Jaguar’s XF has hung on to the Executive Car of the Year category for 2014, marking a three-year reign since it bagged the spot from its chief rival, the BMW 5-series, in 2012.
You could be forgiven for thinking the XF is riding on a wave of popular acclaim (which is, in part, true because it’s an immensely desirable car), but Jaguar has introduced measures to make its smallest four-door more attractive to the fleet community since our previous set of awards in 2013.
Midway through last year, the firm revealed a series of tweaks to the 2.2-litre diesel engine, which saw emissions drop by 6g/km to 129g/km with official fuel economy pegged at 57.7mpg.
That might not be the single biggest drop in economy we’ve ever seen, but it’s enough to get the Jag under the landmark 130g/km writing-down allowance threshold that came into force when the previous financial year ended.
It’s a worthy win for Jaguar then – a manufacturer that often sells cars based on heart-over-head appeal rather than pure logic – as it has moved with the times and made a sought-after executive saloon a sensible choice for fleets.
The XF also remains one of, if not, the best looking and driving car in its class.
