2017 Jaguar XE
The last Jaguar compact sports sedan we tested was the X-type. Don’t remember it? Well, that’s probably a good thing, as that Ford Contour based front-driver never made a serious impact here, or anywhere else for that matter. Just too much a parts bin car. Now, Jag is stepping back into that segment, and stepping up, with what may be a much more impactful car. This is the XE.
After first hitting European streets a year ago, the 2017 Jaguar XE sedan now makes its way to America’s potholes, looking to catch a ride on Jaguar’s recent Big Kahuna size wave of sales success.
And, awaiting you inside this compact sport 4-door, is the familiar Jaguar theme of late, along with plenty of the accustomed switchgear.
And that’s great. But, the drab and unappealing space it fits into is not. Much of the dash real estate goes unused. There is nothing for the passenger to look at except lots of pebbled plastic and a big airbag logo.
The XE really needs some extra trim to brighten up the space, and reinforce its upscale kinship to other Jaguars, and frankly, look competitive to other rear-drive European sport-luxury sedans.
Now that that’s out of the way, we’ll get to what we love about the XE; and there’s plenty of it. Starting with what’s under the hood.
Here, its Jaguar’s lovely 3.0-liter supercharged V6; boasting 340-horsepower and 332 lb-ft. of torque. A 2.0-liter diesel is also available. Both are equipped with an 8-speed automatic transmission, and you can get all-wheel-drive with both.
A rear-drive only, gasoline-fed 2.0-liter I4 model is offered as well.
At the track, our rear drive V6 did do some battle with wheel spin at launch, but then got off to a very nice 4.9-second 0-60. Power never deviates, with enough midrange torque for days; or at least for a 13.5–second 1/4-mile at 105 miles-per-hour. Lovely!
Automatic shifts are quick and seamless; all accompanied by a subtle exhaust note reminiscent of, but nowhere near as fierce as, the F-type.
It was easy to keep the speed up through our handling course. If we didn’t already know that steering was electric, we’d have a hard time guessing; very responsive, if down on true road feel.
Dynamic mode tightens and quickens everything up, helping to improve feel; though we found throttle response now touchy, and it was easy to initiate too much oversteer.
A 112-foot average stopping distance from 60, is quite good; as was pedal feel and overall stability.
On public roads, near posted speeds, the XE drives wonderfully. It’s a highly capable back road blaster, with a tremendously smooth and placid nature.
The ZF-sourced 8-speed transmission is well-sorted, and also well-matched to this V6; we only experienced some occasion jerkiness in stop-and-go traffic.
With every setting at its sportiest, the XE does a decent 3-series impression, but it feels more at home kept in softer settings.
Compared to rivals such as the 3-Series, C-Class, A4, and ATS; the XE is far more gorgeous to look at.
The proportions look just right, there are enough creases and angles to keep it interesting, and the coupe-like, thick C-pillar profile is certainly consistent with the segment. So, any compromise to rear visibility is a concession we can live with.
Like most recent Jag’s, there are plenty of stylish details that remind us of the now haloed F-type.
Plenty of tech features are available too, and you can activate the rear camera almost any time; which we feel is a better solution than Cadillac’s rearview mirror cam.
And while some may think we were a bit harsh in our earlier description of the XE’s overall interior environment; we have only praise for Jag’s latest InControl touch system that manages it. It’s logical, and responds quickly to your inputs. A huge step up!
A host of advanced safety systems are available for ’17, including autonomous braking; but our tester wasn’t so-equipped.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings for a V6 rear driver are 21-City, 30-Highway, and 24-Combined. Our average was a better than expected 25.8 mile-per Premium gallon. That’s an Energy Impact Score of 13.7-barrels of annual oil consumption with CO2 emissions of 6.1-tons.
XE pricing starts very reasonably at $35,895 for a turbo-4 25t; and the V6 35t is not out of line either, at $42,695; with the diesel falling in between the two.
The 2017 Jaguar XE continues the brand’s streak of all-around performance winners. Plus, on the outside, it’s very easy on the eyes. But, it’s going up against a sea of excellent alternatives with a lackluster interior that is no help. Still, and very much unlike the X-type before it, there’s a lot to like and admire about the XE, and it clearly deserves to be part of any luxo-sport sedan conversation.
Specifications
- Engine: 3.0 liter
- Horsepower: 340
- Torque: 332 lb-ft.
