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Jaguar has updated its compact XE saloon for 2019, as the sporty four-door struggles against a falling tide of saloon sales.
The exterior gets new, slightly slimmer, headlights which are now all-LED, with the 'J-Blade' daytime running signature, as standard across the range. There are also tweaked bumpers and new LED brake lights too.
Ian Callum, Jaguar Design Director, said: "XE's uniqueness is its totality. Customers get a complete package of progressive design, innovative technology and extraordinary driving dynamics. We don't do ordinary and new XE personifies this. My team and I get huge satisfaction out of improving a car we're all so familiar with; we've lived with it, we understand its character and it's a wonderful opportunity to make a great car even better. With new XE, we've done just that in every way imaginable."
If the exterior changes are subtle (and they are) then the cabin gets a much bigger makeover. There is a new centre console which gets the sportier upright gearshifter from the F-Type instead of the old rotary selector. There's also the F-Type's drive mode selector switch, which includes an updated Dynamic Mode that "amplifies the car's sporting character, with faster gear shifts, sharper throttle response and increased steering weighting."
The infotainment system gets a major upgrade with the addition of the InControl Touch Duo Pro system from the I-Pace, with its double-decker touchscreens for both infotainment and heating and air conditioning controls. The XE also gets the I-Pace's 12.3-inch digital instrument display, which should allow it to sidestep one of the main criticisms of the previous XE model - cheap looking dials. Oh, and there's also a new steering wheel with 'soft-touch' capacitive buttons.
There's also the option of a clever 'ClearSight' rear-view mirror which uses a TFT screen and a rear-facing wide-angle camera, which is said to give better visibility in poor weather, at night, or when you have tall passengers in the back seats.
Standard kit will now include an automatic transmission, 18-inch wheels, electric leather seats, all-LED headlights and tail-lights with updated signature graphics, front and rear park aid, rear camera and lane keep assist. Customers can select from S, SE and HSE trim levels, with each also available in sporty R-Dynamic guise. On top of that, you can choose from equipment packs including the Dynamic Handling Pack, a Cold Climate Pack, a Technology Pack, a Convenience Pack, and a Premium Upgrade Interior Pack.
On the mechanical front, the 2.0-litre turbo petrol and diesel 'Ingenium' engines are carried over, but the base D180 180hp diesel model, with rear wheel drive, has been given an update to ensure it complies with the latest RDE-2 real-world driving emissions legislation. Jaguar is doubling down on its diesel-powered offering, saying that: "Our latest diesel engines have approximately 25 per cent better fuel economy than petrol engines, produce around 15 per cent less CO2 and emit around the same amount of NOx. For drivers that travel more than 12,000 miles a year, a diesel engine is often the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly choice."
As before, there's an eight-speed automatic transmission bolted to the back of all of these engines, and there's optional four-wheel drive too. The old V6 supercharged engine for the range-topping XE-S has been dropped, but there is the option of the 300hp turbo four-cylinder engine from the F-Type instead.
Rawdon Glover, Jaguar Land Rover MD, said: "In developing the new Jaguar XE, we really focused on the things that mattered to our customers. XE remains one of the sharpest handling and best-looking cars in this class, so while we see subtle updates to the award-winning chassis and a more assertive exterior, our design team has made significant enhancements to the interior, completely transforming it from the outgoing model. Now packed full of technology, including the segment-first ClearSight system, XE's cabin is not only cutting edge but extremely luxurious, too. Most importantly, the improvements over the outgoing XE don't come at the expense of our loyal customers - in fact, the new XE is actually better value for buyers."