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Jaguar XF Diesel Is Go In the U.S., Starts From $48,445

2017 Jaguar XF 20d 21 photos
Photo: Jaguar
2017 Jaguar XF 20d (Australia-spec model)2017 Jaguar XF 20d2017 Jaguar XF 20d2017 Jaguar XF 20d2017 Jaguar XF 20d2017 Jaguar XF 20d2017 Jaguar XF 20d2017 Jaguar XF 20d2017 Jaguar XF 20d2017 Jaguar XF 20d2017 Jaguar XF 20d2017 Jaguar XF 20d2017 Jaguar XF 20d2017 Jaguar XF 20d2017 Jaguar XF 20d2017 Jaguar XF 20d2017 Jaguar XF 20d2017 Jaguar XF 20d2017 Jaguar XF 20d2017 Jaguar XF 20d
Minus the $995 delivery fee, the 2017 Jaguar XF can be had from just $47,450 in the United States of God bless high-octane jungle juice. Yup, that’s right. The XF is not only cheaper, but it also boasts a smooth and very efficient 2.0-liter diesel engine.
The decision to bring the oil-chugging motor to the U.S. is surprising, to say the least. The Dieselgate saga that made Volkswagen the black sheep of the industry is still going strong, BMW and Mazda have yet to bring diesel engines Stateside, yet Jaguar did it against all odds.

$3,040 cheaper than the cheapest 2017 Jaguar XF V6 available, the 20d unit makes use of an Ingenium four-cylinder mill that displaces 2 liters and develops 177 hp (180 PS) and 317 lb-ft (430 Nm) of torque from 1,750 to 2,500 rpm. It’s not exactly what the boffins call “sporty,” quite far from it, but its strong point is in fuel economy.

The engine, according to the EPA, is good for 42 mpg highway and 31 mpg city. By comparison, the base six-cylinder powerplant manages 29 mpg highway and 20 mpg in urban environments. That’s a big difference and the selling point of this car, especially for customers in the market for a fuel-sipping but extremely posh sedan.

Other than its poshness and sexy styling, the XF also happens to be nice to drive. Here’s Mike Cross, chief engineer of vehicle integrity:

"The all-new XF has to deliver driver reward through agility and immediacy of response when it's called for, and yet great ride composure and comfort too. The all-new XF's light and rigid aluminum-intensive architecture is a key enabler for us delivering those attributes, as it provides an optimal basis for finely tuning the ride and handling characteristics of the car. The result is that the XF is as satisfying to drive quickly, as it is comfortable to be driven in."

Whereas the 20d can hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in 8 seconds dead, the all-paw-drive 20d AWD cuts one-tenth of that time. Both versions of the 2017 Jaguar XF diesel can hit a top speed of 121 mph (195 km/h) and can be had in four trim levels: XF, Premium, Prestige, and R-Sport.

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Editor's note: Australia-spec Jaguar XF 20d Prestige pictured in the gallery.

About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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