The big cat's kitten Desirable cars, Jaguars, but they've always been a bit old-mannish and, although good value, out of reach for most of us unless we're buying second-hand. The X-Type, however, was conceived to appeal to a new generation of younger buyers, and although £20,000-plus is hardly banger money, it's the most accessible Jaguar yet.
The X-Type is squarely aimed at potential buyers of BMW 3-Series, Audi A4s, Mercedes C-Classes, Alfa Romeo 156s and Volvo S60s, and has already captured interest by sheer dint of not being German. It's a credible alternative to the usual options in the class, thanks to its all-round abilities as well as its mini-XJ looks. Its major asset is that it has four-wheel drive as standard in most models - not least to differentiate it from the Ford Mondeo on which it's based.
A Jaguar based on a Ford would have seemed sacrilegious once, as would a front-wheel-drive Jaguar. It seems a little less so today - partly because platform-sharing is so common, and partly because the Mondeo is a very good car indeed. Anyway, the X-Type has undergone extensive brand-specific engineering and fine-tuning to differentiate it from its more mainstream relative. And while the opposition is tough, Jaguar has finally given the X-Type more ammunition in the form of two diesel engine options and an estate variant.
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