I have never been fond of hunting. Sitting in the woods, face covered with mud, wearing clothes soaked in deer urine to attract prey never really interested me. Besides, movies like Bambi had convinced me from a very young age that deer frolicked in the woods, chatted with skunks and squirrels, and expressed their emotional connections on a level that was almost human. Which put me in a similar frame of mind to Marissa Tomei’s character, Mona Lisa Vito, in the movie My Cousin Vinny. That all changed one sunny Sunday morning on a rural country road on the western coast of Michigan.

Down this two-lane blacktop road, lined on both sides with tall evergreens, is where I bagged my first deer — a doe, a deer, a female deer. The best part was I bagged her (sorry to the little fawns she may have left behind) while in the air-conditioned, leather-seated and rich oak-veneered comfort of the 2009 Jaguar XF sedan. Unfortunately, the doe, having not listened to all those chicken jokes, wanted to get to the other side of the road at the same time I was passing her at about 55 mph. Sadly, she didn’t make it, becoming a victim of a large beautiful, four-wheeled cat.

What happened next was both frightening and assuring: The driver’s side airbag deployed, the seatbelt tightened, the front windows rolled down, and the deer went off into the woods on the other side of the road to die. Hit in the hind quarters, she made contact with the driver’s side headlamp and part of the grille. The front driver’s side headlamp was crushed, the hood buckled at the corner, the driver’s side front quarter panel was slightly crumpled, the grille was shattered, and a small trace of green fluid was dripping down the radiator. The latter turned the once-proud Jaguar into a whimpering immobile cat. I was thankful that the XF kept me safe and secure, but it was a shame to see what the deer had done to this car, and I to it.

Before the crash, the XF was capturing praise from onlookers for its dynamic design, which is somewhat reminiscent of Aston Martin, especially in the rear fascia—Jaguar Cars Design Director Ian Callum once ran both Jaguar and Aston Martin design studios for a brief stint. What’s most striking (no pun intended) about the XF is its face, with its imposing mesh chrome grille and wraparound headlamps that have been pushed back into the corners, reminiscent of a cat. The lower front bumper’s large air intakes and a neatly placed chrome splitter provide an aggressive, yet classic appeal. The coupe-like profile, which is influenced by the XK coupe and convertible (they share the same front windshield rake angles), is more flowing than the S-Type the XF replaces, though the new car utilizes the S-Type’s chassis.

Throughout its history, Jaguar has taken hits (no pun intended – again) for its lack of electronic technology – shorts were more than a fashion accessory for most Jaguar owners. That’s not the case with the XF, which uses its electronics to enthrall. Open the door, and the start/stop button on the console blinks like a heart beat. Once the button is pushed, sections of the instrument panel rotate to unveil the air vents (lets just hope none of those stepper motors are from the old Jaguar bin), while the futuristic cast alloy hockey puck-like gear shifter rises up from the lower center console so you can select your gear by turning it until the desired gear is illuminated. Finally, Jaguar’s designers have managed to properly blend both modern, luxury and traditional elements into a cohesive package.

Our test vehicle had the 300 hp, 4.2-liter V-8 engine, mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with shift paddles. Both worked well, providing ample power at cruising speeds with the ability to tackle brisk passing maneuvers on two-lane roads. Ride and handling live up to Jaguar’s intent to make the XF a true luxury sports car, providing a ride that’s an ideal balance of sport and comfort that’s unlikely to produce head-bobs or sore bottoms, while still being surefooted, handling the twists of the backcountry roads with ease.

It’s safe to say that the XF puts Jaguar back on the map against some of the best in the sport luxury sedan segment, all while looking good doing it. Perhaps Ms. Vito had it only partly right: Deer don’t care what kinds of pants you’re wearing, but they care a lot about the kinds of car you’re driving.

Vehicle as Driven:

Engine: 4.2-liter 8-cylinder

Horsepower: 300 @ 6,000 rpm

Torque: 310 lb-ft @4,100 rpm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic with paddle shift

Wheelbase: 114.5 in.

Overall length: 195.3 in.

Height: 57.5 in.

Width: 80.8 in.

Curb Weight: 4,017 lb.

Price (as Tested): $63,125