Comparison tests BMW 335i Vs Jaguar XE S

[Sayyaaf]

Here it is ... the outcome is surprising.

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[tristatez28lt1]

It's Lieberman from MotorTrend. I've talked to some of these reviewers and he is one of the least knowledgeable ones by far. Very opinionated and surely biased (not as much as Clarkson though lol). I do believe that the Jaguar is a nicely driving car. However, the LCI 3 series should take it no problem.

 

[Zafiro]

I like the Jaguar but I rather have an Estorilblue F30 but with a better steering

 

[SKY]

I have to say I like this guy´s reviews. I have not noticed any hate towards any specific brand. I´m 24 right now. I have been following the industry since I was 14. And it not the norm to hear there is a car that dirves better than the 3 Series. Audis, Mercs, always come close (that is what the journalists say when they are launched, but afterwards they always say the 3er drives better).

Jaguar seems to be doing some nice things here and there. At least regarding driving dynamics. To give them some serious credit I will wait until the LCI 3er arrives, and until I read some other tests in the future, like the new XF vs the G30 5er. If Jaguar continues to win, maybe it´s time to say BMW needs to step up their game.

 

[martinbo]

I reckon this XE's going to give the F30 a run for its money in the motoring press. It's looking pretty damn convincing - so much much more so than the X-Type did when it debuted.

I don't think the Motor-Trend review was bad in any way so let the head-to-heads commence.

 

[klier]

I like the Jaguar but I rather have an Estorilblue F30 but with a better steering

That would be the '2016' model, the LCI

 

[SKY]

To me one important thing to consider is the huge story BMW has on this segment and the crappy one Jaguar has. The X-Type was a shame at every level. This is their first real attempt IMO. And having some reviews saying it drives better than the 3er is incredible.

One thing is for certain, that supercharged engine sounds good. Really good.

 

[Sayyaaf]

I don't know if buyers would dare to go for the "different" Jaguar. I still think BMW will have better market share due its popularity.

Now I see @KiwiRob POV when Germans are compared to non-german brands. Its an adventure.

 

[Cashmere]

Great review. The jag does make for a compelling alternative to the F30. I really do like the way it sounds.

On a side note, MotorTrend has really been stepping up their production value lately. It's a pity Carlos Lago has left them as he was a great reviewer.

 

[W201]

Maybe not that surprising.

It's no surprise that Jag is a better sports car - but as a whole package - 3er is the way to go. It will always be, like the Golf in its class.

@Sayyaaf

"To dare" and "adventure" - perfect words to describe the decision to buy Jaguar. Time will tell if it is the right decision.

 

[DblPen]

I dont know why, but in every review Lieberman to me seems incompetent and irritating

 

[SKY]

It´s true being sportier to driver, or having a funnier engine is not enough to go for a car. XJ has been consistenly reviewed as sportier than the F01, and I don´t believe that has hurt BMW sales at all.

But the news here, at least IMO, is how the car is described. It´s not a single thing the Jag does better, there are several areas in which it outperforms the bimmer. Which is new to me. When you read the latest M3 vs C63 reviews, they say the MB is closer than ever, some even say it is the winner, but it´s never a clear win, it´s always so close. But this is a serious win.

I´m so surprissed I might even consider going to a Jag dealer to test it myself.

 

[Sayyaaf]

I dont know why, but in every review Lieberman to me seems incompetent and irritating

On the contrary I hate reviewers that are soft and vague when it comes to rivalry comparisons. Sometimes I think they are afraid to express their own opinion because of the consequences.

A drive of both cars back to back is always the best judgement because each individual has different priorities

For example I can live with a great car but absolutely hate artificial feel or muted experience. Some might find that "Lack of refinement"

 

[Tarek]

This car has grown so much more on me.

 

[Gianclaudio]

Great to hear the Jaguar has a proper, dual A arms/wishbone suspension in the front. Say what you like to say, but McPherson is a cheap solution, that should not be on a "premium" car, even if Porsche uses.

 

[Bucketslash11]

i agree with what's been said about liebermann here, he's incompetenet

i'm also taking what everyone on this forum says with a grain of salt as this foum is named GERMANCARforum so i'm expecting some subtle bias towards german cars

 

[DblPen]

On the contrary I hate reviewers that are soft and vague when it comes to rivalry comparisons. Sometimes I think they are afraid to express their own opinion because of the consequences.

