2005 Jaguar X-Type

Check out our Used Jaguar X-Type Inventory!!!

The Jaguar X-Type is elegant, comfortable, and fun to drive. It represents a low cost of entry for a Jaguar and a strong value in this highly competitive class. It also gives its owner the distinction of driving a Jag. Yet this entry-level Jag offers something no other Jaguar has: the benefits of full-time all-wheel drive. That makes the X-Type a good choice for rain, snow and ice, and indeed it feels very secure in those conditions. 

A new Jaguar Sportwagon has joined the X-Type line for 2005. Already popular in Europe this estate car, as it's called there, offers great cargo carrying capacity while maintaining Jaguar's unique style. It includes a tailgate with independently opening rear window, luggage tie-downs, removable luggage cover and cargo net. It also includes a neat hidden cargo compartment under the rear floor with a 12-volt power outlet.

2005 Jaguar X-Type Trims

Jaguar has revised the X-Type line up for 2005 by naming models separately rather than just adding optional packages to the basic sedan. Officially Jaguar has dropped the base 2.5 model although some were sold during the first few months of the model year. There are now three sedan models in the lineup and the all-new Sportwagon. All four models are powered by the same 227-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 and include all-wheel-drive as standard.

All X-Type models come with standard equipment expected of a Jaguar: leather-trimmed seating, glossy wood trim (except for the Sport), power windows, mirrors, door locks and driver's seat. All X-Types are also equipped with automatic climate control, remote locking, an auto-dimming interior mirror, tilt/telescope steering wheel and heated door mirrors and windshield washers.

The most popular model is the X-Type 3.0, which comes standard with with a five-speed automatic, 17-inch wheels, moonroof, 70/30 split rear seats and a wood/leather steering wheel. 

However, there is a an X-Type 3.0 available with a manual five-speed transmission. It's in limited supply as few people want a X-Type with a manual transmission. It lacks a moonroof, 70/30 split rear seats and a wood/leather steering wheel, items that are standard on all other models. It also comes with smaller 16-inch wheels. 

The X-Type Sport offers more than last year's Sport package as it includes a black mesh grille, a deeper front spoiler and lower side sills as well as a rear spoiler. It has a sport-tuned suspension with 18-inch Melbourne BBS two-piece wheels with Pirelli P Zero high-performance tires. Although there is no increase in engine performance the 3.0 Sport includes Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with Emergency Brake Assist. Inside the Sport includes a full leather steering wheel and sport seats with perforated leather center sections. Carbon fiber trim fascia and gear surround with sporty Alcantara seating surfaces and door panels is offered as an option on the Sport. It comes with a five-speed automatic. A five-speed manual transmission is available as a no-cost option.

An optional Premium Package is offered for the 3.0 and 3.0 Sport that includes 10-way power driver and front-passenger seats, Homelink-compatible programmable garage door opener, multi-function message center, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and memory function on driver's seat and door mirrors. Also available as an option for these two models is a 320-watt Alpine Premium Sound system with ten speakers in place of the regular 120-watt system.

The new X-Type 3.0 VDP Edition delivers Jaguar's traditionally high level of luxury, starting with more expansively applied exterior chrome, contrasting piping on the seats, burl walnut wood trim and 17x7 10-spoke Andros wheels. It includes Reverse Park Control to warn the driver of hidden obstacles, heated front seats, the 320-watt Alpine Premium stereo system with ten speakers and an in-dash CD change. The VDP also includes the contents of the Premium Package that's optional on the lesser models. 

The 3.0 Sportwagon is equipped similarly to the sedan.

 2005 Jaguar X-Type Interior

The X-Type is a real Jag on the inside, too. Jaguar's leather and wood are done as well as they were in the days when those luxury touches were not added to every model on the road.

The standard seats are quite good, supportive and comfortable, and they can be adjusted every which way. Aggressive side bolstering is added with the Sport model, which is appropriate for more aggressive driving. Side bolstering requires more effort when getting in and out of the seat, however, so the Sport package is best left for those who love spirited roadwork. We had no trouble flinging the car around with the standard seats. 

The cabin has a spacious feel, and outward visibility is enhanced by the slimness of the roof pillars. With the elevation of the driver's seat easily adjustable, drivers of varying heights have an excellent forward view over the hood. The outside mirrors are particularly generous in size, a welcome safety feature at a time when the mirrors on some of the German cars (Mercedes, for example) are getting smaller.

2005 First Drive X-Type

When it was introduced, the Jaguar X-Type set new standards for rigidity of structure. A rigid structure translates into a car that can be tuned to ride smoothly and quietly while cornering like a cat. Our first experience with the X-Type bore this out and was confirmed in the 2005 X-Type Sportwagon.

We've driven the X-Type down winding rural roads near Dijon, France, over mountain roads in north Georgia, and around the high-speed banked oval of Atlanta Motor Speedway. The X-Type was the epitome of stability and confidence in the high-speed sections. Yet it rode smoothly on the streets of Atlanta.

The narrow, high-crowned pavement in France follows the wandering ways of long-ago farm animals over varied terrain. When polished by rain, it becomes a driver's challenge. The dampness was simply erased by the all-wheel-drive system, which offered comforting security. On the French roads, the X-Type seemed to rise to every challenge. Whether on a major highway or winding back road, it always felt smooth and stable. The steering was sharp and precise, and the car feels nimble in corners yet secure at speed.

2005 Conclusions 

Jaguar's X-Type stacks up nicely by virtually any measure, from design to style to space to performance. If it gives up a tick to class leaders in specific areas, it compensates with the elegance only Jaguar can deliver. For more info on the current Jaguar model lineup visit Jaguar.com When you consider all-wheel drive comes standard on all X-Type models, pricing makes them a compelling alternative to the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class.