Jaguar XE

Technology: Diesel/Petrol

Acceleration: 8.4 – 5.1 seconds

Top Speed: 132 – 155mph

CO2 Emissions: 194 – 99 g/km

Economy: 37.7 – 74.3 MPG (combined)

Power: 163 – 340hp

BIK percentage: 17 – 33% (15/16); 18 – 37% (16/17); 19 – 37% (17/18)

Arrival date: Now

Jaguar’s return to the small executive saloon market was always going to be tricky, but in the XE the British marque has a model that is up to the task.

Built around a lightweight chassis, with a number of efficient engines under the bonnet, the XE has a strong starting point.

That chassis has helped the XE become the lightest and stiffest Jaguar saloon ever and draws on technology filtered down from the XJ and XF saloons

That said, the F-Type coupe has played its part in the XE’s development with Jaguar realising that, to go up against the BMW 3-Series, it must be an engaging drive too.

With a choice of six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmissions – linked to a choice of petrol or diesel engines – the XE provides a range of models from the highly efficient to extremely rapid.

The most popular model is likely to feature the 2.0 litre Ingenium diesel engine in R-Sport specification. This engine comes in two power levels – 163hp and 180hp – and offers fuel economy as high as 74.3mpg and emissions at just 99g/km.

In short, the XE has fulfilled its brief, taken the fight to the German saloons and more than held its own.