After years of disappointing returns in the sales charts things are suddenly looking up for Jaguar’s venerable X-Type.

Although the smallest of the Leaping Cats has never really captured the public’s affection, it is now at least starting to sell in ‘encouraging’ numbers according to Jaguar.

In April, for example, X-Type registrations were 50 per cent above those for the same month in 2007 and there was another big rise for March.

While the ‘halo’ effect created by the arrival of the sexy new XF has contributed to this sales boost, the arrival of the X-Type’s 2008 facelift also appears to have been instrumental in pulling in extra customers.

Some 500 changes have been made to the car and Jaguar has given it a new look as well as equipping it to a notably high level.

With seven years under its belt this could well be the last hurrah for the X-Type. So has new life been breathed into an old favourite, or is just a case of mutton dressed as Leaping Cat?

Well, the X-Type now offers a high level of refinement and luxury, at prices which start from as little as just over £21,000 on the road.

The new-style design features include a re-profiled side, new rear end, and more aggressive mesh grille featuring the new Jaguar ‘growler’ badge. These changes give the car a lower, more muscular stance, even though it is still recognisable as the X-Type.

There are four levels of trim: S, SE, Sport Premium and Sovereign. In terms of engines, there’s a choice of 2.0 or 2.2 litre diesels, with a 3.0 V6 reserved for the handful of buyers who are prepared to pay a premium for a petrol car.

The 2.2 diesel now comes with a new automatic gearbox which reacts to your driving style.

The car offers a comfortable rather than a sporty drive, with a tad more roll than some of its competitors and steering which lacks feel.

Those after a sharper drive might prefer to plump for one of the Jag’s German rivals. But not everybody is – and there are plenty of motorists prepared to sacrifice taut handling in favour of greater ride comfort.

And that’s what you’ll get from the X-Type. The redesigned new seats are very comfortable, if fractionally lacking in length for the taller driver. The new, more vibrant trim and colour options work well and should extend the appeal of the car to a younger customer base.

The car comes with high level of equipment. You get bluetooth mobile phone connectivity, dynamic stability control, automatic wipers and lights, 17-inch alloys, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, climate control air conditioning and cruise control -Êall as standard.

Jaguar calculates that it would cost around £6,500 to equip a German rival to an equivalent level and I wouldn’t disagree.

Where the Germans claw back value, however, is in the depreciation stakes. A BMW 3 Series tends to hold its value better than the X-Type over three years.

Still, the X-Type now looks decent value and a 2.0 model could be just the job for anyone after a well-specified, comfortable diesel, with emissions of under 150g/km and fuel economy of up to 50mpg on the combined cycle.

None of which should obscure the fact Jaguar in retrospect probably missed a trick by adding yet another saloon to its ranks at a time when other manufacturers were diversifying into leisure/ sports vehicles.

A compact coupe in the Alfa Brera/Volvo C30 mould might have served Jaguar better than the X-Type – and given it a better chance against the Germans.

But then hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?

By Peter Carroll