A drive of both cars back to back is always the best judgement because each individual has different priorities

For example I can live with a great car but absolutely hate artificial feel or muted experience. Some might find that "Lack of refinement"

Its not that, i think i just dislike his personality, it gives me vibes that he's the kind of person you want to slap from time to time

 

[ThroughandThrough]

BMW 335i M Sport vs. Jaguar XE S Head 2 Head Comparison
Basque Country Battle: Jaguar Aims for the Bull's-Eye on BMW's Back
Johnny Lieberman
Photos by Steffan Jahn

Mercedes-Benz S-Class. That's all I need to say and you know exactly what class of car I'm talking about. Sure, there's the BMW 7 Series, Audi A8, Lexus LS, and even Jaguar's XJ. But not only does the S-Class outclass and outsell all of them, it also defines the segment. Are there other cars as prominent or dominant? Maybe the Ford F-150, America's best-selling vehicle for 17 million years in a row? Thing is, if you add up Chevy and GMC sales, they usually outsell the F-150. Ram is coming on strong, too. Toyota Camry? Naw, the Honda Accord is right there. Same story for Civic versus Corolla. Hey, what about the BMW 3 Series?

Oh yes, that's a benchmark, a yardstick, a segment definer. Even more than the S-Class, the 3 Series drives around with a huge target on its back. Everyone eventually takes a swing at the 3 Series. When I say everyone, I mean Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4, Lexus IS, Infiniti Q50, Cadillac ATS, and Volvo with its S60. Jaguar once tried to step into the ring with the 3 Series and gave the world the comically inept and totally forgettable X-Type. You remember, don't you? The dwarfed XJ-looking thing with a Ford Mondeo drivetrain and a Mercury Mystique chassis. The X-Type was a complete failure, and Jag never even bothered with a sophomore effort. Until now. Meet the all-new XE.

I first drove the new

XE S late last year in Portugal and wrote, "A year from now if you're buying the Jaguar XE S […], pat yourself on the back, as you've made a truly inspired decision." Meaning that given all of the choices available in this segment at this price point, the 340-horsepower XE S separates itself from the packed pack. At least it seemed to. Hang around long enough in this business and the one truism you learn is that unless you drive the two cars back to back on the same road on the same day, saying one is better than the other is mere speculation. You need to get the two vehicles lined up head to head and learn which one is actually best.

"These cars are shockingly alike. But the Jaguar’s form is better. Sexier even. There’s a little wiggle in the metal. A little curve."

To that end, my counterpart Scott Evans met up with videographer Jim Gleason in Munich, Germany, and drove a brand-spanking-new (2 miles on the odo) candy red BMW 335i M Sport 1,142 miles across France to Elciego, Spain, and the striking, over-the-top Frank Gehry-designed Marqués de Riscal hotel and winery to meet up with yours truly, our German photographer Steffen, videographer Corey Ulrich, and a deep blue Jaguar XE S. The time had come to settle this.

"These cars couldn't be more similar if Jaguar had literally taken a sheet of tracing paper to the 3 Series," Evans says. "Visually, they're the same car, from the dimensions to the proportions to the packaging to even the Hofmeister kink! Frankly, it's shameless of Jaguar." The cars are shockingly alike in appearance. But aside from the very obvious difference—no kidney grilles on the Jag—after a few hours of staring you do start to notice just how they differ. The daylight opening, essentially the glass-to-metal ratio of the car, on the BMW is much larger. The XE is much sleeker looking, much more bunkerlike. Examine the front corners of both cars where the fender, hood, and fascia meet, and you'll notice the cars are once again very similar. But keep looking and you'll notice the Jaguar's form is better. Sexier even. There's a little wiggle in the metal, a little curve, where BMW just used a straight edge. As Evans says, "Jag did it better."

Inside, you notice that if nothing else Jaguar is trying. At first glance, the 335i seems more inviting. Says Evans, "Though the interiors are very similar in size and packaging, the BMW's feels larger thanks to its big windows, which lends it an airiness the Jag simply doesn't have." Also, even though the XE's nav/entertainment screen is now full color, it's still a generation behind BMW's iDrive. Once a laughingstock, iDrive is now nearly the best in the industry. I've already sat in the new Jaguar XF that sports a center stack with much more processing power and an even larger screen. Hopefully that trickles down eventually. It takes time to fully appreciate the XE's innards. Says Evans: "I didn't appreciate the Jag's interior at all when I first saw it, but once I spent time in there, it quickly won me over. The design is far more intricate and mature than it looks in pictures. I continually found new details I hadn't previously noticed. It also feels richer with its leather-wrapped and French-stitched dash compared with the BMW's gummy plastic." The Jag has better seats, whereas the BMW has a better steering wheel and better pedals. Though the XE S' aluminum shift paddles are fabulous.

