I’d always wanted to own a Jag!

Cars like the Jaguar X-TYPE were but a figment of an active imagination in my formative years. Light years away like the spaceship that took my heroes Dan Dare and Digby around the cosmos in the Eagle comic my Dad used to read to me.

Well the imagination caught up when, with a rush of adrenaline, I manoeuvred the latest big cat out from its compound at the Jaguar centre in Dublin for the trip home. Elegance itself as it glided along. I imagined I was too.

The review car was the 4WD 2.5 V6 Automatic ‘Executive’ 5-speed - the most fully equipped version. Standard price is £41,250. Automatic transmission adds another £2,080.

The car is also available at entry level and sport models.

It was like a treasure hunt discovering goodies like cruise control, a built in telephone keypad, reverse assist sensors and the options available in using Jaguar’s J Gate automatic transmission.

The car attracted much attention wherever we went. All those curves and great styling. One man referred to it as ‘a real babe magnet’.

The Topaz colour exterior, with Heritage Tan leater seats inside, drew many comments, all bar one favourable. A big bonus, this colour never shows the dirt. Not even in atrocious weather conditions.

On the twisty country road from Kildare Town out past the National Stud to Kildangan, a good test for any car, it held the road beautifully and was quiet to drive. But it was in higher speeds along the motorway that it really showed its mettle. More a cheetah than a Jaguar. The all-wheel drive helps it keep its grip in all weather conditions. Torque is split 40% to front wheels, 60% to rear wheels.

Inside, the cabin is spacious without being too big. Lots of head and leg room front and back. Good quality dark plastic, a lot of sumptuous leather and maple wood trim. Knock on the wood, it’s real! When the sun shines, it produces an almost 3-D effect on the knots and knurls.

The dash has a lovely long sweep while the four-circled instrument cluster features white numbers on a Jaguar racing green background. All circles have a chrome surround.

The steering wheel can be adjusted for tilt and reach and included volume controls and telephone mute on the wheel.

The Jaguar J Gate was lovely to use when in automatic mode but I felt it could be easy to miss one of the ‘manual’ gears when flicking though them on the short leg of the gate.

Another small gripe, but an annoying one. In very heavy rain the passenger’s windscreen wiper deposits a lot of water on the centre of the driver’s part of the screen before it is wiped away. And the car doesn’t have a rear wiper ... I believe ALL cars should have, whether saloon or hatchback.

The glove compartment was disappointingly small when opened but has a netted flap to keep things in place. More bits 'n' pieces can be accommodated in the two areas beneath the front armrest. The door cubby is quite restricted because of the large door handle just above it.

However, the illuminated boot is simply enormous, and can easily swallow up a number of large suitcases. I especially liked how it opened through the remote control and how all doors lock automatically as the car starts to move. Incidentally, the remote control also features a panic alarm.

Standard equipment includes all-wheel drive, anti-lock brakes, air conditioning, power adjustable and heated exterior mirrors, alloy wheels, electric windows, wood veneer, trip computer, front and side, driver and front passenger, eight airbags, stereo cassette sound system with 4 twin cone speakers.

What it could have done with was a decent rest for the ‘redundant’ left foot ... for some strange reason the brand’s owner, Ford, seems to have the same problem with its Mondeo!

If the need arises, it can do the 0-60 mph trip in 8.5 seconds and has a top speed of 137mph which of course we’re not allowed to do here.

In July, Jaguar celebrated reaching a production figure of 1.5 million cars. Sales are set to increase substantially when the X-TYPE goes on sale in the US and Japan later in the year, and the company expects the new small car to effectively double its total annual sales to 200,000.

In the latest J D Power quality survey, Jaguar emerged as the manufacturer with the largest improvement in quality, ahead of brands such as BMW and Mercedes.

With the 2.5-litre entry level costing £36,600, the X-TYPE is set to appeal to a whole new generation who couldn't reach for a Jag before.

It is also available with the 231bhp 3-litre engine.

But be warned, the car under review, the 2.5-litre automatic which cost £41,250 only averaged about 22mpg on the combined cycle. Make sure you have a good expenses account at the ready. But even with that I still want to own a Jaguar ... someday.