Jaguar XE 25t vs Mercedes C 200 comparison

If you want to sell big, you have to sell small – it’s a principle that applies quite universally to car companies, and more so in India. It’s no wonder then that Jaguar’s been languishing in fourth place in the luxury car market here. So far, its model range has just been a mid-size and a large sedan, and a sportscar. Now, however, it’s just launched the new XE, which joins the fray in possibly the most popular luxury segment of them all. The thing is, that puts it up against some of the best in the business. Being a compact, sporty, rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan, its two direct rivals are obviously the BMW 3-series and Mercedes-Benz C-class, but there’s a catch here. Jaguar has chosen to launch the XE with only a petrol engine, while BMW has just launched the updated 3-series with only a diesel engine. Mercedes, thankfully, has both options, so it’s the C 200 petrol that will be stepping up to the crease to defend Germany’s honour this time around, as the top-spec versions of both cars go head to head.

British chalk, German cheese

They may share a similar drivetrain layout, but the way these cars have been designed shows two very different ideologies. Jaguar calls the XE a sports sedan and it shows in its very shape. It’s got a long bonnet, a swept-back passenger cell with a curved roof and a blunt, short boot. The Mercedes, on the other hand, has a more classic, limo-like three-box profile. Even in the surfacing, while the XE has taut, muscular lines, the C-class is softer and more contoured. They both draw heavily from their full-size siblings too, with more than just a hint of the XJ and S-class in their look. It’s in the detailing where things really start to get different, however. The Jag could be seen as the subtler one, relying more on its sharp proportions to get your attention. You’ll like the ‘J-blade’ signature LED running lamps, the big chrome-lined grille, the chrome side vent and even the F-Type-like LED pattern in the tail-lamps. The C-class has a lot more bling though, with really intricate full-LED head- and tail-lamps, a big three-pointed-star on the nose and even more chrome embellishments all around the car. Whatever your preference is, there’s no doubt the C-class makes a stronger first impact.