On paper Jaguar swiftly wins the battle of the two engines. After all, the 335i's 3.0-liter, turbocharged inline-six makes just 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque. Compare that with the XE S' 340-hp, 332 lb-ft of torque, supercharged V-6. But reality is more than a collection of numbers on a stat sheet. To wit, BMW is notorious for underrating the actual power of its engines—this red guy might very well be producing 300/300 at the wheels. The last time we tested a 335i was in 2012. It hit 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, ran the quarter mile in 13.3 seconds at 103.9 mph, stopped from 60 mph in 109 feet, and ran around our figure eight in 25.7 seconds. Decent numbers all around. We don't know what the XE S does, because even if we had dragged our test equipment out to Basque Country, we had nowhere to test the car. So the actual numbers will have to wait until the XE comes Stateside next winter. I'd guess the Jaguar will be about as quick as the 335i in a straight line and a bit more capable in the corners. Here's why:"The biggest differentiator is the way the Jaguar drives," Evans says. "The Jag feels lighter and considerably more nimble than the BMW. The steering is lighter and more precise, and the chassis feels more responsive, all of which lets me put the car exactly where I want it on the road with total confidence. More than that, though, the Jag is more fun and playful. It's a looser car, and though it's quite controlled, there's always the sense it would be happy to rotate if you asked." I concur. I'll also add that the BMW is damn good. Would I say the XE S is in another class than the Bimmer? No. We're talking 5, 10 percent better, tops. But the sporting feel of the Jag is better than that of the BMW.

You have to climb underneath the XE to see where Jaguar spent the money. It's all in the suspension. The BMW uses the familiar MacPherson strut setup in the front. That's great in terms of expense and packaging (they take up very little horizontal space), not so great at keeping the front tires squarely in contact with the pavement while cornering. The XE uses a more space-eating and expensive double A-arm setup. Aside from cost and complexity, double A-arms can keep the front tires better connected to the road in turns. Jaguar even manages to make the ride comfortable; Scott and I preferred the ride of the XE to the 335i.

The real money is spent at the rear of the Jag. Climb under the Bimmer, and you see a stamped steel five-link setup, typical for the segment. True, Mercedes pioneered this sort of rear end on a sports sedan, but it's been massively copied. The Jaguar is much different. The first difference you'll spot is that the big pieces are made from forged aluminum. The second difference is what Jaguar is calling an Integral Link. It consists of a cast aluminum upper control arm and a forged lower A-arm, only the lower piece has been split at the frontmost bottom leg of the "A." The vestigial leg is tied into the knuckle, with a drop link connecting it back to the upper arm. The result is that the XE is supposed to be better able to control its rear wheels over bumps in both the longitudinal and lateral axes. Scott and I think they're on to something. The Jaguar was one and done over road imperfections, whereas the BMW took about three movements before the dampers were settled.

How is Jaguar able to fit such a sophisticated suspension compared with the similarly segmented 3 Series? Platform sharing. The basic bones in the F30 3 Series don't travel up the BMW product line. Sure, you can get a wagon, coupe, four-door coupe (4 Series Gran Coupe), convertible, a couple SUVs (X3, X4), and whatever on Earth the 3 Series Gran Turismo is supposed to be. But the 5, 6, and 7 Series (and Rolls-Royce Ghost/Wraith) all ride on a different platform. While unique to the XE for now, Jaguar will be using this platform on the upcoming F-Pace SUV, the new XF, an eventual XJ replacement, and if they decide to do it, an XK replacement. The downside is that the XE is probably heavier than it needs to be (sadly, we couldn't weigh it), but its aluminum- and magnesium-intensive construction (probably) mitigates that. Put another way, from behind the wheel, the XE feels lighter than the 3 Series.

There is something to be said, though, for the solidity inherent to the 335i. Evans explains: "The BMW, by contrast, is very serious. There's no playfulness from the rear end. It hooks up and it goes, no drama. The car feels pressed hard into the pavement at all times. It doesn't want to rotate. It doesn't threaten to bite in any way. This confidence has long been an asset of the 3 Series." Agreed. Also, the brake pedal feel is much better in the BMW. Evans continues, "But next to the Jag, the 335i feels a bit stuffy and restrained." Remember, too, that this is the M Sport version of the 335i. Not, say, the Luxury version. Do customers want a buttoned-down, "restrained" sports sedan? If they do, wouldn't they be better served by a baby S-Class, the new, luxury-first Mercedes C-Class?

