2020 Jaguar XE Performance

The Jaguar XE is no longer available with a diesel engine. While that is a problem for those who seek economy, Jag has also killed the dreams of gearheads with the axing of the V6 engine too. To rub salt into the wound, no 2020 Jaguar model comes with a manual gearbox. No, for 2020, you get a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-pot and an eight-speed auto. In the base mode, this produces 247 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque, and whether you opt for the optional all-wheel-drive system or stick with the standard rear-wheel-drive setup, 0 to 60 mph is still claimed to be 6.2 seconds.

The other option is the R-Dynamic model, a trim that comes exclusively with all-wheel-drive and features an increase in output to 296 hp and 295 lb-ft. However, thanks to a lack of launch control and increased weight, claimed 0-60 times are only 5.4 seconds. Interestingly, real-world test drives have shown that the base model and this top trim are actually very similar, so the R-Dynamic comes across as a bit of a waste here. Whichever trim you opt for, top speed is limited to 155 mph.

The base model produces 247 hp and 269 lb-ft from its 2.0-liter turbo four-banger. With no manual transmission, you only have an eight-speed automatic with paddle-shifters at your disposal. Although the engine produces average outputs that neither raises the hair on your neck nor puts you to sleep, the gearbox is at least excellent, hanging onto gears past its quoted redline and only changing up at 6,500 rpm. The engine itself is, as mentioned, not offensive, but it is certainly helped by that transmission, with the auto helping fill the gaps in power and making the car feel a little quicker than it is. However, we can't help but lament the loss of the V6, as the 2.0-liter turbo in the base model is notably flat and devoid of character, never really inspiring spirited driving.

The R-Dynamic S offers a little more oomph from the same 2.0-liter turbo, with 296 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. However, its increased mass almost completely cancels out the power advantage. Since it comes with all-wheel-drive as standard, acceleration from the line is only a little better, but the overall experience is surprisingly a bit more enjoyable, with a more attractive exhaust note and a generally improved eagerness to overtake.

While we may lament the economy lost by culling the now-bygone diesel engines, the 2.0-liter turbo gas engine we're left with in the USA isn't too unkind to polar bears either. Naturally, the most offensive trim is the heaviest - the AWD R-Dynamic. This model returns 22/30/25 mpg on the city/highway/combined cycles. The all-wheel-drive base model is notably better, scoring 24/34/28 mpg on the same cycles. Surprisingly, the base model that is some 115 pounds lighter is barely any more frugal, improving only on the city score with 1 mpg more. All models get a 16.6-gallon gas tank, allowing the most economical models to return an estimated mixed range of around 465 miles between fill-ups.