together with hushed road noise, it dispenses with long distances with ease, although a Mercedes S-Class and Audi A8 are even better in this area.

No large luxury car is cheap to run – it's a case of limiting your costs, and the best way to do that is with the V6 diesel, which returns 40.1mpg and emits 184g/km ofquite a bit for servicing and consumables such as tyres, though. Witheven the cheapest diesel model starting at £55,000, depreciation is fierce and gets worse the higher up the range you go. A Mercedes S-Class is likely to hold on to more of its value.
There's loads of room for driver and passenger up front, and plenty of adjustability in the seating position too. It's not such a happy story in the back though. Despite the fact you sit quite low, there's not much headroom because of that sloping roofline. Still, there are individual climate controls and lots of leather and wood to enjoy while you're sat there. Long wheelbase versions get an extra 125mm of legroom, although not more headroom, while the boot is vast at 520-litres.
With a host of airbags, traction and stability control, a pop-up bonnet to protect pedestrians and the latest security features, the XJ is about as safe as cars get. It should be pretty reliable too – although with the smaller XF executive saloon rated 47th for reliability in the Auto Express Driver Power 2010 Top 100 survey, owners will hope the flagship Jaguar is less likely to see a dealer outside regular service intervals.