And, although I'm sure the chassis alterations have had an effect on the XF's sensitive steering, it feels just as delightful to twist in my hands and memories as the wheel found in a saloon. It's also telling that I haven't felt the urge to switch to the Sportbrake's Dynamic chassis setting yet, which firms up the XF's adaptive dampers somewhat and ideally makes it feel livelier. I am aware that I should have done so. That I shall do. However, the heavier, higher, all-wheel-drive Range Rover Sport equipped with the same engine feels much more lively than the Sportbrake. Which, in my opinion, is very strong indication that there is potential for improvement.
The test vehicle is well equipped, with a price tag that exceeds the 90-mile mark in this instance. The XF Sportbrake lacks an adaptive cruise control, but does come equipped with a reversing camera. Aandachtspunten zijn vooral gelegd bij het configureren om het zo gelikt mogelijk voor de dag komen. Even more surprising is the fact that the station wagon for the changeover is not equipped with dark accents. As a result, you get a lot of blinking chroom tegemoet.
7 / 10 for safety
The XF Sportbrake is equipped with an abundance of standard safety features, including a tire pressure monitoring system, a reversing camera, blind-spot recognition, lane departure warning, and front and rear parking sensors. Additionally, a complete complement of front and side-impact airbags, dynamic stability and traction control, and the ISOFIX rear child-seat anchoring system are included as standard. Our test vehicle had the Driver Assistance package, which includes adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera, traffic sign recognition, and the ability to park autonomously in parallel and perpendicular parking spaces.
Indeed, that balance of practicality, performance, and good driving characteristics appears to be the point of our test car, which is powered by Jaguar Land Rover's middle-of-the-range Ingenium 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine producing 247bhp and mated to a standard eight-speed automatic transmission.
The XF Sportbrake R-Dynamic SE trim adds sporty accents, 19-inch black alloy wheels, and a selection that juggles engine and gearbox characteristics to enable Sport and Economy modes in addition to Comfort. While this is an appropriate vehicle for transporting the family and their belongings on vacation, it can also provide enjoyable driving.
