27/10/08

• Price29,000
• We like...Wood and leather style, price
• We don't...Lack of space in rear

Smallest Jaguar is big on style. If you're a fan of old-school wood 'n' leather, it's for you Nowadays, the X-type is long-in-the-tooth: it first saw light back in 2001. Jaguar has just given it a make-over, though, and that’s the car you see here. The changes are subtle, though. A new single-paned grille is the one you might notice, taking over from a more old-school twin-paned number. The bumpers are also new while the cabin has gained a mild makeover.

However, unlike the XF, its new big brother, the X-type still looks as Jags have done since the 1960s, and so the cabin of this upper-crust Sovereign model is all wood veneer, leather and chrome. It’s a soothing, feel-good place to sit. For a fair few owners, this and the car’s mini-Jag vibe is enough to sell them on the car. And it’s a fair place to arrive when you reckon that, for the price, it looks good value against the BMW 3-series or Mercedes C-class that you might otherwise buy. We like its retro feel, even if we’re not sold on the steering wheel’s wood-and-leather rim : the wood section feels clammy.

One thing the refit couldn’t change was the size of the cabin: it’s a touch tight in the back for taller adults, but the front seats are an exceptionally comfy place to spend a journey. The boot is a fair size, if shallow, and the rear seats drop to add space whenever needed.

But what’s it like to drive? Just like a Jag: it’s smooth and it lopes along gracefully. That said, hit a pot hole, and the thump can be clearly felt and heard inside the cabin. The steering also has an un-Jaguar- like vagueness around dead-ahead and it’s not as precise as we’d like as you turn further into a bend. But it never feels less than safe or composed, though, and it always feels controlled enough for you to hustle it along quickly, if you’ve a mind to.

And the 2.2 diesel engine plus six-speed auto transmission is on our test model is well matched to the car’s abilities. While at 143bhp it’s a brisk performer, not a fast one, motor and gearbox combine well, slipping between cogs so you’d barely notice and riding in the engine’s sweet spot for power. It’s also pretty quiet. The set-up is front-wheel drive, something you’d perhaps not expect in a Jaguar but, to be honest, it’s something that only a diehard fan of the marque would quibble over. Meanwhile, its 47.1mpg best overall fuel economy looks strong and its 164g/km of CO2 output keeps road tax and company car tax bills affordable.

New, it’s keenly priced against rivals. Even so, it’s one that’ll shed a fair bit of its value during its early years on the road, making second-hand ones superb buys once they’re a couple of years old.

All told, the X-type hasn’t quite the measure of its newer rivals from the likes of BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. But if you fancy something different, character-packed - and British – there’s nothing better for the money.

• Engines2.2 D
• Power143bhp
• 0-60 mph8.5sec
• Economy47.1mpg
• CO2g/km159
• Insurance groups15
• EuroNCAP
• Airbags6
• Seats5

Motors.co.uk value verdict: