The Jaguar XJ has been around for about 6 years in its current form, and I’ve reviewed various versions of this car on quite a few occasions in the past. It is still one of my favorite large luxury sedans; sure it may not have all the technology of the new S-Class, but I still love its seductive exterior and elegant interior.

Last week I spent some time reviewing the 2015 Jaguar XJL Portfolio AWD 3.0, which is powered by a 3.0 liter supercharged V6 engine. The V6 engine was introduced a couple of years ago, as we mentioned when we reviewed the short wheelbase V6 equipped XJ in 2013.

The 2015 Jaguar XJ is offered in three trims, in either short wheelbase (SWB) or long wheelbase (LWB). The car we reviewed is the XJL Portfolio, it has a starting price of $96,490 CAD (before PDI). It’s powered by a 3.0 liter supercharged V6 engine producing 340 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque, with a 0 – 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of 6.4 seconds.

The next trim is the XJL Supercharged with a starting price of $105,990, it is powered by a 5.0 liter supercharged V8 engine producing 470 HP and it reaches 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds. The top of the line trim is the XJR LWB with a starting price of $122,900, it’s also powered by a 5.0 liter supercharged V8 engine that produces 550 HP and reaches 100 km/h in 4.0 seconds, that’s faster than many high-end sports cars! The same engine/trims are offered on the short wheelbase XJ’s as well.

The XJ has stayed relatively the same over the last few years, so there isn’t much to say about this new car, here are links to my previous reviews: 2011 XJ, 2012 XJL, and 2013 XJ 3.0. The Jaguar XJ (X351) has been in production since 2009 and I believe this is the oldest design in the large luxury sedan segment, but it still looks fresh and is one of the most attractive designs, in my humble opinion. The exterior is very sleek with flowing lines, giving the car a very sporty look. Each time I’ve had the car for a review, it has been a head turner and I constantly get asked about what type of a car it is etc.

Like I said in my previous review of the XJ equipped with the V6 engine (here), the V6 engine is a good engine but I still prefer the V8. The power the V8 produces is even more addictive and the sound of that engine is pretty amazing.

Driving the XJL around town is pretty easy, the 8-speed ZF automatic transmission is very smooth and the power delivery is good and there is also enough power when you need it. The long wheelbase XJ is a very large car but it does not feel like a big car from the driver’s seat. The car feels very nimble and light on its feet. When it comes time to park in a mall parking lot, that’s when you realize how big this car really is. But parking isn’t as hard as you’d expect thanks to the front and rear parking sensors and a backup camera.

Driving on the highway is a beautiful experience, this car is meant to be driven on long road trips. The car is very quiet and there’s plenty of grunt to get you up to speeds that could get you a massive ticket. Passing slower cars is a breeze, however the transmission does tend to go to higher gears while driving on the highway, once you hit the accelerator, the transmission shifts down a couple of gears and you’re passing other vehicles in no time and reaching higher speeds.

The interior on the XJ is also unchanged from the last time we reviewed this car, it’s still a luxurious place to be in. Our white XJ was equipped with cream color leather and dark wood, giving the car a very elegant look. It almost looked like a private jet. The interior is very quiet and there is lots of room for the front occupants and even more for the rear passengers, especially in the L version, with 5 inches of extra legroom.

The driver and passenger seats are 20-way adjustable and come with heating and cooling, and massage! Nothing beats driving around in a beautiful luxury sedan while your back is gently being massaged. The rear seats are also heated and cooled but do not feature the massage function, I think the rear seats should also have the massage feature, because this is a long wheelbase car and executives like be driven, so the massage feature would be icing on the cake.

The car is packed with the latest tech gadgetry found on many of the new luxury cars, below is a list of what you can expect from the XJ:

Proximity Key with Push Button Start
Soft-close doors
Rain Sensing Wipers
Auto-dimming Mirrors
Front & Rear Parking Sensors
Rear Camera
Blind Spot Monitoring
Navigation
Satellite Radio
Voice Command
Bluetooth Connectivity
Meridian Sound System
Heated & Cooled Front and Rear Seats
Front Massage Seats
4-Zone Climate
Panoramic Roof
Suede Headliner
Self-leveling Rear Air Suspension
Speed Sensitive Steering
Auto-leveling Xenon Headlights
Dynamic Stability Control
Front & Rear Parking Sensors

Overall, I think the Jaguar XJ is a fantastic luxury sedan, I’ve reviewed the car on quite a few occasions and every time I love spending my week behind the week of this car. The car is luxurious, very fun to drive, and it is extremely pleasing to the eyes. It turns heads everywhere it goes, even though the design is almost 6 years old.

For more information on the Jaguar XJL and other vehicles in their lineup, head on over to jaguar.ca.