Need-to-know Guide On The Jaguar Xf Safety Features

By Author: Stephen Gransville
Total Articles: 8
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The following guide will look into the essential safety features to keep an eye out for when buying a vehicle, as well as what the Jag XF offers.



The Two Main Categories for Car Safety



Vehicle safety features fall into two main categories:



Primary


This describes the features of a car that have been specifically designed to help you prevent a crash.



Secondary


These are features which will make a huge difference when it comes to minimising the effects of an accident, such as airbags and seatbelts.



Important General Safety Checks



Apart from the basic mechanics and functioning of a vehicle, such as brakes and steering, it’s vital to also check the following:

The MOT is reasonably current (if buying a second hand car). Be aware that the MOT only shows that the car was in good working order on the day of the test.
Tyre pressure and traction is up to scratch for emergency braking.
The seat and ...
... steering is easily adjustable for a comfortable drive.
The controls are easily reachable.
The dashboard is clearly seen.
You have unrestricted visibility (i.e. there is nothing blocking your view such as the head restraints).
The lights give you an optimal view of the road ahead.
The car feels good to drive and gives you the sense of being fully in control.

Car Safety Features To Look Out For



Emergency Braking


An Anti–lock Braking System (ABS) will help you keep control of the car in the event of an emergency brake situation. This has been a standard feature in all new cars since 2004.



Airbags


When it comes to airbags, the more the better! Six airbags are now common - three each for the driver and front seat passenger (i.e. one at the front, one at the side and one to protect your head.) In the future it’s likely to see airbags for passengers as well as knee-protecting bags.



It is now illegal to use a rear-facing child seat on a passenger seat of a car which is equipped with an active frontal airbag, as this could be fatal in an accident. If you have children, you'll need to look at vehicles that either don't have a front passenger airbag, or that allow you to disable it with a switch.



Seatbelts


You ideally want the seatbelt to take up the slack a split second after an emergency brake or crash begins. Another good option is load limiters which stop the seatbelt pulling too hard on your chest. Finally, if you have a large family, you’ll want centre rear seatbelts as these are far better at protection than simple lap belts.



Jaguar XF Safety



Vehicle Body


The XF’s features a reinforced body shell, which has high-strength steels to create a protective vertical safety ring around the cabin.



Airbags


The XF has two-stage airbags for the driver and front passenger including side and curtain airbags, they are effectively controlled by a sensing system which ensures they’ll only deploy if the seats are occupied.



Seatbelts


Seatbelts features ‘soft landing’ technology to soften airbag impact and an anti-whiplash system which moves the cars’ head restraints forward if there’s an accident.



Pedestrian Contact Sensing System


The Jag XF boasts an industry-leading Pedestrian Contact Sensing System to automatically raise the bonnet slightly if it detects contact with a pedestrian. This will help prevent pedestrian heads from coming into contact with hard points under the bonnet.



Safety Systems


The XF has a wealth of safety systems which ensure effective road-holding and stability whilst driving:

Anti-lock brakes
Emergency brake assist
Electronic brake-force distribution
Cornering brake control
Dynamic Stability Control
Engine drag torque control
Traction control (engine and brake intervention)
Understeer control logic (slows the car to restore grip if the driver understeers).

Tyre Pressure Monitor


If you have this option fitted on your XF, you’ll receive an alert message if the pressure in any of your tyres drops to risky levels.



Conclusion



The above information gives you both general safety points to look for when buying a car, and a summary of the Jaguar XF safety features that you can expect. You should know that not only is this super vehicle beautiful to look at and great to drive, it also comes soundly equipped with the right safety features to keep you and your passengers comfortably secure.



About the Author: Stephen Gransville is car enthusiast and independent advisor on Jaguar XF safety features.