The 2020 Jaguar XE Gets a Handsome Makeover

As the sports sedan market grows increasingly crowded, manufacturers are doing all they can so their wares stand out among the herd. Case in point: the 2020 Jaguar XE. The stately British saloon has undergone a wealth of cosmetic refreshes to imbue a more angular and aggressive appearance.

There’s a new front end and bumper, with an elongated grille to help give the XE a more grounded stance, and in concert with the LED headlight’s signature “J Blade” feature, the nose looks delightfully menacing. Those who opt for the R-Dynamic S model will also receive aircraft winglet inspired sculpted surfaces in the lower front apertures, to up the ante a touch. The rear of the car was also treated to a redesign that sees a new bumper and rear valance increase. That’ll help with the visual width of the car, as well as helping increase the aerodynamics for a sportier performance. Full LED taillights complete the back end, which looks more striking than the outgoing XE model.

The interior wasn’t overlooked during the design process. There are extensive soft-touch materials, heaps of upscale veneers, and plenty of other cabin enhancements that aim at bolstering comfort and convenience, all while evoking a premium feel.

The upgrades aren’t just limited to aesthetics. Performance and handling tweaks abound, too. There’s a lithe aluminum-intensive chassis that pairs perfectly with a double wishbone front suspension and an Integral Link rear suspension to give the XE rock solid handling. And in terms of power, customers have two options of turbocharged four-cylinder gas engines, with 247-horsepower and 296-horsepower, the R-Dynamic S. The R-Dynamic variant is the performance option, and that comes with standard all-wheel drive, and is good for a sprint to 60 in 5.4 seconds. That higher-output model also gets uprated hardware that sees better engine mapping to afford a more dynamic throttle response.

Pricing starts at $39,900 for the 247-horsepower S model and jumps to $46,295 for the R-Dynamic S sedan.