Vauxhall Insignia : UNEXPECTED CLASS

June Neary is impressed by Vauxhalls classy medium-range challenger, the Insignia

To be honest, I was pretty shocked when this car rolled up on my driveway: its arguably the best looking of all the C-sector Mondeo-sized cars. It also demonstrates just how far Vauxhall design has come in the last few years. First the Astra Sport Hatch. Then the latest generation Corsa.

Now this: all great-looking cars by anybodys standards.

Still, Ive tried plenty of good-looking cars that fell down majorly when it came to practicality. The car is 21mm longer than the old Vectra at 4,820mm, and 50mm wider. The Vectra wasnt a cramped offering itself but the Insignia improves passenger space partly through these larger exterior dimensions and partly through a wheelbase thats extended by 35mm. That proved a great help on the weekly shop and when carting child seats in and out of the rear doors.

On the move, this isnt the sharpest-handling car in the class but its a useful step forward from its predecessor. The important thing for a car of this type is that it should be a relaxing motorway cruiser and this car certainly delivers in this respect. The Insignia is offered with five engines initially. For petrol buyers, theres an entry-level 1.

8-litre 140PS ECOTEC unit, then a rather large gap to a 220PS 2.0-litre turbocharged unit, sitting below a 2.8-litre V6 260PS range-topper. If you want a CDTi diesel, there are a couple of fresh 2.

0-litre ones, developing either 130 or the 160PS unit I tried. The Insignia is offered in two or four-wheel-drive guise with the 4x4 model benefiting from the clever adaptive all-wheel-drive system pioneered by Saab. It adapts the distribution of torque between all four wheels instantaneously to enhance traction and handling. This should give the Insignia a key advantage over its predominately 2WD rivals.

Go for a petrol model and you can expect an OK 36.2mpg on the combined cycle from the 1.8-litre ECOTEC but the 2.0 and 2.

8V6 models manage very average returns of 31.7 and 29.4mpg. Go for 4WD and you can expect it to have a small negative impact on both fuel consumption and performance but its nothing really to worry about.

The range theoretically starts at S level, but thats really a fleet-orientated model. For most private buyers, the entry-level point to Insignia motoring will be at Exclusiv level where theres a decent level of standard equipment that runs to ABS brakes and ESP stability control, automatic headlamps, electric adjustment of the drivers seat height and lumber support, single-zone air conditioned climate control front, side and curtain airbags and even cruise control. Above this level sit SE, Elite and sporty SRi variants. If you want four wheel drive, then its an option on the 2.

0-litre petrol or diesel models and standard on the 2.8-litre petrol V6. The Insignia has daytime running lamps, the must-have automotive feature of the moment and uses an improved version of AFL, Vauxhalls Adaptive Forward Lighting system that allows the headlamps to swivel with the car. A clever Front Camera System is also offered with a Traffic Sign Recognition function that reads speed limit and no-passing signs and displays them on the instrument panel.

Theres also Lane Departure Warning which alerts dozy drivers when they unintentionally veer out of their lane. All Insignias will be fitted with a SmartBeam High-beam Headlamp Assist Technology, which automatically switches the full beam on and off depending on light and traffic conditions.

On the debit side? Well, theres not too much to report here, unless you count the big gap between the two four cylinder petrol engines output and their unremarkable fuel economy. Overall, whats important is that the basics seem to work within a stylish, attractive and most of all desirable package.