Review
In my last test (Fleet NewsNet, February 10), I was eulogising like mad about this car’s adaptive cruise control which alters the speed if it senses another vehicle getting too close in front and the memory buttons on the driver’s seat.
The other day I awoke to find the Jag covered in a thick layer of ice and snow and suddenly the most important thing in the world was this car’s Quickclear windscreen. You simply press a couple of buttons and within a minute, steam rises from the side mirrors and the front screen clears.
While my next door neighbour was still dancing round his car, scraping away and swearing to himself, I was on my way down the road with a smile on my face.
As time passes and the Jaguar piles on the miles, my opinion of this executive delight just keeps getting higher and higher.
I have been undertaking quite a few long distance high-speed motorway journeys recently and this is where the car really excels.
I simply put on a nice calming CD, set the cruise control to 70mph and relax – I can’t imagine a better way of getting from A to B in the utmost comfort.
The big 2.7-litre diesel motor is loosening up nicely too – not that you’d realise there actually was a diesel engine under this car’s bonnet.
The S-type glides along as quietly and smoothly as its petrol counterpart.
It is only when it comes to filling up that you start to appreciate the benefits of heavy-oil technology.
Because despite the fact that I haven’t exactly been sparing the horses of late, the Jag is still returning more than 34 miles per gallon – an amazing feat for such a big vehicle.
However, regular checking under the bonnet revealed the oil level was particularly low. This can happen with diesels, hence the term ‘oil burner’, so regular top-up checks are a must.
Fact file
Model: Jaguar S-type 2.7 D Sport auto
Price (OTR): £33,345
Mileage: 6,446
CO2 emissions (g/km): 208
Company car tax bill (2005/6) 40% tax-payer: £309 per month
Insurance group: 14
Combined mpg: 36.0
Test mpg: 34.1
CAP Monitor residual value: £10,975/33%
HSBC contract hire rate: £601
Expenditure to date: Nil
