Having committed the faux pas of making a diesel, Jaguar completed the grand slam of anti traditional Jag values and wheeled out an estate. We tested the ultimate sacrilegious Jag, an X-type diesel estate!

To be fair the Jaguar version of an estate is more the lifestyle version than load lugger and a handsome one at that. It takes many cues from recent small Volvos and is none the worse for it; for many it looks better than the equivalent saloon. Personally I think it's streets ahead and much more cohesive - judging by the number I've seen on the road many agree. The Sport pack features nice 18-inch rims and various other tweaks including the now trademark black mesh grille to give it real road presence.

Inside things are much more familiar. Obviously a big factor is the improved practicality and versatility thanks to the large load space and gaping hatch opening. This space would be bigger if the swooping roofline was squared off but the loss of space is worth the sacrifice for the looks.

A more subtle, but hugely decisive improvement, is the trim colours on our test car. Our previous X-type was a nice dark green on the outside but 5 shades of beige on the inside, something of an off-putting combination. The menacing dark colour of this particular X-type was cool but the dark "midnight" interior was a vast improvement over our previous encounter. The optional satnav screen is integrated really nicely into the dash as per the S-type and XJ and dominates the dash. It works very well and intuitively thanks to its touch screen functionality. Though we are fans of the BMW I-drive system, more users will feel at home more quickly with the Jaguar set-up.

The Sport's driving experience is a little disappointing. The normal saloon drove and rode very nicely, but the handling was a little roly-poly to be enjoyable. I'd hoped the Sport name badge would offer more thrills but was a little disappointed. There's no doubting the grip available thanks to 7.5x18-inch rims adorned with Pirelli sports rubber but there is very little feedback through the steering wheel. Obviously the positive aspect of this is the lack of torque steer and unwelcome interferences through the wheel but it is hard to gauge how hard you're cornering based on steering loads alone.

Straight-line performance is good though with the 2-litre diesel pulling well, although it is starting to feel a little underpowered relative to newer engined rivals though. The announcement of the 2.2-litre version is an acknowledgement of this. Economy is largely unaffected by the estate body though and the brakes remain reassuring and firm.

The X-type diesel estate is a fairly resounding success in my book. It's a real two fingers response to those who say that the X-type/diesel/estate Jaguar is against the marque's values. The market demands such offerings and this Jaguar is worthy of the name; the X-type Estate is stylish, refined, spacious and desirable. If they made it handle well it would be a compelling package.