Is a used Jaguar XF a good buy?

If you’re looking for a good value used family car, then a premium choice such as the Jaguar XF makes a convincing case for itself.

While the Jaguar XF was on the pricey side when new, the fact large upmarket cars don’t tend to hold onto their values that well means you can pick up even younger examples for a fraction of what they were originally worth.

Because it hasn’t sold in as high numbers as rivals like the BMW 5 Series, the comfortable Mercedes E-Class and high-tech Audi A6, the Jaguar XF isn’t as common a sight in comparison on used car marketplaces such as BuyaCar. However, there are still a good number of examples to choose from, with engine and trim level combinations that should hopefully suit you to a tee.

Expanding the car’s appeal further is the fact it came in two bodystyles. There was a more conventional four-door saloon version, as well as an estate variant called the Jaguar XF Sportbrake with a bit more boot space. The saloon was the more popular pick with new Jaguar XF buyers than the Jaguar XF Sportbrake, so while there will be a decent selection of estate versions to choose from, don’t expect as much variety.

Which used Jaguar XF should you buy?

Since executive cars tend to be used more often as company cars, a majority of the used Jaguar XFs that you’ll find for sale will be the diesel models, since they were more affordable to tax in comparison than the petrols.

It helps that the diesel engines make great all-rounders, with strong performance, decent refinement and good fuel economy – especially on the updated models from 2021 onwards which have fuel-saving mild hybrid tech.

Additionally, if you want to complement the Jaguar XF’s sporty handling (despite being such a big and heavy car, the XF is surprisingly nimble and fun to drive), the petrol choices may be a better pick. They’re costlier to run than the like-for-like diesels, but the petrol models are also smoother, produce more power and in the range-topping 3.0 S models have an impressive turn of speed.

Likewise, the Jaguar XF has been available with a fairly broad array of trim levels over the years, ranging from entry-level grades to top-of-the-line models with all the proverbial bells and whistles. 

Since the car’s core underpinnings do date back a while (the oldest examples on the road date back to 2015, after all), even younger examples of the Jaguar XF don’t feel quite as contemporary as its newer rivals. However, if you can live without a couple of mod cons, there’s an impressive car to be found in a used Jaguar XF. 

What used Jaguar XF trim levels are available?

As a rule of thumb, all versions of the Jaguar XF came well equipped, though do bear in mind the spec levels can vary depending on the age of the car you’re looking at. For instance, the Jaguar XF was given a big overhaul in January 2021, with changes including an interior revamp, an overhaul of the touchscreen tech and the removal of some of the brawnier engine options from the range.

Jaguar XF Pure

At the Jaguar XF’s launch in 2015, the range started off with the entry-level Pure model. Out of the box, this Jaguar XF came with halogen headlights, 17-inch alloys, cruise control, automatic air conditioning and an eight-inch touchscreen. A decent amount of driver aids was included, too, like lane departure warning and emergency brake assist.

Jaguar XF Prestige

Moving up the Jaguar XF’s pecking order, the Jaguar XF Prestige trim fleshed out the car’s spec sheet with more upmarket-feeling features. There were LED headlights instead of the base car’s halogen items, for instance while the seats were trimmed in leather rather than cloth. This spec also gets ambient interior lighting.

Jaguar XF Portfolio

Being the flagship trim level at the time, the Jaguar XF Portfolio grade was the best-equipped specification. It came with the same gadgets and features available on the Pure and Prestige models, in addition to visual flourishes of its own like a unique alloy wheel design, higher-quality leather upholstery and jet-black headlining.

Jaguar XF R-Sport

For drivers who wanted a slightly more dynamic look from their Jaguar XF, the R-Sport model will likely be the trim for them. It didn’t come with any additional equipment over the Portfolio grade on which it was based, though the R-Sport version of the Jaguar XF did come with a more aggressive bodykit, a stiffer suspension setup, sporty front seats and a new alloy wheel design.

Jaguar XF S

As part of the Jaguar XF’s mid-life refresh in 2021, the entry-level Jaguar XF Pure spec was replaced with the ‘S’ trim. The new starting point in the Jaguar XF range came with more advanced kit than those early cars, too, with highlights including a more modern 11.4-inch touchscreen setup with built-in Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, power-adjustable heated seats in the front and part-leather upholstery.

The S trim also had a Jaguar XF R-Dynamic S counterpart. No additional equipment was featured on this spec, though it did give the car a subtly sporty makeover with redesigned bumpers and chrome-style trim around the front grille and side vents.

Jaguar XF SE

Just as the XF S replaced the Pure spec, the Jaguar XF SE trim was the mid-range successor to the old Prestige model. The Jaguar XF SE benefitted from the tech upgrades brought about in the 2021 facelift, and also included additional tech as standard like keyless entry, a power-adjustable steering column and a blind spot warning safety assist. It also came as standard with the previously-mentioned R-Dynamic cosmetic touches inside and out.

Jaguar XF HSE

As its name suggests, the Jaguar XF HSE trim is a step above the Jaguar XF’s mid-range SE spec. As well as the features that came as standard on the SE trim, Jaguar XF HSE cars get full leather upholstery, a Meridian sound system and large 20-inch alloy wheels as standard. It also gets a clever clear exit monitor assist, which can alert your passengers if there’s any oncoming vehicles from behind when they’re about to open the door.

Jaguar XF 3.0 S

Jaguar never did a raucous XFR version of the second-gen Jaguar XF, so this XF S model is as feisty as things get on this mid-size executive car. Equipment-wise, the XF S came with the same equipment you’d find on the Portfolio trim, though it introduced more performance-oriented items to the spec sheet, like adaptive suspension, sporty seats and a more aggressive bodykit.

There were also two different engines available on the Jaguar XF S, so look out for those if there was one engine in particular that you’re looking for. One option was a 300hp 3.0-litre V6 diesel and the other a 380hp 3.0-litre V6 petrol that in comparison offered stronger performance but is far more expensive to run. If a used Jaguar XF S is the car for you, you should also keep an eye out for the age of the car you’re looking at: while Jaguar stopped building the sporty XF S in December 2020, it confusingly re-used the name on the entry-level trim from January 2021 onwards.