XE LITTLE NUMBER

Jag's junior exec oozes driver appeal and smart looks, all from £3000

- ALEX WOLSTENHOLME

HOW TO BUY A JAGUAR XE Jaguar's reinvention as a maker of luxury electric vehicles has caused considerable upset among sections of the brand's fanbase. That's not just because traditionalists are wary of EVs and unwilling to embrace the firm's new positioning but also because Jaguar's former lineups always appealed to driving enthusiasts.

In its most recent guise, Jaguar's range was made up of generally excellent sports cars, saloons and SUVs that could rival any German competitor for quality, design and engineering - even if they weren't quite so commercially successful.

The XE was the entry model to this range, but also one of the best. It was intended to be the outright volume seller, but despite excellent dynamics and efficient powertrains, it couldn't entirely convince loyal C-Class, 3 Series and A4 buyers to post their cheques to Gaydon.