Tweaks on the way for Jag's XE

JAGUAR has announced running changes for its just-launched XE mid-sizer, with upgraded safety and infotainment technology arriving in Australia mid next year.

However, the Australian-spec version misses out on the all-wheel-drive option that is now being offered in the United Kingdom and Europe.

Jaguar Land Rover Australia senior public affairs executive James Scrimshaw told GoAuto that the all-wheel-drive version was not in the car-maker's current plans for the local market, adding that it would follow the larger XJ in not being offered here.

“The Jaguar XEs rear-wheel-drive layout is very rewarding and we believe better than competitor vehicles in regards to handling characteristics,” he said.

“Cold climate markets would be looking at taking the AWD versions of XE as they do with AWD XJ models.”

JLR Australia said the refreshed version will retain the existing line-up that includes three petrol and one diesel powertrain options and four grades including Prestige, Portfolio, R-Sport and S, but pricing will be confirmed next year.

In terms of tech changes, the XE will be offered with the InControl Touch Pro infotainment system, which uses a 10.2-inch touchscreen, which Jag says is the largest in the segment that also includes the likes of the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4 and Lexus IS.

InControl Touch Pro features a quad-core processor, a high-speed 60GB solid-state drive and is connected via “ultra-fast” Ethernet. The car-maker says because data is stored on the high-speed SSD, it can be accessed in less time than conventional hard drives.

The screen allows pinch and pan gestures and can be customised with specific shortcuts or special features depending on the needs of the operator.

Two Meridian audio systems are available with the Pro option, including a 380W system with 11 speakers including a sub-woofer, and an 825W unit with 17 speakers also with a sub-woofer. The latter system uses Meridian’s Trifield and Audyssey’s MultEQ XT signal processing technologies that, according to Jaguar, produce “rich, balanced sound throughout the XE’s cabin”.

The InControl Touch Pro will be available on some variants, while others will continue to use the standard InControl Touch system.

Active safety gets a boost too with the addition of an optional 'lane keep assist' system that guides the vehicle back to its lane if it detects that it has veered too far away. This system works in conjunction with the existing 'lane departure warning' system.

The XE also gains a 'driver condition monitor' that warns the driver to take a break if it detects fatigue.

After just two months on sale, the XE has racked up 314 sales in Australia. In that time it has already outsold the year-to-date total of Infiniti's similarly sized Q50 sedan which has found 245 sales.