Jaguar XE review: the compact sedan enthusiasts loved and buyers ignored
3.3/5motorssouq Editorial Team
Buy an XE in Bahrain if you value how a car steers and rides more than badge prestige or resale certainty. The 250 hp four is enough, the chassis is the best-handling in its class, and the used prices reflect a car the market never warmed to. Just accept that boot space is small, rear space is tight for adults, and Jaguar's exit from combustion cars makes this a car to enjoy rather than to keep for a decade.
Pros
- Best-handling compact sedan of its generation, ahead of a base 3 Series
- 250 hp Ingenium four is enough for Bahrain's roads with reasonable running costs
- 2019 facelift brings a far better touchscreen and infotainment system
- Undercuts a comparable 3 Series or C-Class by a wide margin on the used market
Cons
- 410-litre boot and tight rear legroom trail a 3 Series or C-Class
- Pre-2019 infotainment felt dated even when new
- Jaguar ended XE production in 2024 with no direct successor
- Thinner parts and specialist network than German rivals
Every road tester who drove the XE against a contemporary 3 Series came away preferring the way it changed direction, and nothing in the eight years since has really changed that verdict. The rear-drive aluminium platform and double-wishbone front suspension give it a directness that Jaguar's German rivals only matched with their sportier trims.
Why it did not sell
The reasons the XE lost the sales war are visible the moment you open the boot or sit in the back seat: 410 litres and tight rear legroom compare poorly with a 3 Series or C-Class, and pre-facelift infotainment felt behind even at launch. Jaguar's 2019 facelift fixed the electronics with a better touchscreen, which is the version worth prioritising on the used market.
The 2.0-litre Ingenium four is the only realistic GCC engine choice, and it does the job without drama: enough performance for Bahrain's roads, reasonable fuel use, and a ZF eight-speed automatic that shifts more smoothly than the E-Pace's nine-speed unit.
The XE's commercial failure is the used buyer's leverage: prices undercut a comparable 3 Series or C-Class by a wide margin. The trade-off is a smaller, thinner specialist and parts network in Bahrain, made permanent now that Jaguar has stopped building petrol and diesel cars altogether.