Big cats, they lounge around most of the day and saunter through the wilderness unperturbed, knowing they are in the top echelons of the food chain. Spot one and you’re likely to find yourself drawn to their sleek and muscular persona. Visions of introducing yourself by running your hand over its smooth coat on the way to becoming life long friends living frivolously in the wilderness are just a pipe dream, for you know full well the nature of the beast that could chase you down and knock you off your feet with a single clout. No, big cats are serious animals with serious characters that command respect and take it if needed, which brings us to the Jaguar XF.

Sleek it certainly is. The Jaguar XF’s character is defined by a sweeping silhouette inspired by the XK coupe, so much so that both cars share the same rake angle on the windscreen. The XF’s waistline rises to meet the roof rather than the roof coming down to meet the waist – which means interior space is unimpeded. This rising waistline gives the XF a much higher tail than any previous Jaguar, providing the twin benefits of improved aerodynamics, together with increased luggage volume at 540-litres. A traditional bold grille acts as the focal point from where the feature lines stream back over the bonnet and cabin. The one-piece headlight clusters wrap around the corners of the body onto the front wings, while their internals house two round elements that act as a subliminal reminder of the Jaguar ‘quad lamp’ signature last seen on the S-Type. The rear is defined by muscular rear wheel arches, emphasised by the the wheels having been positioned at the extremities of the body. LED tail-lights provide the XF with a unique identity at night. With the XF, Jaguar have successfully managed to transition their design language between the classical lines of old, with those of the modern era. You probably won’t notice the hoards of BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class on our roads, but the exclusivity and presence of the XF ensures it is noticed.

The feeling of exclusivity extends to the interior too, with passengers surrounded by leather and carpeted floor mats that are cushioned like a double padded rug. Blue back-lit instrumentation, a touch-screen infotainment system and Bowers & Wilkins 440W surround sound system, are complemented by what Jaguar calls ‘surprise and delight’ features. On entry to the XF for example, the start button pulses red, like a heartbeat. Start the engine and the gear selector rises into the palm of the hand, while rotating air vents turn from their flush, ‘parked’ position to their functional open position. Other premium touches include the satellite controls on the steering wheel, which look more like silver wedding or engagement rings than controls for the audio and cruise control. The interior of the XF is one of the most premium and pleasing I’ve experienced to date, blending technology and luxury to achieve a character that many modern cars lack. There’s plenty of space too and rear legroom has improved considerably over the S-Type predecessor, with the motors for the electronically operated front seats no longer intruding into the rear footwells. Despite the tapering roof line headroom is a plenty and the rear seats can be folded down to gain another 420-litres of cargo space.

While the diesel-powered XF S may not classify as a beast, or require much taming, it does pack a very solid punch. The 3.0-litre V6 features a parallel sequential twin-turbocharger configuration, a world first when introduced in 2009, together with common-rail fuel injection to achieve 202 kW at 4 000 r/min and 600 Nm of torque at 2 000 r/min. The massive shove from low down the rev-range makes for effortless acceleration (0 – 100 km/h in 6.4 seconds) and superb overtaking prowess. It’s a supremely smooth and quiet engine aided by a velvety 6-speed automatic transmission, which together provide typically aristocratic levels of performance with diplomatic levels of efficiency – 179 g/km of CO2 and fuel consumption of 6.8 L/100km on the combined cycle.

Don’t mistake the reference to diplomacy for a lack of character however, as the V6 growls agreeably when planting the right foot and there’s even a button with a chequered flag on it, that, as Jag says, “Provides a higher intervention threshold for the more enthusiastic driver.” Should you choose to coax the 1.8 tonne XF with enthusiasm it will respond with an accurate and positive steering action, flattering corner speeds before understeer sets in, dignified suspension performance and plentiful stopping power. In general the suspension provides a comfortable ride, but on occasion the odd bump managed to intrude into the cabin, although I suspect the optional 20-inch ‘Senta’ alloy wheels fitted to the press car may have been responsible.

In close quarters, Jaguar’s Blind Sport Monitoring system shows a warning signal on the appropriate side mirror to prevent unnecessary surprises. A Pedestrian Contact Sensing System helps prevent injuries by firing actuators that deploy the bonnet, resulting in a cushioned space between the bonnet and engine hardpoints. High-speed driving is made safer with Adaptive Differential Control that limits slip between the rear wheels to optimise traction and stability; Adaptive Dynamics that electronically controls the suspension dampers to provide real-time balance between comfort and handling performance; as well as Dynamic Stability Control that servers to reduce engine torque and apply braking where necessary to avoid potential disaster.

Whether idling through Camps Bay or streaking across the Karoo, the XF S has the comfort, luxury, safety and dynamics to handle just about anything you can throw at it. From the manufacturer that coined the mantra “Grace, Space, Pace” comes another leading example of just that.

What we like…

• Silky smooth, powerful and efficient diesel engine.
• Elegant exterior design that evokes admiration from both young and old alike.
• Engaging, luxurious and spacious interior.

What we would like…

• A faster response from the touch-screen.
• To eliminate the glare from the brushed aluminium gear selector surround in afternoon sunshine.
• A USB connection to complement the existing auxiliary input for iPod’s, etc.