Skip advert
Advertisement

Jaguar XF Sportbrake 3.0D Portfolio - £41,000-£51,000

Spend another £10,000, and the Jaguar XF is still the best choice for our judges.

Jaguar XF Sportbrake 3.0D Portfolio

Spend another £10,000, and the Jaguar XF is still the best choice for our judges. But in this price bracket, the elegant Sportbrake estate model comes within reach, and it saw off the two other class contenders here.

The Jag was coupled to the largest caravan available on our test – the six-berth Pegasus GT65 Ancona – and it coped easily with the weight. The smooth V6 diesel, with 237bhp and 500Nm of torque, meant the XF breezed to cruising speed, and its rock-solid stability inspired plenty of confidence.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Again, the eight-speed auto was a delight, helping keep the Sportbrake in the right gear atthe right time on the twisty hill route. Accurate steering and a well balanced rear-drive chassis mean you’ll be looking for those twisty roads every time you’re at the wheel, too, as the

Sportbrake is surprisingly agile for its size, even with a large caravan behind. And it’s no slouch, either, as it sprinted from 40-60mph in an impressive 6.4 seconds with the hefty Pegasus Ancona in tow.

The estate body means there’s more space in the rear, and if you fold the seats, the fully carpeted boot’s 550-litre capacity rises to 1,675 litres. Our Portfolio-spec test car had a host of standard kit, too, including heated and cooled seats, sat-nav, a soft-close electric tailgate, interior mood lighting and xenon headlights.

CO2 emissions of 163g/km and 46.3mpg claimed economy are no match for rivals, and the big Jag isn’t cheap to buy, either. But if you want a stylish, spacious estate, the XF Sportbrake could be the perfect tow car for you.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £37,870Avg. savings £2,955 off RRP*
Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai Tucson

RRP £29,540Avg. savings £3,974 off RRP*Used from £15,633
Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,135Avg. savings £5,771 off RRP*Used from £13,571
Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £35,080Avg. savings £3,743 off RRP*Used from £25,098
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Car Deal of the Day: Bag one of the last Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs for under £400 a month
Jaguar I-Pace - front cornering

Car Deal of the Day: Bag one of the last Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs for under £400 a month

The I-Pace shows how good an electric Jag can be. It’s our Deal of the Day for 7 February
News
7 Feb 2025
Best car insurance comparison sites 2025
Person browsing on a laptop

Best car insurance comparison sites 2025

It’s always a wise policy to shop around for car insurance cover, so which websites make it easiest?
Product group tests
6 Feb 2025
BMW X3 vs Lexus NX: which premium mid-size SUV takes top honours?
BMW X3 and Lexus NX - front tracking

BMW X3 vs Lexus NX: which premium mid-size SUV takes top honours?

BMW’s much-lauded new X3 is one of the best luxury compact SUVs on the market – but is it good enough to topple the cheaper hybrid-powered Lexus NX 35…
Car group tests
8 Feb 2025