The Sportbrake is back; there’s more, the wagon will also be available in the U.S. Jaguar has been selling the XF wagon in other markets except in the U.S. but finally, enthusiasts will have a chance to acquire the wagon for the 2018 model year. The news caught me by surprise as it is not that long since the automaker’s director of design, Ian Callum claimed that he did not see the station wagon lasting for long in the modern market. Personally, I think the wagon is a good remedy to the current crossover fad, especially as this luxurious 2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake.
Wagons have been struggling for the last two decades but the current developments hint at a renaissance but only time will tell.
2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake Exterior
You cannot tell the wagon from the sedan if you look at their front fascias as they are identical. Their front fascia is characterized by identical gaping vents, LED headlights and as well as an identical grille. The differences are mostly on the sides where the wagon bears a long roofline, the third group of windows and a roof rack.
Although the rear fascia retains most of the sedan’s features, it has its own unique styling such as longer, thick LED taillights and a unique bumper. In place of the sedan’s trunk lid is a tailgate. Other unique features include a slanting roofline, a huge spoiler and a slim rear window. There is also a pair of roof rails.
Interior
The cabin, particularly at the front is identical to that of the XF sedan. In the U.S., only the range-topping S trim of the model will be sold. The dash wraps around the driver in a sportscar-like manner while the center console is inclined towards the driver. Like the sedan, the wagon features up-to-date infotainment system and technologies. As standard, being the top trim and the only trim on offer in the U.S., it has a 10.2-inch touchscreen. There is also a 12.3-inch reconfigurable TFT digital instrument cluster. The wagon also flaunts a laser heads-up display. For those who cannot do without a sound system, Jaguar offers a 17-speaker, 825-watt system.
What’s more; the Sportsbrake becomes the first Jaguar to feature gesture-operated sunroof. One only needs to wave his/her hand to open or close the sunblind.
The wagon as you would expect differs from the sedan behind the rear seats. Due to its bigger size, the wagon has a larger cargo space which has actually increased compared to the outgoing wagon. In fact, the Sportbrake offers the most cargo space than all its rivals. With the rear seats up, the wagon has 31.7 cubic feet of cargo space which more than doubles upon folding flat the rear seats; it expands to 69.7 cubic feet. The rear seats can be lowered either via controls mounted on the seatbacks or via levers mounted inside the trunk’s flush side panels. There is also a cargo cover to conceal your cargo. To help secure the cargo, the vehicle comes with 4 tie-down points; there are also flush mounted rails. One can also pre-set the tailgate’s height limits during opening to prevent damage to the tailgate. The tailgate is opened via waving one’s foot under the bumper (rear).
Engine and performance
Unlike in other markets where the Sportbrake will be powered by an array of engines, in the states, only a single mill will be offered. The mill on offer will be the supercharged 3.0 L, V-6 that produces 380 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. The engine will make use of the ZF 8-speed automatic transmission system and will b available in AWD only. The engine powers the model to accelerate from a stationary position to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds. The wagon has a top speed of 121 mph. In other markets, there will be an array of 4-cylinder gasoline and petrol mills whose power output will range from 163 hp to 250 hp. There is also a 3.0 L, V-6 diesel mill good for 300 hp.
The model comes with Jaguar’s JDD system that minimizes electronic interruptions and understeer. It also features Adaptive Dynamics featuring a Configurable Dynamics system as well as a self-leveling air suspension for the rear; these enable the driver to customize throttle, steering and transmission settings. Additionally, the automaker offers extra customization via various software including All Surface Progress Control, Intelligent Driveline Dynamics and Adaptive Surface Response.
Price and release date
Since the 2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake is only offered in the S trim, its starting price is way above that of the XF sedan. The Sportbrake has a starting price of $70,450 in the U.S. The sedan starts from only $47,775. The comparable S trim sedan starts at $66,865 presenting a premium of only $3,585.
Competition
The 2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake will compete with the BMW 5-Series Touring, Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate and Audi A6 Avant.
