Flawed X-Type still casts heady spell.
Entry-level Jag's mission is to draw younger buyers.
AWD a virtue but automatic tranny prone to trouble.

MARK TOLJAGIC


What is it about the Jaguar allure that mesmerizes perfectly rational grown-ups?

"Every other week, it's in the shop, but the problem I have is it looks good," confessed the owner of a 2004
Jaguar X-Type sedan on the Web.

"I'm always told: `I love your car.'"

Despite its spotty reliability, Jaguar's entry-level model hypnotizes smitten owners and keeps them opening their
wallets to pay for repairs.

"Every time we bring it in, we swear it's the last time — but the beauty of it draws us back,"
blogged another anguished owner.

The story of the littlest Jaguar is not unlike that of the Volvo S40 sedan we reviewed recently.

Keen to market more affordable vehicles to a younger demographic, premium auto makers seek a cheaper way of
building an entry-level product.

Volvo found a willing partner in Mitsubishi to build a pair of vehicles in a joint venture in the Netherlands.

Britain's venerable Jaguar turned to the Ford Motor Co., its corporate owner since 1989, for help
— just as it did to create the S-Type sedan and its sibling, the Lincoln LS.

This time, Ford shipped a Mondeo to Coventry, England, and asked the Jaguar engineers what they could make of it.

What they turned out was pretty interesting.

Or more accurately, pretty and interesting.

CONFIGURATION

The second-generation Mondeo was brand new and had little in common with the first-gen Ford Contour sold
on this side of the Atlantic — and which had a troublesome reliability record.

Rather than suffer the notoriety of being responsible for Jaguar's first front-wheel-drive car, engineers specified
a standard all-wheel-drive system that directed 60 per cent of the engine's output to the rear wheels
(seamlessly variable in slippery conditions).

The rear suspension was a multilink design to accommodate power delivery to the rear wheels.

Front and rear suspensions were separated from the body through the use of rubber-isolated subframes.

Available only as a four-door sedan initially, the British-built X-Type was first sold in North America in the fall of 2001.

Two similar, all-aluminum, DOHC V6s derived from Ford's Duratec family motivated the car.
The base 2.5-litre engine made 194 hp, while the 3.0-litre version developed 227 hp.

Buyers could choose between a manual five-speed and an automatic five-speed transmission with either engine
— a surprising and welcome choice in keeping with Jaguar's sporting tradition.

Inside, driver and passengers were treated to real maple trim on the doors and dash, aromatic leather and upright chairs.

Unfortunately, the X-Type's compact-car ancestry was very evident inside, especially in the cramped back seat.

"This is basically a two-person car with four doors," warned one owner.

Another blogger suggested the back seat should be used to carry briefcases and children only.

The X changed little in subsequent years. It received a mild front-end restyling for 2004, and the sport package
was upgraded to include larger 18-inch alloy wheels. A five-door wagon arrived for 2005.

ON THE ROAD

Despite its humble origins (although Ford of Europe builds some nice-driving cars), this Jaguar exhibited good road
dynamics, in line with the rest of the cat family.

The all-wheel-drive system nullified any potential torque steer since only 40 per cent of the power was usually channelled
through the front wheels.

Owners in the snowbelt liked the car's ability to plow through (small) drifts and keep going while others faltered.

"Believe me, the BMW hates snow or ice, (while) the X-Type laps it up like cream," wrote one driver.

All-wheel drive also enhanced handling, since the front tires would never grind under excessive understeer, common to
front-drive cars like the Mondeo. The steering feel was flawless and the suspension was characteristically supple.

Four-wheel disc brakes took the little cat from 112 km/h to zero in just 53 metres. Equipped with 17-inch sport wheels,
the X-Type mustered 0.80 g of grip on a skidpad.

The 3.0-litre V6 provided good acceleration befitting of the class — 0-to-96 km/h in 7.2 seconds with a manual transmission
— although performance was appreciably slower with the 2.5-litre six attached to an automatic.

One owner likened the 2.5's power to two hamsters on an exercise wheel.

Others complained that neither engine provided good fuel economy, likely compromised by the weight and friction
of all-wheel drive.

WHAT OWNERS REPORTED

Drivers listed the responsive 3.0-litre six, the stability and traction of all-wheel drive and excellent handling as X-Type benefits.
And the Jag's styling drew envious glances.

On the dark side, the owner of an '03 model posted this:
"Yes, mine is a head-turner, especially when the transmission went at 100,000 km, and I waited on the side of the highway
for a tow truck."

The X-Type's recalcitrant automatic gets a lot of Web mentions, with breakdowns, ominous noises and leaks cited.
"It is a British car, after all," one reader reminded us.

A few drivers reported problems with the manual transmission clutch wearing far too early, as well as a stubborn
shift linkage.

Other common flaws included faulty driveshafts and gas tanks, leaky hoses, broken door and trunk latches, rocking
seat mounts, weird electrical gremlins and faulty instrument readings.

It's a lot to put up with just to have that chrome kitty on your hood. Shop with care.