The Jaguar XE S just seemed to be more sporting everywhere. It sounds better (superchargers almost always sonically whip the pants off exhaust-muffling turbochargers) for one. For another, the XE S and 335i literally have the same ZF eight-speed transmission. Only Jaguar has done a better job of programming its version for sport. Crank the 335i up into Sport+ and jam the brakes hard into a corner, and the automatic will never drop more than one gear. When Dynamic mode is activated, the XE S' slushbox is all too happy to drop two gears, and sometimes even three. It's a bad recipe in the BMW, especially when you factor in the slight amount of lag inherent to turboed mills, and unless you're really planning ahead, you'll hit the apex powerless. True, you can get around all this by left-foot braking and using the 335i's paddles, but it's more work. The Jag just effortlessly zips along.

"The BMW is damn good. But the sporting feel of the Jag is better than the BMW’s."

So the Jaguar XE S is our winner. Sadly, Jaguar refuses to release U.S. prices, but we suspect it will be competitive with the 335i. The XE S just doesn't have any noticeable flaws. To keep on quoting Evans: "I came away from this comparison struck by how similar and yet how different these two cars are. Both are top-shelf sports sedans, but they go about it in such different ways. I appreciate the BMW's solid, confident, and accommodating persona that has kept it at the top with customers and journalists for decades. But to me, sportiness is key. The Jaguar XE S is every bit as good as the BMW 335i while being more fun to drive." All I can add is, "Amen."

Rematch? Say Hello to the 340i

Barely more than a week after we finished this comparison test, the press release came across the wire, as if BMW felt a great disturbance in the Force. The all-new 340i, a more powerful 3, would answer the latest challenges.

The 335i-replacing 340i comes equipped with an all-aluminum inline-six engine producing 320 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque. Transmission options include a standard eight-speed auto and a six-speed manual available as a no-cost option for most trim levels. With the automatic, the 340i sedan sprints to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds with two-wheel drive or 4.6 seconds with all-wheel drive, according to BMW. We suspect those numbers are a bit modest; we tested a 2013 BMW 335i xDrive at 4.4 seconds to 60.

BMW promises improved handling and overall driving dynamics. The chassis bears new front struts with five-bolt upper anchor points, redesigned electric power steering, and new rear damper technology. The six-speed manual has been revised with an optional rev-matching function and dual-mass flywheel on the 340i for smoother gearshifts.

A close inspection reveals some key visual changes. The "eyes" have moved farther apart to give the car a wider appearance, and broader side air intakes in the front apron contribute to the new look.

New chrome accents and high-gloss surfaces provide subtle cabin changes. The glove box features new ambient lighting, and cupholders in the center console have a sliding cover. The content of the previous Sport Line is now standard on 328i, 328d, and 340i models. That brings along a sport steering wheel, larger alloy wheels, and blacked-out exterior details. An M Sport package features more options than before, and its list of equipment includes special M-branded aerodynamics, a leather steering wheel, and sport suspension. The new and related optional Track Handling package, designed for driving enthusiasts, brings a sport steering system, an adaptive M suspension, and M sport brakes. Equipment from the Premium package—including LED headlights, lumbar support, a moonroof, and Sirius satellite radio—is now standard equipment on the range-topping model.

BMW's nav responsiveness has been a bit of a sore point, but the automaker says new tech is coming, and maps wil be updated over the air. Other available features on the 3 Series include a head-up display and a parking assist mode that helps drivers navigate into both perpendicular and parallel spots.

The 2016 BMW 3 Series lineup will continue on with both sedan and wagon variants. We expect it will arrive in dealerships later this year. -- Kelly Pleskot

 

[KiwiRob]

Here it is ... the outcome is surprising.

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WHy is it surprising, Jaguar have built a stunning car, he's not the only guy to say it, there's been many tests where the Jag has won agains the 3er and C Class.

Maybe not that surprising.

It's no surprise that Jag is a better sports car - but as a whole package - 3er is the way to go. It will always be, like the Golf in its class.

Is it better as whole package, if you want an small sports sedan, note I said sports sedan not a luxury sedan then the XE is where it's at, it's not just Liebermann, many other reviewers have said so. If you want an entry level luxury sedan the C Class is the one for you. The BMW is the floater, it's not as sporty as the XE and hasn't got the interior to appeal to the luxury C Class buyer, it's stuck in the middle. It will be interesting to see which end of the spectrum the G series 3er goes for.

 

[hovabongZA]

Although I think Lieberman is anti-BMW and just plain irritates me , I can't fault him for this review his just echoing what other reviewer/ have been saying the 3 series isn't the best driving car in its segment.

Even a Lexus IS350 has won most the comparison tests against the 335i because it had better driving dynamics over the 3er.The 3er has become a better all rounder than a better sports sedan that's ATS and XE territory now ....let's hope the revision to the LCI with the engines, suspension and steering will make the 3er a proper sports sedan again.