2008 Jaguar XF SV8 Review & Road Test
October 8, 2008 by Anthony Crawford
2008 Jaguar XF SV8 Review & Road Test
Model Tested: 2008 Jaguar XF SV8 sedan – 4.2-litre supercharged V8, six-speed automatic transmission – $173,170
Options: Sunroof – $3920
silky smooth engine and gearbox, brilliant handling, class leading interior
Headlight assembly styling
CarAdvice rating: 
(4.5)
– words and photography by Anthony Crawford
Jaguar needed to pull a rabbit out of the hat with its replacement for the retro-styled S-Type or things would look rather shaky about now.
Ian Callum, Jaguar’s design director has had a lifelong ambition to return the “Cat” to its past glories, when it was unrivaled in automotive design producing some of the most beautiful cars in the world. Think Mark 2, early XJ series and the famous E-Type, which still looks the goods 45 years on.
Under enormous pressure, Callum and his team have pulled it off. Jaguar has produced a car that set’s a new class benchmark and offers buyers a worthy alternative to the proliferation of ‘made in Germany’ fare.
I’m not saying the XF is perfect, because its not. The front light assembly doesn’t quite work for me; it’s a bit ordinary when compared with every other aspect of the car’s styling, which is damn near prefect.
But after a few minutes behind the wheel of the XF SV8 you won’t give a toss about the front light assembly, at least I didn’t.
One thing that hasn’t changed over the years is that you sit deep into a Jaguar, giving you that sense of ‘one’ with the car. It’s an unusual trait for a four-door sedan, generally reserved for purebred sports cars from marques such as Porsche, Ferrari or Lamborghini.
While I might have expected more all round bolster in the front seats, especially in this rocketship version, they are incredibly comfortable and hold you in place even when pushing hard through some quiet country S-bend sections, but I’d still like more bolster.
It’s not only the seats, Jaguar has leapfrogged its fiercest rivals when it comes to interior design with kit such as the revolutionary JaguarDrive selector, which rises out of the centre console into the palm of your hand the moment you hit the pulsating start button.
I wouldn’t call it a gimmick either, it’s very intuitive and very quick to change drive modes, just twist!
I think most people reading this would be curious as to how the car drove, the review seems to be missing a few pages. I find it weird that you would write more about a people mover than this seemingly awesome car
page 2 & 3 up now, yay
nice bod, shame about the face
You dont look at the mantle piece when your poking the fire……….
I dunno Bavarain M. your mantles more than acceptable, and the fires still light and well stoked. Ha Ha
I gotta say that I don’t hate the headlights. People say they make the car look like a Hyundai but Ive never seen a Hyundai with lights like that or, more importantly, design like that. I think if they didn’t look like that they would just look to Mondeo-ish and thats another car people think the XF looks like. I think you definitely feel more special in one of these than you do in a 5 Series or an E Class and it has alot of presence. Would I spend my money on one? No question.
very nice indeed. the interior still has a tacky look to it, particularly the chrome covered plastic around the dash and steering wheel controls (however, the design of the interior is fine). audi quality is something to compare it to, a little unfair, i know. and what is this about being a 5 seater and lacking a middle headrest?
i’d rather a mercedes cls500.
The interior comes up better in the flesh/metal (whatever). I have one in the V8, and just love it. Could be quicker (0 – 100 in 6.4, say stats) but feels a little quicker, and ultra smooth. Not tired of getting the thumbs up from other drivers at lights – makes me feel much loved. So good my missus (not a car person at all) wants one (sigh!). And there’s the R coming out next year – 500hp +….sweeeeeeet
So glad that Jaguar have finally produced a sedan worthy of their name.
Oh, they didnt mention what I reckon is the best thing – you can also load music via a USB stick! 2 seconds on the computer popping your latest favorites onto a flash drive, plug it into the centre cubby, and off you go. No more burning disks (though it has a six in dash, plus ipod, plus AUX). I tell you, it made the $145K worth it when I saw the USB port…it needs to be in every new car.
It still looks like a Hyundai, has a stupid start button, vents open & close on start up/shut down, a glove box set to fail and a food blender dial instaed of a gear shift. Another car with a space saver spare, where do you put the full size one you take it off? Where do you find a new tyre at 2.00 am on a Monday morning? A poorly designed car, it is akin to designing square wheels instead of round ones to be different-forget about if it is an improvement.
It lacks any of the charm of old school Jaguars yet has even more to go wrong.
This car is a Prawn…
Keep the body, throw away the head. :)
Hyundai front and ‘try-hard’ Aston Martin/Audi rear end. Jaguar is ‘Jaguar’ no-more. :( very sad
the man who designs aston martins designed this? so it is of no suprise it’s stunning, especially from the rear…
i don’t see why people dislike the front? i think its beautiful.
i love all 5series and higher end models e-class models, but i think this has more appeal! even though it isnt a german… lol.
Im still waiting for one of these people that say this car looks like a Hyundai to say what Hyundai even a small part of this car looks like. I just don’t see it and no one will say! Back up your comments people!
victory Says: October 9th, 2008 at 1:34am -Lacking a middle head rest is a good thing. The middle headrest in cars obscures visibility through the the rearvision mirror.
A very nice car.
I think its the 05 sonata or an elantra coupe or something.
thank’s al lot