The standard seats are quite good, supportive and comfortable, and they can be adjusted every which way. Aggressive side bolstering is added with the Sport model, which is appropriate for more aggressive driving. Side bolstering requires more effort when getting in and out of the seat, however, so the Sport package is best left for those who love spirited roadwork. We had no trouble flinging the car around with the standard seats.
The cabin has a spacious feel, and outward visibility is enhanced by the slimness of the roof pillars. With the elevation of the driver's seat easily adjustable, drivers of varying heights have an excellent forward view over the hood. The outside mirrors are particularly generous in size, a welcome safety feature at a time when the mirrors on some of the German cars (Mercedes, for example) are getting smaller.
All the switchgear operates intuitively. The silky appeal of Jaguars has made them a favorite with women, and the woman buyer figured early in planning the ergonomics of the X-Type. While there is no evident feminization, this thinking is obvious in controls that fall within easy reach and a steering wheel that tilts and telescopes, allowing her to adjust perfectly to the car. Good ergonomics know no gender, however, and the X-Type adjusts to men quite swimmingly. People of all body types will find a comfortable home in the X-Type.
Lots of stowage inside the X-Type adds to the convenience. The doors have a handy tray near the door handle, as well as a large main pocket. There are dozens of nooks to stow phones, cassettes, CDs, pens, maps or tissues, even ice scrapers and an umbrella. There's even a retractable hook in the glovebox release to hold a handbag, small shopping bag or take-out. The center console is small, however, and there is only one cupholder.
The design of the X-Type isn't all about style. The sedan's trunk is big, something that can't be said for all Jaguars. With 16 cubic feet of cargo space, the X-Type beats the impressive trunk on the Audi A4 (13.4 cubic feet) and the relatively dinky boots in the Mercedes C-Class (12.2) and BMW 3 Series (10.7) sedans. Further, if you pull one or both of the small handles in the X-Type trunk you can easily flip the rear seats forward for carrying longer items. That makes this a practical Jaguar.
Even more practical is the Sportwagon. With the seats folded down it boasts a cargo capacity of 50 cubic feet, which puts it ahead of the BMW 3 Series Wagon, Audi A4 Avant or Mercedes-Benz C-Class wagon. All four are pretty close in capacity with the seats up. However the official dimensions do not include the very useful hidden storage area under the rear floor which can be used to store cameras and other valuables in a molded compartment with dividers. Even more forward looking is the 12-volt outlet in the compartment. It allows recharging of a laptop computer or digital camera while totally hidden from prying eyes. The Sportwagon offers an inch more rear-seat headroom than the sedan does.
