3
0
Premium midsize car; Built in England
  • 4-door sedan
  • longitudinal front-engine/rear-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $3,000 – $6,500*


2000 Jaguar S-Type


2000 Jaguar S-Type


2000 Jaguar S-Type interior


2001 Jaguar S-Type


2001 Jaguar S-Type

Pros:
  • Acceleration (V8)
  • Handling/roadholding
  • Quietness
  • Ride
Cons:
  • Automatic-transmission performance (V6)
  • Cargo room
  • Navigation-system controls

Blending traditional Jaguar charm with modern engineering, the S-Type ranks as good value in an upper-crust sedan, though it’s not as sporty as BMW’s 5-Series. Reliability under Ford’s jurisdiction should be better than Jaguars of the past.

Overview

Introduced in spring 1999 as an early 2000 model, Jaguar’s smaller rear-drive luxury sedan shared its platform with the Lincoln LS, since both companies were part of Ford Motor Company. Unlike the Lincoln, however, the S-Type was built in Britain using mostly Jaguar-specific components.

Seating five, the four-door sedan came in two versions, with two different engines. The 3.0 sedan used a 3.0-liter V6, derived from a Ford design. The S-Type 4.0 held a 4.0-liter Jaguar V8. Both engines drove a Ford/Jaguar five-speed automatic transmission. Lincoln’s LS used its own versions of each engine.

Traction control and antilock all-disc braking were standard, along with front head/chest side airbags. Options included a Weather Package with Jaguar’s antiskid Dynamic Stability Control, and a Sport Package with computer-controlled shock absorbers and high-speed tires on 17-inch wheels. A Deluxe Communications Package included an in-dash navigation system/cell-phone assistance system, plus voice-activated control for the phone, audio, and climate functions.

Optional Reverse Park Control sounded an alert as the car backed toward an obstacle. As the 2000 model year officially began in autumn 1999, the S-Type added a trunk pull-down strap and switched to restyled alloy wheels. Rivals included the BMW 5-Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and Lexus GS 300/400.

Yearly Updates

2001 S-Type
Jaguar’s Reverse Park Control warning system became standard for 2001. The 4.0 sedan gained a new premium audio system with a six-disc CD changer, mounted in the trunk rather than the glovebox. The Communications Package now included a Motorola digital phone with in-dash keypad dialer. Both models now were rated as Low Emission Vehicles, and gained rear child-seat safety anchors. The 4.0 sedan also got new 10-spoke alloy wheels.
2002 S-Type
A new Sport edition for 2002 used the previous Sport option as its foundation. Available with either engine, the Sport version had body-color exterior trim and sport front seats, plus the previous package’s computer-controlled shocks and 17-inch wheels with high-speed tires. All S-Type sedans added rear cupholders. Jaguar introduced a redesigned S-Type sedan for 2003.

Engines

longitudinal front-engine/rear-wheel drive

Two distinct engines were used in S-Type sedans, driving the same five-speed automatic transmission. In the 3.0 sedan, a dual-overhead-cam 3.0-liter V6 produced 240 horsepower, while the 4.0-liter V8 in the 4.0 sedan made 281 horsepower.

dohc V6
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 3.0/181
Engine HP 240
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 221
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed automatic

 18/26

 19.5
dohc V8
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 4.0/244
Engine HP 281
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 287
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed automatic

 17/23

Road Test

As expected of a Jaguar, the base suspension delivers a plush, supple ride with excellent bump absorption and little tire rumble, even on rough pavement. Large humps induce a trace of “float,” yet body lean is modest in fast corners, where the sedan grips well and inspires confidence.

Quick, informative steering is helpful, though a trifle more effort might achieve better high-speed control. The Sport Package sharpens most other reflexes and its wider tires yield still more grip, suffering only a slight penalty in ride quality and road noise.

Both engines are smooth and hushed, rising to a muted, appealing growl when pushed hard. Performance is satisfying, too. Jaguar claimed a 3.0 sedan could accelerate to 60 mph in 8 seconds, whereas the V8 needed only 6.6 seconds. Both engines demand premium fuel, and an S-Type with the V6 averaged 19.5 mpg.

When it’s cooperating, the automatic transmission shifts promptly and smoothly enough. But in hard driving, it seems to change gears illogically, and can take a while to do so at all–even when using the manual mode of the 2-slot “J-gate” shifter.

Passenger and cargo space could be better, but at least 6-footers have decent head clearance all around. Tall occupants will sit knees-up in back, though foot room is adequate and the seat is properly firm and contoured. The cabin is too narrow to fit three adults in back. Up-front ambience also is cozy, but comfort is excellent.

Rear visibility isn’t the best, but big mirrors help. All-button audio and climate controls are handy but “busy.” The glovebox is tough to access. Interior storage is so-so. The trunk is rather small, though usefully shaped and easy to load. Despite leather and wood, the interior’s plastic trim imparts a generic feel that’s not found in other Jaguars.

Ratings

Model Tested: 2001 Jaguar S-Type 3.0

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 5
50%
Fuel Economy - 5
50%
Ride Quality - 7
70%
Steering/Handling - 6
60%
Quietness - 7
70%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 4
40%
Room/Comfort Front - 6
60%
Room/Comfort Rear - 4
40%
Cargo Room - 3
30%

Other

Value - 3
30%

Total: 50

Specifications

4-door sedan
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
114.5 191.3 71.6 55.7
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
13.1 18.4 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
38.6 36.4 43.1 37.7
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: N/A

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Front Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Rear Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision N/A
Injury N/A
Theft N/A

Trouble Spots

Fuel pump
Description: On some early build cars, a fuel hose inside the tank can fail due to the additives blended into some brands of gasoline causing low fuel pressure and poor engine performance. (2000)
Heater core
Description: An electric water pump may be needed to circulate coolant through the heater core. (2001)
Ignition switch
Description: The key may not come out of the ignition switch due to interference in the shifter mechanism. (2000)
Rough idle
Description: Carbon builds up in the throttle body of 4.0-L engines causing poor idle and drivability problems unless periodically cleaned. (2000)
Wheels
Description: Corrosion (rust) occurs between the wheel and hub making wheel removal difficult; can be prevented by smearing high-temp lithium grease on the hub. (2000-02)
Speedometer
Description: The needles for the speedometer and/or tachometer may get stuck if the battery is reconnected by accidentally double contacting the cable to the terminal. (2000-02)

Recall History

2000-01
Description: Seatbelt buckles were not properly heat treated and do not pass the load-bearing requirement of the standard.
2000-01
Description: Front-suspension lower ball joints were not tightened to specification. Vehicle control could be affected.
2002
Description: Brake fluid warning statement embossed on top of reservoir body may not be visible by direct view.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on July 18, 2014.
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