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Is the gearbox happier with 188BHP or 197BHP engine?

3K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  Muenster 
#1 ·
Hi - I'm looking to purchase my first XF (can't wait!) - probably a Premium Luxury circa 15k-16k with hopefully less than 45k-50k on the clock. I came across a year long road test where the reviewer mentioned he felt the 197 BHP 2.2L was a better choice (as opposed to the 188 BHP) as "...the engine seems to have been tuned more sympathetically with the eight-speed auto ’box, the recalitrance of which has been our biggest bugbear. The result is a more coherent drive, with less unnecessary revving or premature upchanging."

He also commented of the 188 BHP that he drove for 11 months "...There's nothing particularly wrong with the engine or its still-sufficient performance. It's that the gearbox is constantly, annoyingly shuffling around to deliver both economy and performance, and the worst part about this is that it's too eager to drop you into eighth gear. This means that the four-pot diesel – never the most refined of engines – is often at 1500rpm or so, at which point harsh, buzzy frequencies vibrate through the car. I end up defaulting to manual mode all the time so I can avoid that scenario.

Roadtest - http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-re...uar/jaguar-xf-22d-2012-long-term-test-review/

Is this something to be genuinely concerned about and therefore is it better to be hunting down my dream XF but with the 197 BHP engine? I guess the MY2013 would also come with at least the Meridian 380W stereo too?

I've also seen an XF with a sunroof which I'd like for the extra light into the cabin but at 6'3" I'm a little concerned about the lowered roof and head room. Any tall drivers had issues if they've had a sunroof.

Thanks
 
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#2 ·
I didn't know there was a 188BHP engine. I thought the two options were either 163 PS or 200PS. Given there is a fair difference in power between these two I can understand why the 163 would feel underpowered. However if there is such a thing as a 188BHP engine, given there is only 9BHP difference between that and the 197BHP engine I can't imagine that would make any noticeable difference. For the record mine is the 200PS engine, and at lower changing speeds it does still sometimes hunt around for the right gear, but at cruising speed or under brisk acceleration does not do this.
 
#5 ·
The 188 bhp or 190 ps was the first version of the 2.2 l diesel introduced in the MY2012 facelift of the XF. Then came the 163 ps version, which was in a lower tax bracket in some countries. Later the 190 ps version was replaced by the 200 ps version (or 197 bhp). So the engine depends on the age of the car.
 
#3 ·
there were only 163/190/200 bhp versions of 2.2d with x250? definitely go for higher bhp as it looks like 63 is underpowered.
 
#4 ·
Avoid the 163 and go for a 200. The box still tends to seemingly shift uneccessarily eg from 8 to 7 at 70 mph-ish but not as bad as the 163. The received wisdom is that the box is best suited to the 3.0 v6.
NM
 
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