Alternative review of Jaguar XF

It's good to see Jaguar back in the limelight. I'm old enough to remember the time when if you thought of an executive car in this country, you thought of a Jag. These days the leaping Cat is leaping once more thanks to the XF executive saloon. Still, I was pleased to slip behind the wheel of the XF I tried recently, the car designed to provide a real alternative to premium customers tired of Teutonic efficiency. I have to say that the styling was not entirely to my taste - though it does grow on you. Certainly, it makes a distinctive rear view mirror statement - just as the designers intended. Inside, they've fashioned a typically Jaguar interior embellished with wood veneers.

This doesn't appear to be the most spacious car in its sector - and it isn't, with slightly less space in the back than a BMW 5 Series which itself has less rear space than a Mercedes E-Class. Jaguar are unapologetic, pointing out the undeniable fact that for most potential owners, as long as rear seat room is adequate, then luggage space and sporty styling represent higher priorities. In any case, the coupe-like lines of the XF do belie the amount of space inside. There's room for five adults in comfort, generous interior stowage and a boot capacity of up to 540 litres (plus the opportunity to fold the rear seats and add a further 420 litres). If luxury is a great priority, there's an optional voice activated control system which enables you to given spoken commands to the climate control system, the stereo and the 'phone. It also works on the satellite navigation system, which can respond to traffic congestion when calculating your route. I also liked the little touches like the headlights which turn on automatically.

So, get in and settle yourself behind the wheel. What's it like? Well, on entry to the XF, the start button pulses red, like a heartbeat (ignition keys - what are they?). Start the engine and the JaguarDrive Selector gearchange lever rises into the palm of the hand, while rotating air conditioning vents turn from their flush, 'parked' position to their functional open position. On the road, both the diesels and the petrols are wonderfully smooth, with the V8 petrol unit in particular sounding magnificent in the upper reaches of its rev-range. So good in fact that I'd question the need to spend another ten grand on the supercharged version. Handling-wise, the car always feels perfectly poised, offers the best steering in the class and, in this beautifully conceived and gorgeously designed cockpit, offers its well heeled owners the perfect place from which to view the action.

It wouldn't be my first choice in the class but it's certainly a true Jaguar - and the kind of car that will have many thinking again over their choice of executive saloon. As in the Sixties, a Jaguar may once again, be the executive thing to have.