Jaguar XJ (X351) review: a beautiful flagship with no factory future
3.8/5motorssouq Editorial Team
Buy an X351 XJ in Bahrain as a striking, well-driving flagship at a fraction of its original price, not as a long-term investment. It rides and handles better than the German saloons it was aimed at and looks more distinctive than either a decade on, but Jaguar cancelled the promised electric successor and abandoned the nameplate entirely, so specialist support in Bahrain depends on finding a workshop that already knows the car well. Have any candidate inspected for air-suspension and electrical faults before buying.
Pros
- Still one of the most distinctive-looking full-size luxury saloons on the road
- Aluminium body and air suspension give genuine long-distance comfort
- Rides and handles better than the S-Class and 7 Series it competed against
- Steep depreciation makes a well-kept example real value
Cons
- Air suspension and electrical modules are known failure points and costly to fix
- Jaguar cancelled the promised electric successor, ending the XJ nameplate for good
- Specialist support in Bahrain depends on finding an experienced workshop
- No factory warranty remains on cars this age
Ian Callum's design for the X351 XJ is still striking today, and it looked genuinely daring next to the conservative S-Class and 7 Series of its era. The all-aluminium body kept weight down enough that the 3.0-litre supercharged V6 never feels like it is struggling to move a car this size, and the air suspension delivers the kind of long-distance comfort a flagship saloon should.
What to check before buying
The X351's biggest known weak points are the air suspension compressors and the various electrical modules controlling the touchscreen and climate systems, both of which get more expensive to diagnose as Jaguar's specialist network thins out. A pre-purchase inspection at a workshop that already services Jaguars is not optional on this car; it is the difference between a great ownership experience and a parts-chasing nightmare.
Rear-seat space in the standard-wheelbase car is generous by class standards, and the boot at 520 litres swallows genuine luggage for a family trip. The cabin materials, particularly in Portfolio and Supersport grades, still embarrass some current luxury saloons.
Jaguar retired the XJ nameplate in 2019 and later cancelled the all-electric successor it had publicly promised, which makes the X351 the final Jaguar XJ that will ever exist. That finality has not translated into strong resale values, which is exactly what makes a well-maintained example such obvious value in Bahrain today.