Is a used Jaguar F-Type a good buy?

Many sports cars have worn the Jaguar badge over the years and the latest entry in that long lineage is the desirable Jaguar F-Type.

It sits at the top of the Jaguar pecking order and since it’s an exclusively two-seater car, it’s very much aimed at drivers who are willing to sacrifice a bit of practicality and versatility for a fun and thrilling drive.

By modern car standards, the Jaguar F-Type has also spent quite a long time as a fixture of Jaguar’s price lists: the car first went on sale all the way back in 2013, though Jaguar has updated the F-Type a few times during its production run.

Having such a long lifecycle does at least mean a decent number of Jaguar F-Types can now be found on used car marketplaces such as BuyaCar, with examples ranging from early examples to nearly new versions of the latest car.

There should be decent variety on the Jaguar F-Types you’ll find listed for sale, too, as Jaguar offered the car in a selection of body styles and engine types. The majority of the used Jaguar F-Types you’ll find for sale will typically be the hard top coupe model, though the soft-top convertible version has made up a decent chunk of Jaguar F-Type sales.

Which used Jaguar F-Type should you buy?

Buyers who plan on using their Jaguar F-Type for big mileages will likely be better off with the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, since it offers good performance and is by far the most affordable Jaguar F-Type variant to buy and run. 

At the other end of the scale are the flagship Jaguar F-Type R and SVR variants, which offer a thrilling driving experience thanks to their strong performance and snarling supercharged V8 engines, though can also be on pricey side due to their rarity and desirability.

If you’re after a sweet spot between the two, the 3.0-litre V6 cars could be worth considering. Slotting in between the 2.0-litre turbo and supercharged V8 models, they offer a middle ground between those two cars in terms of speed and power. There’s a convincing case to be made that they’re the sweet spot in the Jaguar F-Type range.

Impressively, considering the engine was dropped as part of the 2020 facelift, a good chunk of used Jaguar F-Types listed for sale are the 3.0-litre V6 models, so there’s a decent selection to pick from.

You’ll find examples of the Jaguar F-Type from across a majority of the car’s production listed for sale on BuyaCar at the time of writing. The most affordable versions will typically be the early versions, though if your budget stretches far enough models built from 2017 onwards are a more preferable pick since they come with a few upgrades over those early cars, most notably a much more up-to-date and easier to use touchscreen system.

At launch, the standard Jaguar F-Type was available with 340hp and 380hp versions of a 3.0-litre V6, as well as a more powerful 500hp supercharged 5.0-litre V8. Spring 2017 saw the arrival of a 300hp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol model while in 2020 the 3.0-litre V6 was removed from the range and the V8 detuned to a still-healthy 450hp.

If the Jaguar F-Type sounds like the two-seater sports car for you, read on for the best deals on the used examples you’ll be able to find on BuyaCar, as well as details on the trim levels and engines the car was available with from new.

What used Jaguar F-Type trim levels are available?

For the most up-to-date spec, Jaguar overhauled the F-Type inside and out in 2020, though do bear in mind used models that benefit from these changes will carry a bit of a price premium ,especially nearly new examples with fewer miles on the clock, over their pre-facelift counterparts.

Jaguar F-Type

The entry-level Jaguar F-Type was never given an official trim name, so it was simply designated as just ‘Jaguar F-Type’. Helpfully, Jaguar put a bit more effort into the equipment it offered on this base-spec car. Bi-xenon headlights, sat-nav, 18-inch wheels and supportive sporty seats came as standard at launch, and updates in 2017 included a more up-to-date touchscreen system and LED headlights. For post-2020 facelift versions, the touchscreen was given another overhaul, and heated seats became standard equipment.

Jaguar F-Type R Dynamic

R-Dynamic is a trim level introduced to the Jaguar F-Type range in 2018 and came broadly with the same amount of equipment as the standard car. The main appeal of the R-Dynamic trim is that it gave the F-Type a few subtle styling flourishes, such as the glossy exterior trim, the aluminium finish on the centre console and a new alloy wheel design.

Jaguar also offered a variation of this spec, called the R-Dynamic Black trim. As its name implies, this grade contained the same equipment you’d find on the regular Jaguar F-Type R-Dynamic model, with most of the changes consisting of monochrome touches like the gloss black finishes on the alloy wheels, front grille and side air vents.

Jaguar F-Type R

The Jaguar F-Type R is one of the most raucous versions of this svelte British sports car that you can buy. It has under the bonnet a very powerful 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol engine - 550hp on pre-facelift models and 575hp on post-facelift cars. They also benefit from other performance-oriented parts such as motorsport-style carbon ceramic brakes and a limited slip differential that helps improve the car’s traction when you’re accelerating from low speeds or out of corners.

Originally, the Jaguar F-Type R was only available with rear-wheel drive, just like the rest of the F-Type range was at launch. However, as part of the facelift, the Jaguar F-Type R was an exclusively all-wheel drive car.

Jaguar F-Type SVR

If you’re a fan of performance cars, then you may find a lot to like about the Jaguar F-Type SVR. At the time, it had the most powerful engine of any Jaguar F-Type variant (a 575hp supercharged V8), and with a quoted top speed of 200mph the Jaguar F-Type SVR was the fastest car in Jaguar’s line-up, too.

On top of the performance, the Jaguar F-Type SVR brought to the table a lightweight exhaust system, standard-fit all-wheel drive, suede interior trim and alloy wheel and seat designs that were unique to this car. Don’t expect to find too many Jaguar F-Type SVRs listed for sale, though. A combination of its high price and short production run - it was only on sale from 2017 to 2020 - make it one of the rarer Jaguar F-Type models on the road.