By Tim Plouff

With automobile sales bottomed out at 45 percent of the new vehicle market, factors are combining to indicate that cars are aiming to regain a piece of the lost pie.

Fuel prices continue to escalate as the forecasts for cheap gasoline disappear forever, leaving buyers once again tempted by more fuel-efficient transportation. Ready to replace those traditional truck-based SUVs are a new breed of crossover wagons/sportwagons, platforms that are generally based on car designs. With robust power, more interior room and comfort, four- or all-wheel drive, and great foul weather traction, these products are a new breed of family haulers.

For decades, drivers made do with rear-wheel drive cars. Strong, solid cars with good handling and a capable ride, rear-drive cars were the norm. Add weight to the trunk, buy snow tires and/or chains and just deal with the elements as best as you can when winter arrived.

By the mid-seventies, front-wheel drive cars started to become more prominent. Saab, Subaru, Honda, Toyota; small front-wheel-drive cars with better fuel economy that also earned accolades for superior foul weather performance and more efficient interior packaging. You gave up some dry road handling attributes, but it was hard to argue with the improved traction in rain and heavy snow that front-wheel drive offers.

In the ’80s, some makers decided that if two wheels worked well driving a car, why wouldn’t all four be better? You could retain the handling dynamics of a rear-drive car, gain the added traction of not just two-drive wheels but four, plus retain the space efficiencies earned with new, lighter hardware. Audi, Subaru and Porsche proved that AWD is the best of all worlds.

Jaguar is joining several other manufacturers in the race to build more AWD cars. Industry analysts predict that as soon as 2006, more than 10 percent (or about one million) of all new cars sold will feature full-time AWD.

Look at all of the recent AWD offerings: all Mercedes sedans, Cadillac’s STS and SRX, Ford’s Freestyle and Five Hundred sedan, Infiniti’s G35, Lexus’ GS300, Volvo’s S40 and many more new cars and sportwagons. Jaguar is just trying to capitalize on the trend.

Objectively viewed, one of the main attributes of the typical SUV is its four-wheel-drive capability. While most never see the brown side of the ditch, SUV owners have been drawn to these vehicles because they can adroitly handle slippery boat ramps, deep snowbanks and rutted gravel driveways. Add better forward visibility, comfy interiors plus lots of cargo capacity and you can see that these trucks are well suited to an active family’s lifestyle.

But what if a premium automobile could offer the four-wheel traction plus some more cargo room. Would it become more appealing to those drivers that really like to drive cars but have sacrificed performance to gain practicality?

The short answer is yes, of course. Combine pieces of each platform to make a better end product; we’ll flock to it.

Jaguar is hoping that this new Sportwagon will rejuvenate stalled X-type sales. Along with more safety gear, a new warranty with free maintenance, plus the industry’s No. 1 certified used car program, Jaguar should be propelled to more success in 2005.

The X-type 3.0 Sportwagon is a compact luxury wagon. Head and legroom are ample for six footers up front, but rear-seat occupants have precious little knee and foot room if the front seats are pushed back in their tracks. You may get three teens together in the back seat, but two will be more comfortable. Getting in and out of the rear is also snug; the back doors don’t open very wide.

Real wood trim and Coventry leather work well together up front to make an upscale presentation. Seat comfort is high and the tilt/telescoping steering column helps all pilots find the right driving position. Clever thumb wheel controls on the multi-function steering wheel with audio appropriately on the left is a nice touch.

Even with the AWD hardware stowed below, the Jag has a relatively flat floor inside. The Sportwagon also sits quite low. Low-profile all-season rubber on sexy seven spoke wheels, chromed dual exhausts, taut body panels and crisp trim lines compliment the customary Jaguar snarl up front and give the X-type an attractive, youthful appeal.

With each wheel working independently, the X-type is agile and very responsive to signals issued from the helm. The Jaguar absorbs large bumps with a compliant suspension arrangement, although bridge expansion joints and smaller imperfections can create some chassis patter as the springs react. The low-speed turning radius is commendably small. Body roll is negligible and overall driving feel is at or near the head of the class.

Prod the throttle and the Jaguar’s V-6 responds with crisp acceleration. The Ford-built engine makes nice aural sensations and seems quite happy when running hard. Jaguar uses a J-gate shift pattern for the five-speed manu-matic automatic. Slide the lever down and over to the left and you can choose your own gears for whatever type of driving you would like to do. Sorry, second is as low as you can go.

Left in drive, the X-type consistently averaged 21 mpg during a cold week in March. In the snow, the Jaguar stayed planted and offered excellent grip. No buttons to push; just drive and don’t worry about what’s happening below. When the road is dry, you sense that the X-type produces a satisfying rear-drive handling bias.

Nits are few. The interior door handles require a healthy tug to release. Your initial pull only unlocks the door; more effort is necessary to actually open the door. This sometimes proved to be awkward for smaller hands. The cabin could be a bit quieter and, such as most Ford products, satellite radio is unavailable.

If Volvo and Porsche can build sport utility vehicles, then why can’t Jaguar offer a sporty station wagon? The purists may lament the change from traditional sport/luxury sedans, but if Jaguar is to survive and prosper, then it must build products that paying customers will actually purchase. A changed public has evolving expectations.

The X-type Sportwagon is well positioned to compete for those buyers.