Hunting Ground

Jaguar gives the XF a significant update to keep it relevant against its upcoming all-new rivals. Is it enough?

- Rishaad Mody

Looks can deceive. Case in point, the 2016 Jaguar XF that appears to be a mild facelift but is in fact an almost entirely reworked car. Collecting the car from JLR’s swanky Worli showroom, I struggled to tell the XE, XF and XJ apart from the front. The differences are subtle and only a keenly interested eye will be able to distinguish which is which. This isn’t just a Jaguar problem; it’s a condition that has become prevalent throughout the premium luxury market. Luxury car shopping has become like buying clothes –– you simply end up choosing the same design in three or four different sizes. It’s a trend that will be around for a while, so you best make peace with it.

DESIGN, STYLE AND KIT

Peering closely at the mid-sized Jaguar in the showroom, the changes start to become apparent. The XF gets new headlamps, restyled bumpers, a new bonnet and updated tail lamps. The rear lights are very similar to the XE but have a different kink at the top and feature two F-Type style LED runners, whereas the XE gets just one. We drove both the petrol and diesel variants –– the red petrol being in top Portfolio trim while the white diesel was a base Pure model. The Pure gets smaller 17-inch wheels and black treatment on the grille against the chrome finish on the Portfolio. From the outside, both cars look gorgeous, and it’s simply a matter of whether you prefer classy chrome or sporty black. The Portfolio runs adaptive LED head lamps which are optional on the middle-spec Prestige model while the Pure gets simpler LED projector lamps. It’s probably the small number of Jags on the road, but the XF turns heads everywhere and attracts far more attention than any of the Germans could hope to.