Skip advert
Advertisement
Long term tests

Jaguar XFR

IS F versus XFR - far from a foregone conclusion. Time for the big Jag to get rid of its winter tyres.

I had a ball in the revised Lexus IS-F we had in last month. Partly because I ran one a year or so ago, so fond memories were rekindled, but also because it felt more hardcore, keener and feistier than the XFR.

This in itself isn’t too surprising as the Lexus is a smaller, lighter car, but I also realised that I’d been pussyfooting in the Jag for the last couple of months while the winter tyres have been on. Two days later I was at Tyres Northampton switching back to the Dunlop SP Sport summer rubber.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Instantly the Jag felt sharper and more precise, keener to turn in and less likely to trigger the traction control on the way out of corners. More than that, I enjoyed the process of rediscovery, of finding handling traits about the XFR that had been covered up for the last three months. Yet another reason to love the big Jag. 

Running Costs

Date acquiredJune 2009
Total mileage26,113
Costs this month£11.99 (coolant)
Mileage this month2713
MPG this month21.4
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Why this 300,000-mile Ford Mondeo felt more revolutionary than a Lamborghini
Ford Mondeo
Opinion

Why this 300,000-mile Ford Mondeo felt more revolutionary than a Lamborghini

With one of the development parameters being the ‘perfection feeling’, the Mondeo was always going to be something special
22 Oct 2026
Petrol v electric: Alpine's A290 faces the Mazda MX-5
Mazda MX-5 v Alpine A290
Group tests

Petrol v electric: Alpine's A290 faces the Mazda MX-5

Alpine’s A290 is under consideration by evo contributor Peter Tomalin as a replacement for his MX-5. A comparison is in order…
25 Oct 2026
Lamborghini Revuelto SV review – the world's best supercar made even better?
Lamborghini Revuelto SV
Reviews

Lamborghini Revuelto SV review – the world's best supercar made even better?

The 'regular' Revuelto is already a world-beater. Now it gets the SV treatment
23 Oct 2026