Jaguar has certainly reminded us that it’s an elite-level luxury automaker in the past few years, and its recent announcements regarding its 2016 model range are a huge step toward stealing buyers from its German contemporaries.
In addition to an expanded range that includes the all-new 2017 XE sedan, priced in the thick of BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class territory, Jaguar has introduced a new warranty program dubbed “EliteCare.”
Improving on the current four-year/50,000-mile warranty, all 2016 Jaguar models will get EliteCare’s five-year/60,000-mile coverage that includes free scheduled maintenance for all five years and free roadside assistance for the same period.
Also included is five years of Jaguar InControl Remote & Protect coverage that allows owners to lock, unlock, or remote-start their Jaguar via a smartphone app; the InControl Protect system automatically calls emergencies services if the car’s airbags deploy and can contact roadside assistance if the car breaks down.
Not only does EliteCare offer slightly better coverage than its German rivals, it also shows Jaguar’s confidence in the engineering of its new model offerings. Looking several years back, Jaguar’s reliability was always a deterrent for prospective customers, even if Jaguar models were priced thousands of dollars under BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi products.
As evidence of Jaguar’s newfound quality, J.D. Power’s 2015 Initial Quality Survey proved that Jaguar had the third-fewest new-car problems of all brands surveyed, behind only Porsche and Kia.
“Jaguar EliteCare provides confidence and value, giving customers a rational ‘permission slip’ to indulge themselves with a car that resonates on a deeply emotional level,” Jaguar Land Rover North America CEO Joe Eberhardt declared.
At competitive price points, Jaguar’s 2016 and 2017 model year vehicles will have a lot to offer luxury vehicle shoppers.