- 0-60 mph: 4.9 seconds
- 1/4 mile: 13.5 seconds @ 105 mph
- EPA: 21 mpg city / 30 mpg highway
- Energy Impact: 13.7 barrels of oil/yr
- CO2 Emissions: 6.1 tons/yr
2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz
Hyundai’s Trucklet Gets A Lot Techier And A Little Truckier
Small trucks are once again a big deal here in the U.S., with more options to choose from than we’ve had since the 1980s heydays, including newcomers like this Hyundai Santa Cruz. And just like the Hyundai Tucson crossover that it’s based on, the Santa Cruz gets some major updates for 2025. So, it looks like it’s time for us to do some more tiny truckin’!
The Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup truck, and the Hyundai Tucson compact utility that it’s based on, get some significant updates for 2025, mostly revolving around style and tech. So, while our focus here is on the Santa Cruz, just know that most of what you see also applies to the Tucson.
The biggest changes happen inside where the Santa Cruz adopts Hyundai’s curved panoramic display that puts the 12.3-inch driver display and 12.3-inch infotainment screen into a single housing that stretches from behind the steering wheel to over the center stack. And while the center stack itself remains relatively minimal, they’ve redone the climate controls and actually added a few more physical buttons and dials back in. There’s also a better-looking steering wheel with a Driver Attention Sensor behind it; and while the Tucson moved its gear selector to the column, the Santa Cruz keeps its beefy old school shifter right there on the console. That, combined with an overall feel that’s not quite as open as the Tucson, goes a long way towards helping this trucklet feel more truck-like.
XRTs have a Surround View Monitor, Blind Spot Monitoring, and some branded logos. Rear seat room is more plentiful than you’d think seeing it from the outside, but you do sit very upright, and the seats themselves are not very comfy.
Exterior changes center around the usual new grille and wheel choices, but the off-road-inspired XRT gets a tiny bit more serious, featuring a unique front fascia with added tow hooks and a tidied-up undercarriage for better approach angles; plus, exclusive 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires. No changes to the integrated 4-foot bed with all trims getting storage cubbies on the side of the bed as well as underneath the floor. The integrated bed cover comes with XRT and above or is available in SELs as part of an added Activity package which also adds a sliding rear window.
[It] is certainly one of the best riding vehicles around with a bed.
The Santa Cruz is certainly one of the best riding vehicles around with a bed, nothing rough or tumble here. In XRTs, you will hear a little more road noise from the more aggressive tires, but it’s far from being annoying. And the Santa Cruz’s size makes it very easy to whip in and out of parking spaces.
Nothing changes mechanically; that means a standard 191-horsepower, 2.5-liter naturally aspirated I4 engine in SE and SEL. While XRT and Limited get the turbocharged version of that engine with 281 horsepower, 311 lb-ft of torque, plus standard all-wheel drive. AWD is available on SE and SEL for $1,500. The turbo engine gets a unique dual-clutch transmission which gets an added tow mode for ’25, while the non-turbo works with a traditional automatic; both are eight-speeds. Max tow rating is 3,500 lbs. with the standard powertrain and 5,000 lbs. with all-wheel drive.
After towing our crew to Mason Dixon Dragway, the turbocharged Santa Cruz XRT delivered us to 60 in 6.6 seconds, about half a second slower than what we achieved back in ’22 with a Limited. Full power was a little late to arrive, but once it showed up, it was ready to get to work, providing steady power the whole way down the track. Our best quarter-mile time was a 15-flat at 96 mph. At wide open throttle, DCT shifts were smooth with no power loss moving through the gears, but it does still stumble a little at slower speeds around town.
The handling experience with the XRT was also different from Limited, as the off-road tires struggled to get a good grip on the pavement when we pushed hard; leading to oversteer and more roll than we remember. There was great feel and feedback coming from the brakes in our panic braking runs however; also, consistent fade-free stops from 60 in just 105 feet.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 19 City, 27 Highway, and 22 Combined; we averaged a good 23.1 mpg of Regular. That’s an average Energy Impact Score; consuming 13.5 barrels of oil annually, with CO2 emissions of 6.7 tons. Starting price is a low $30,100, but things get much more serious for the XRT which starts at $41,600, though that’s still well below the average transaction price for a pickup truck these days.
So, until Subaru brings back the Brat or Baja or something similar, the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz will remain as the most car-like “truck” you can buy. For purists, that’s an absolute turn-off, but for a lot of others, it’s exactly what they desire.
Specifications
As Tested
- Engine: 2.5-liter turbo-4
- Transmission: 8-speed DCT
- Horsepower: 281
- Torque: 311 lb-ft
- EPA: 19 City | 27 Highway | 22 Combined
- 0-60 mph: 6.6 seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 15.0 seconds at 96 mph
- Braking, 60-0 (avg.): 105 feet
- MW Fuel Economy: 23.1 mpg