Would you buy an X350?

X300
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So I’ve got an early X350, 4.2. My last ride was an X308 4.0 LWB.

I’m not going revive all the existing threads about the appearance of this car; yes it does look like an overweight X-Type from some angles and it does seem to be bigger on the outside than it is on the inside and yes the bonnet is hinged at the wrong end. Where the X308 seemed to slide through traffic like a shark, the X350 is more of a whale.

But I"m on the inside so appearance isn’t a top priority. The high waist put me off a bit; I kept thinking the seat needed raising but it was just that the window sill seems higher… After a couple of test drives today, I’ve observed that it’s quieter than the X308 and, subjectively at least, faster than the X308. My initial impression is that it’s also more frugal (based solely on the on board MPG indicator, which may be inaccurate).

The interior looks like the love child of my X308 and my girlfriend’s S-Type. I think the seats may be more supportive than I remember from the X308. The six speed transmission seems to suit the engine better than the five speed, and progress is very smooth.

Having said it’s quiet, the engine note seems more inclined to adopt what I call the Dukes Of Hazzard tone than the X308 did. It’s very much a V8, more noticeably so than the old car.

The touch screen is a bit clunky and irritating, but I’m sure it was truly All That back in 2003. Having some controls on buttons and some on the touch screen etc will take some getting used to.

This is my first experience of air suspension and I must say I like it. Taking the same corners I used to drive through all the time in the X308, the X350 seems better placed, with less understeer, and in general it seems to be more taut than the old car. I did read somewhere that the aluminium bodyshell is supposed to be a lot stiffer than the X308 was. This is all relative; I’m not really much of a press-on driver. But it’s interesting - especially since this car has done twice the miles that my X308 had done.

Monday will be the real test, when I drive it to work - a mixture of small roads, motorway and busy dual carriageways. I will reset the trip computer before I set off and accumulate a week’s data. (And pack my RAC membership card!)

1 Like
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As I said, I have to accumulate a week’s data - but the first day’s driving to work reported 27.1MPG (imperial) after re-setting the computer at the weekend. I’m cautiously optimistic.

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A couple of weeks in and the fuel consumption seems to be confirmed at around 27MPG imperial for my daily commute, which is around 23 miles of mixed driving. Factoring in the inevitable short dashes across town and 1 mile trips to my girlfriend’s house and it looks like I can rely on 24.5 - 25.5 going forward. I’m happy with that - its certainly better than my X308 used to manage (18 - 21).

The smug grin I had from getting reliable use from my ludicrously cheap ludicrously high milage X350 has been wiped off my face though, as the parking sensors have just packed up. A disappointment since, having never had parking sensors before, I was rather enjoying them. All I get now is a long tone as soon as I select a gear, and often another long tone when I come to a halt in traffic (when the front sensors would normally cut in). I’m going to investigate further before I ask for any help with this. I understand the X350 park module is on the network and I have a fairly sophisticated code reader - I may find it’s just a bad sensor.

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Believe you me the X350 is a far superior car to the X308. After owning an XJ8L for 13 years I can only say it has been the best of the 5 Jags I have owned .
Kim R.

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The problem is, they look just about like every other car on the road, by then. My preference for the X-308 is a matter of styling, not reliability, admittedly. IMHO the X-308 was the last Jag “saloon” that still had distinctly Jag characteristics - e.g., the fuel filler area mounted on top of the fender, the parking brake handle along the outside of the right thigh, etc… :smile:

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I will chime in and say I like my ‘06 x350 VDP. Mileage is outstanding. 27 mpg on the highway at 70mph with the AC on, and I’ve had it show 33 on a long trip with the AC off and the blower going to move some air into the car. Actual was 32.6 or so. Not bad for a car of that size. Around town it’s about 19 or 20.

My beef is with the side bolsters on the seats, which are too stiff for my money. But the car corners like it is on rails. Much improved over my ‘89 xj40 and my ‘97 x300L, and very comfortable on long trips. Navigation system is a dog, but a phone solves that!

Eliot Brenner
Annandale, VA

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Yup - I agree with all of you. The 350 is technically far superior to the 308 - better in just about every respect. But it doesn’t look as nice. I’ve decided I don’t care - I spend my time driving it rather than looking at it…

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The reason I am still driving our 05 X350 is because the latest styling looks like a big humback whale .
Have several other owners where I live who agree and have kept their X350s. lets hope the new Xj design due out in 2019 is more pleasing to the eye .
Kim R.

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On the styling, amen, sir.

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Blockquote

Here in the UK good low mileage examples of X300 and X308 models are near impossible to find so at this point the X350 is the only Jaguar that looks like one!
The X350 gets good write ups generally with niggles like: blistering paint, air suspension, interior trim etc. so i suppose that if I buy another it will be a X350.
All European cars seem to be morphing into humpback whales so there is little distinction between save for the Badges. Of late I have seen numerous Ford Mustanges which appear to be becoming the “Muscle Car” of choice.

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I own a couple of X300 and have owned a X308. Currently, I have two 2005 XJ8; therefore, I can evaluate honestly the models.

The X350 is far superior in every respect such as handling, ride quality, and cabin quietness. Even though styling may be questionable, with each new model, every Jaguar I have owned was far superior to previous models. I drove the current XJ last week. Styling to me is a tremendous negative, BUT, the car was again far superior to my 05 XJ8s. I love my 05 XJ8s but also respect my 1995 & 1997 XJ6VP because of the realiabily of those years.

Richard

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Totally agree with that Richard, hopefully Jaguar will AGAIN return to it’s Classic Styling as it did after the XJ40.