Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2011 Jaguar XJ VS 2011 Mercedes E-Class Near Phoenix, AZ

Both the XJ and the E-Class Sedan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four wheel antilock brakes, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

The XJ comes with a full 5 year/50,000 mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24 hour roadside assistance. The E-Class Sedan’s 4 year/50,000 mile basic warranty expires 1 year sooner.

The XJ’s corrosion warranty is 2 years and unlimited miles longer than the E-Class Sedan’s (6/unlimited vs. 4/50,000).

Jaguar pays for scheduled maintenance on the XJ for 5 years and 50,000 miles. Jaguar will pay for oil changes, tire rotation, lubrication and any other scheduled maintenance. Mercedes doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the E-Class Sedan.

The XJ has more powerful engines than the E-Class Sedan:

As tested in Motor Trend the XJ Supercharged is faster than the E550 Sedan:

On the EPA test cycle the XJ with its standard V8 gets better fuel mileage than the E550 Sedan RWD V8 (16 city/23 hwy vs. 15 city/23 hwy).

For better stopping power the XJ’s brake rotors are larger than those on the E-Class Sedan:

The XJ stops much shorter than the E-Class Sedan:

For better traction and acceleration, the XJ has larger rear tires than the E-Class Sedan (275/40R19 vs. 245/45R17). The XJ’s rear tires are larger than the largest rear tires available on the E-Class Sedan (275/40R19 vs. 265/35R18).

The XJ’s standard 275/40R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the E Class Luxury Sedan’s standard 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XJ has standard 19 inch wheels. Smaller 17 inch wheels are standard on the E Class Luxury Sedan. The XJ’s optional 20 inch wheels are larger than the 18 inch wheels on the E Class Sport Sedan.

The rear suspension of the XJ uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the E-Class Sedan, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XJ’s wheelbase is 6.2 inches longer than on the E-Class Sedan (119.4 inches vs. 113.2 inches). The XJL’s wheelbase is 11.1 inches longer than on the E-Class Sedan (124.3 inches vs. 113.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the XJ is 1.8 inches wider in the front and .1 inches wider in the rear than on the E-Class Sedan.

The XJ’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (51.1% to 48.9%) than the E-Class Sedan’s (52.7% to 47.3%). This gives the XJ more stable handling and braking.

The XJL Supercharged handles at .86 G’s, while the E550 Sedan pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The XJL Supercharged executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the E350 Sedan (26 seconds @ .71 average G’s vs. 27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the XJ Supercharged is quieter than the E350 Sedan (68 vs. 69 dB).

The XJL has .2 inches more front legroom and 8.3 inches more rear legroom than the E-Class Sedan.

The XJ’s standard air conditioned front seats cool the driver and front passenger and help take the sting out of hot leather in Summer. Air conditioned front seats costs extra on the E-Class Sedan, and is not be available on all models.

To help keep rear passengers entertained, the XJ offers optional rear seat controls for the radio. The E-Class Sedan doesn’t offer rear seat audio controls.