Jaguar XE gets an update with touches of F-Type and I-Pace added

The Jaguar XE – Jaguar’s competition for the BMW 3 Series – gets updated for 2019 with cosmetic tweaks and bits borrowed form the I-Pace and F-Type.

Is the Jaguar XE as good as the BMW 3 Series? Probably not, but its is a good car – despite struggling sales – and it’s getting better for 2019.

The exterior titivations for the 2019 XE are relatively modest but include new LED tail lights and headlights with bigger holes at the front to make it look sportier and a new back bumper too, with R-Design models getting a bit more ‘sporty’ looking.

Jaguar look to have focused most of their attention on the XE’s interior though, with soft-touch materials abounding, extra storage and new veneers.

Jaguar has binned the rotary gear selector, which once seemed so cutting edge, and borrowed a real gear lever from the F-Type, with a new steering wheel from the I-Pace as well as the I-Pace’s twin screens and ‘Clearsight’ rear-view tech.

Engine options are the 2.0 litre Ingenium petrol with either 247bhp or 296bhp (that’s P250 and P300 in Jaguar speak) and a D180 diesel with 178bhp and a promised 57mpg. All engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and there is a 4WD option too.

It’s a decent makeover for Jaguar’s XE (although we prefer the not a lot more expensive XF), but is it enough to boost sales?