The Most Underrated Sports Car You Can Buy In 2025

As an automotive journalist, I get to drive many cars. Some of them, I enjoy more than others. Some are disappointing, but others manage to surprise me pleasantly. That's what the Jaguar F-Type did for me when I first tested one in 2015. The reason this British sports car surfaced in my mind is because, recently, I saw what I perceive as a bargain. And it got me thinking: we are so used to seeing the Porsche 718 Cayman/ Boxster as the benchmark in the segment that other cars are being overshadowed.  

This is good for enthusiasts like you and me, who love a good bargain, and I'm here to tell you the Jaguar F-Type is awesome, especially now that Jaguar's efforts to go EV have resulted in a questionable outcome. I decided to make this as a list of things that make the Jaguar F-Type V-6 S an awesome sports car worthy of your fast-toy budget. 

I will also include everything I found out about the F-Type, in terms of reliability – another area where I was pleasantly surprised.  

The V-6 engine is a thing of beauty and surprisingly reliable 

The Jaguar F-Type I drove years ago was a V-6 S, which was a mid-range model in terms of performance. There was the P340 – the same engine with less power – and the V-8 R, which packs a 5.0-liter, supercharged V-8. Some believed the V-8 is a derivative of the Mustang's Coyote, but it's not. It is actually of a European design. In any case, 2022 saw the V-8 as the only Jaguar F-Type engine option.

Let me give you the performance specs of the Jaguar F-Type V-6 S as tested by me. 

• Engine: 3.0-liter, DOHC, supercharged V-6 
• Power: 376 horsepower at 6,500 RPM 
• Torque: 339 pound-feet at 3,500-5,000 RPM 
• Transmission and drivetrain: 8-speed automatic (6-speed manual also available), front-engine, rear-wheel drive (optional AWD) 
• Curb weight: 3,514 pounds (1,594 kg) 
• 0-60 mph: 4.7 seconds 
• Top speed: 171 mph 

The Jaguar F-Type is more reliable than you think, but there are a number of things to look out for, many of which relatively minor.

1. The V-6 and V-8 engines are reliable, as long as you get a car that has been maintained properly. Generally, these powertrains are trouble-free, but it's still worth doing a check-up and make sure proper service records have been kept. 
2. Infotainment issues – the Jaguar F-Type features a 10-inch infotainment touchscreen with zoom-in/ zoom-out/ gesture control. The system is prone to glitches, especially on earlier model years.  
3. Various sensors may fail or leak. 
4. Rust – the chassis and body of the Jaguar F-Type are aluminum, but there are chassis strut-braces underneath that are made of untreated steel. They are prone to rust. 
5. Body fitment is, sometimes, not great. 
6. Creaking/ squeaky interior trim. 
7. Carbon buildup – the F-Type engines feature direct fuel injection, prone to carbon buildup. 
8. Injectors – on V-8 models they can clog and spit more fuel than necessary, resulting in white smoke from the exhaust. 
9. Differential wear – highly-uncommon and mostly occurring on V-8 models. Symptom: a whining noise that gets louder with speed. 
10. Supercharger coupler/ torsion isolator – uncommon, but can happen on V-6 and V-8 engines. Some owners describe the symptom as a “loose marbles” noise.  
11. Active exhaust actuator may fail – Jaguar F-Types come with an active exhaust, which lets you open and close a valve for more or less noise. When open, it's really loud. Facelift models are more restrained in terms of the noise they make. 
12. Saggy luggage cover.
13. Water may damage the trunk lining around the tailgate edges. causing it to peel off.
14. Coolant leaks - Y-pipe and "valley"/ throttle pipe (underneath the supercharger) are prone to cracking.
15. Water pump - may develop leaks
16. Supercharger bypass actuator may fail
17. Catalytic converters can get clogged or start disintegrating

The F-Type's styling 

The Jaguar F-Type was meant to be the spiritual successor to the iconic Jaguar E-Type from the 1960s. Like its predecessor, the F-Type is considered one of the most beautiful modern-day sports cars. Facelift models (2019-) adopted the brand's, back-then, corporate look, with horizontal headlight. The V-6 engine options were also dropped in favor of an “Ingenium”, 2.0-liter, turbo-four that made less power – 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet to be exact. 

The interior of the F-Type is not the most spacious, but it is a great place to be. All contact surfaces are high-quality and I love the hidden vents that pop up upon starting the engine. The F-Type gets very close to mimicking a jet fighter cockpit, though there isn't a ton of room for seat adjustment. You also get up to 14.4 cubic feet of cargo space if you go with the coupe variant, which features a hatchback-style tailgate. The soft-top convertible only provides 6.92 cubic feet of luggage space. 

Sublime chassis makes the F-Type an exciting car to drive 

The Jaguar F-Type's aluminum chassis is cleverly engineered to be, both, sporty and comfortable. It features special engine and transmission mounts along with a special undertray and double-bulkhead between the engine bay and passenger compartment for better sound insulation. The V-6 S and upper models get a limited-slip differential, as standard. The base V-6 does not.  

Even in rear-wheel-drive setup, the Jaguar F-Type V-6 S was composed during high-speed cornering and gave me immense confidence. Even at speeds of over 130 on corner exists, I did not feel like I was near the grip limit. The adaptive suspension, which is forged aluminum, double-wishbone at the front and multi-link independent at the rear, was surprisingly comfortable in normal mode, but very stiff in sport mode. 

The Jaguar F-Type can be found for dirt cheap if you know where to look 

Currently, I am seeing pre-facelift, V-6 models going for around $27,000 on average. I am talking about a Jaguar F-Type with around 60,000 miles on the clock. There isn't a significant price gap between the coupe and convertible models like we, often, see with Porsche sports cars. I think the real bargain is if you find something that is lightly damaged from an insurance company. In such cases, prices can be less than $10,000. Would you consider an F-Type as a sports car? Let me know in the comment section below.

Image source: Jaguar CX16 Concept

Dimitar Angelov's automotive interests made him an expert in a wide variety of vehicles. Japanese brands like Toyota are closest to his heart, although performance cars in general are his favorite segment, which is why he is constantly on the lookout for the best deals on the market. Dimitar Angelov's car passion and knack for the written word led him to complete a Master of Arts in Media and Communications, and classic car restoration. Dim is happy to get behind the wheel of any car and share his impressions. You can follow Dimitar on X, Linked-in, Instagram, and Facebook.