I personally didn't find the car's handling to be any worse than the sedan's adept capabilities, even with the added weight
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| The light steering and general easy nature of the earlier version X-Type has been replaced with a more substantial feel. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
of its wagon configuration. Jaguar has reportedly revised spring and damper rates to compensate for the differences, and due to this I could find no noticeable differences in ride quality either. Jaguar reprogrammed the stability control system specifically for the wagon as well. I'm sure I would have appreciated this feature matched with the car's all-wheel drivetrain even more if there had been inclement weather during my test week. Nevertheless I had opportunity to slide back the sunroof shade and let the sunshine in through the tinted glass panel - it was too hot to open it fully until nighttime. The seats offer decent lateral support during aggressive cornering, both on the lower cushion and upper seatback. Still, I just couldn't get comfortable, and neither could anyone who joined me in the front passenger seat, regardless of shape or size. The way it is designed (and it wasn't like this in previous X-Types I've tested), there seems to be a ridge that sticks out just below the
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| When you compare the Jaguar X-Type and Mazda6 wagons side-by-side it's surprising how similar they are. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
shoulders, or at least my shoulders. It was so uncomfortable in fact that I didn't jump at the chance to drive it - my usual reaction to having a Jaguar in my garage. Instead I opted for the Mazda6 wagon that I had parked beside it, which offered much more comfortable front seats. I was actually surprised at how similar the two cars are. Both are almost identical in exterior and interior dimensions, with the Jaguar and Mazda being 4,716 and 4,770 mm in length respectively, 1,783 and 1,780 mm in width, plus 1,441 and 1,455 mm in height respectively. The X-Type's wheelbase is a trite longer at 2,710 mm compared to the 6 wagon's 2,675 mm span, while the Jag's also slightly heavier at 1,610 kg compared to 1,537 for the Mazda.
