| First Drive | Glasgow, Scotland | Jaguar X-Type 2.2 |

The Jaguar X-Type has become something of a forgotten curio among the ranks of the small executive saloon. While Audi, BMW and Mercedes dominate any discussions, the X-Type barely raises a murmur. Well, Jaguar has come up with a company car driver-friendly diesel with an automatic gearbox, which it hopes will raise the debate, as well as flagging X-Type sales.

In the Metal

There's not a lot to give away the fact the X-Type was facelifted a few months back. A new grille and front and rear bumpers are about it, and even then you'd have to park old and new side-by-side to really appreciate the difference these small tweaks make. Still, the X-Type remains quintessentially British and has a square-jawed handsome appeal that some of the more clinically executed styling of the Jag's Germans rivals cannot match. Saying that, it works better aesthetically in Estate format.

What you get for your Money

The big news for this Jag X-Type is under the bonnet. There, you'll find a 2.2-litre common rail turbodiesel that has been uprated to 143bhp at 3,500rpm and now produces 270lb.ft of torque at just 1,800rpm. It may not be the most powerful diesel in its class, but the low-rev urge ensures it's never left wanting when the driver puts his foot down.

The interior of the X-Type has been lightly revised too and feels that little bit better made and classier than before - not that the X-Type suffered any quality woes. It's still quite snug in there, which is another way of saying taller drivers and rear passengers will feel cramped. The boot is also still as shallow as before, so the X-Type is not the car for a four-up golfing holiday. However, it does come with air conditioning, cruise control and part leather seats as standard.

Driving it

Acceleration is not especially vivid with the new engine, but it's constant and 0-62mph in 9.9 seconds is enough for this X-Type to be in the running with the rest of the small exec diesel pack. More relevant and impressive is the way the engine can help the Jaguar gather momentum on the move. The six-speed automatic gearbox passes from one gear to the next with relaxed calm, while the engine revs freely. It's a fine combination and easily makes this model the best X-Type we've driven.

As with all X-Types, the ride is well cushioned against the worst of Britain's road surfaces. There's also plenty of grip through corners, even if the steering misses the precision and feel of a BMW 3 Series'. The X-Type is not as agile as the BMW either, but it makes a good long distance machine thanks to the engine remaining quiet and other noises being sealed out of the cabin effectively.

Worth Noting

The X-Type 2.2 D S Auto's economy of 41.0mpg is not class-leading, but it's realistic in normal driving, as we found during our time with the car. On the motorway at a steady legal limit cruise, it's also easy to surpass this figure, so this X-Type makes sense for anyone who values driving past fuel stations.

Not so impressive is the carbon dioxide emissions figure of 184g/km, which trails several of the Jag's key rivals and place it in a higher tax band for company car drivers and private buyers' road tax. This is especially noteworthy given the changes to the road tax system that come into place in 2009.

Summary

The Jaguar X-Type may not be the first car that springs to mind when talking about small executive saloons, but it remains a good looking and comfortable car. The revised diesel engine and smooth shifting six-speed auto are worth considering, but the baby Jag is feeling just a little too long in the tooth to be up there with the class leaders.