2004 Jaguar XJ Review Summaries

What reviewers liked most about the Jaguar XJ:

Stiffer chassis and lighter weight help this big cat feel more nimble than before.

-- Consumer Guide

Among world's smoothest-riding sedans.

-- Consumer Guide

The styling may not break any new ground, but an all-aluminum body and high-tech air suspension transform this former fat cat into a friskier flagship.

-- Edmunds.com

Inside, riders familiar with the earlier XJs will instantly notice the improved headroom that makes the cockpit area feel less confining.

-- MSN Autos

The XJ's aluminum body is riveted and bonded like an aircraft fuselage. That's a good, if expensive, thing.

-- Car and Driver

The new XJ8 is evolutionary in design, revolutionary in that the body is aluminum. Inside, passengers are greeted with supple leather and lustrous wood. For some reason, we still love analog clocks.

-- Road & Track

Editors have also noted how well the suspension isolates passengers from bumps, and the abundance of power at all times; the car just exudes smoothness.

-- Road & Track

Acceleration is excellent, almost hydraulic in nature, with the shifts of the ZF 6-speed automatic having a computer-managed smoothness. Power is on tap at seemingly any speed, and the thrust from 60 mph up to triple digits is a rush.

-- Road & Track

What reviewers liked least about the Jaguar XJ:

Jaguar's engineers are actually prouder of what they've done with the suspension of the XJ8, but to us it seemed soft to the point of feeling floaty at high speeds, and its lighter steering inspired less confidence hustling through bends. Air springs, they point out, were fitted not to give a better ride but for their ability to maintain an even keel while bearing a wide range of payloads.

-- Car and Driver

The 7-in. audio/navigation/climate control LCD touch screen still fails to impress more than it irritates, causing far too much eyes-away-from-road time.

-- Road & Track

Best one-liner about the Jaguar XJ:

...a delight to drive - and to the senses.

-- Road & Track