One of the many features of the Jaguar XE range is the first application of a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine from the new Ingenium family. It's being offered with two power outputs - 161bhp and, as here, 178bhp.
The 161bhp version has a startling CO2 figure of just 99g/km, leading to zero Vehicle Excise Duty payments. However, the 109g/km or 111g/km emitted by the 178bhp unit (depending on wheel size) still makes XEs fitted with it impressively cheap to tax.
If Ingenium hadn't been invented, Jaguar would presumably have fitted XEs with the 2.2-litre diesel which still appears in other model ranges. In its day, this was a very good engine, but nowadays it feels quite old. Despite efforts to suppress the decibels, it makes a bit of a racket in the XF, and would no doubt be even noisier in the smaller XE.
The Ingenium (the first diesel with variable valve timing ever fitted to a Jaguar) is much better. It still sounds like a diesel, but the noise is well controlled. And, while less powerful than the 2.2, it makes the XE acceptably quick. Driving through the excellent ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox, it gives the car a 0-62mph time of 7.8 seconds and a top speed of 140mph, which should be enough for anyone.
As we've mentioned before, there are three suspension set-ups for the XE. This car had the standard set-up, which doesn't provide the nimbleness that the sport one does and puts a question mark over Jaguar's claim that this is "THE driver's car" in its class.
The word that kept coming into my head as I drove this model was "stately". It was pleasant enough to drive, but gave no sense that it would enjoy being thrashed through a series of bends. If that's the kind of thing you like, the XE model you want is the R-Sport.
The diesel-run XE Portfolio, which costs £35,425, officially averages 67.3mpg, though you might find it difficult to approach that figure in everyday driving. CO2 emissions of 111g/km lead to annual VED payments of £30 - a very impressive figure for a Jaguar. Benefit In Kind taxation is 20 per cent at the time of writing and will rise to 26 per cent in 2019-20.
Jaguar describes the Portfolio as "the most luxurious XE model". Standard equipment not fitted elsewhere in the range includes a bi-xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights, unique interior styling and ten-way electric adjustment of the front seats, the latter upgradeable to 14-way for a further £200.
Similarly, the normal 18-inch wheels can be replaced by 19-inch wheels for £800. Experience of these on the test car suggests that they don't do as much damage to the ride quality as might have been feared.
