2012 Jaguar XKR Total Car Score Analysis

The 2012 Jaguar XKR doesn't have enough ratings to earn a valid Total Car Score. 
 
Those who have driven the 2012 Jaguar XKR love the way this car has been put together and how satisfying it is to drive, though that enthusiasm isn't mirrored in the car's relatively low preliminary Total Car Score. As with other models in this Luxury Performance class, a couple of low scores from review sites more concerned with reliability than driving excitement dropped the XKR's TCS lower than expected.  
 
Whenever there's an upper-case R in a Jaguar badge, it means a supercharger bolted to the V8 engine. It makes prodigious power and delivers it effortlessly. The XKR-S -- new for 2012 -- goes beyond even that point and also has a suspension setup that's markedly different from the old-school "waft-a-matic" Jaguar ride. 
 
This is a grand tourer, so the two rear seats were never going to be capacious, but reviewers still find the XKR's too small to be usable for anyone apart from the very young or height-challenged. Not many critics like the fiddly touchscreen interface, either. And although the cabin is inviting, it can still seem rather short on space in general. For anyone who sees the resemblance between this car and a few Aston Martins, they share a designer. 
 
The 2012 model sees some tweaks to the nose and tail, upgraded interiors, the same rotary gear selector found in newer Jags, and a rearview camera is now standard. The XK entered its second generation five years ago and has since evolved to this peak. A third generation is expected in a couple of years.

2012 Jaguar XKR Model Line-Up

The four-seat (in theory) 2012 Jaguar XKR comes as a coupe or convertible. This and the more powerful XKR-S are high-performance versions within a broader XK range. 
 
Both use a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine. In the XKR, output is rated at 510 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque. The XKR-S enjoys 550 hp and 502 lb-ft. Both use a six-speed automatic transmission to send power to the rear wheels. 
 
Standard equipment includes an adjustable suspension, power accessories, a rearview camera, parking sensors front and rear, leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, navigation, Bluetooth, a superb B&W audio system... the works, pretty much. The convertible has a power roof.  
 
Options run to larger alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, sport seats, revised suspension and some aerodynamic body pieces. The XKR-S has most of these as standard, but its front seats are only heated (not cooled). 
 
Safety equipment includes traction and stability controls, plus front side airbags. The convertible also gets pop-up roll bars. These two models have beefier antilock brakes than their lesser siblings. 
 
EPA ratings for the 2012 Jaguar XKR are 15 mpg city, 22 mpg highway and 17 mpg combined. Those figures apply to both the coupe and convertible. It might seem odd, but the XKR-S returns the same numbers as well.

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