Thanks to Brexit and the surge of demand for electric vehicles, the British auto company Jaguar has been undergoing a lot of changes. A new F-type car is already in production, and the company wants to make a new I-Pace that can take on rivals like Tesla and other EVs. It’s very possible that Jaguar will soon replace all of its existing vehicles with hybrid or fully-electric cars to keep the brand fresh.

Speaking with AutoExpress recently, the company promised that these new vehicles will be “more glamorous” than previous models. However, Jaguar cars may need more than just updated interiors to get back their popularity with consumers. Due to re-occurring mechanical issues, these vehicles have gained a reputation for being unreliable.

Electrical problems

One of the most common issues across all Jaguar cars is electrical failures. Many drivers experienced their Jaguar’s battery dying multiple times during a brief ownership period. Other issues reported include transmission failures, faulty oxygen sensors, and body wear. Each of these problems on its own is not a terribly expensive fix, but the costs definitely add up over time. 

Additionally, there was an issue with the restrictive performance mode, which is designed to kick in whenever it detects that the car’s fuel level is low. In some cases, it was triggered by a glitch in the car’s computer system. During restrictive performance mode, the car can only go up to 25 miles per hour, which could make it potentially dangerous to drive if this mode is engaged on the highway. 

Low sales

Jaguar once had a reputation for having some of the best luxury cars on the market, but performance issues have set the company back and cost it a lot of profit. The company usually sells around 600,000 units worldwide, with 115,000 of these sales being from American buyers. Currently, the most popular Jaguar in the U.S. is the Range Rover, which sold 75,000 units in 2017. This number dropped dramatically in 2018, and the company sold less than 30,000 cars across its entire catalog in the U.S.

Current design

At present, it doesn’t seem like any Jaguar car really needs a design change. Models like the XJR and the F-Type SVR run just as fast as race cars and have the aerodynamic appearance to match. Even the original E-type, which was released in 1961, has a design that still looks dynamic by today’s standards. Given the company’s good track record, we can safely assume that any new designs will only enhance the car’s look. Additionally, changes in the body styling could open up possibilities for even more powerful engines.

Positive reviews

Despite its underlying issues, Jaguars still aren’t bad cars by any means, and many models have received praise from buyers. The Range Rover has a good selection of powerful engines, including a supercharged V8 capable of 557 hp. The latest F-type has the glamorous sports car interior and exterior to match, and its supercharged engines can bring it from 0-60 in under four seconds. The latest I-Pace has an electric range of 240 miles, which matches Tesla’s Model S while being more affordable.

Plans for the future

Jaguar has announced that it is opening a brand new design center for its future cars. This facility will have more workstations with updated modeling technology, as well as more engineers on staff.  For now, the company has decided to focus on updating and refining its current lineup of vehicles, including the electric versions slated for immediate future release. A spokesperson for Jaguar said that the company has been listening to its consumers and will take their concerns and ideas into account as it moves forward with the new designs.