Vauxhall Insignia SE 2.0 CDTi (160ps) ecoFLEX Start/Stop 5dr Car Review - March 2012

Inside the cabin, you’ll have no problem finding the perfect driving position thanks to plenty of adjustment on the steering wheel and driver’s seat. Forward visibility is restricted somewhat by the thick windscreen pillars, while the sloping roofline and angled rear window don’t allow for the best view to the rear. The dashboard is well designed and functional, however there still seem to be a lot of buttons on the centre console, despite the fact that most of the functions are accessed through the digital screen display.

The 2.0-litre CDTi ecoFLEX diesel engine produces 158bhp and delivers a decent 258lb-ft of pulling power low down in the rev range. It has a top speed of 137mph and will do 0-60mph in 8.9 seconds. Performance is generally good, but it isn’t as smooth or refined as diesel engines from Ford or Volkswagen.

The Insignia’s handling, while competent, is not class-beating. It doesn’t possess the composure or cornering ability of the Ford Mondeo, and while it rides smoothly and comfortably on the motorway, it lacks composure on rough roads.

Vauxhall offer their ‘Flexride’ system as an option, which basically allows you to choose between a comfort setting (Tour) or a firmer setting (Sport).

Surprisingly, the Insignia is quite a noisy car. Rough surfaces give rise to an intrusive amount of road noise. Wind noise is also audible at motorway cruising speeds.

The Insignia is a lot more sophisticated and dashing than the old Vectra which it replaces. Its coupé-like lines and plush interior certainly give it presence.

There’s a wide range of trim levels available for the Insignia. The SE version comes well equipped with power steering, central locking, 18-inch alloy wheels, climate control, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, cruise control, alarm, immobiliser, electronic hand-brake, rain sensitive windscreen-wipers and CD+MP3 connectivity.

Vauxhall offer several optional extras including metallic paint (£495), rear parking sensor (£395), leather seats (£1,045), Bluetooth (£220) and satellite navigation (£850).

All Insignias are kitted out with a road sign reading camera which passes information to the driver’s digital display.

The Insignia is a very practical car for both family and business use. It has space enough for four adults in comfort, and boot space is good. With the rear seats in position you get 530-litres and that can be boosted to a maximum of 1,470-litres with them folded down.

EuroNCAP awarded the Insignia the maximum five-star rating in its crash-tests. Adult occupant safety scored five-stars, child occupant safety scored four-stars and pedestrian safety scored two-stars. All Insignias come fitted with six airbags, ISOfix child seat mounting points, anti-lock brakes and stability and traction control systems. Daytime running lights are also included as standard.

The Insignia is built to a higher standard than its predecessor, the Vectra. While the Insignia is stylish and quality materials are used throughout, Vauxhall's reputation for reliability is no better than average and not in the same class as its German rivals. In the 2011 JD Power Survey, Insignia owners rated the Insignia’s reliability as below average.

Anti-theft measures include an alarm and engine immobiliser.

The Insignia is covered by Vauxhall’s 100,000 mile warranty and regular service intervals are every 20,000 miles.

Vauxhall have kept prices of the Insignia range very competitive in spite of the huge improvements made over the Vectra. The SE 2.0 CDTi ecoFLEX is priced at £25,985 which makes it very good value for money for the performance, economy and level of equipment that you get. You’ll usually find that main Vauxhall dealers have plenty of promotions on too, so you may well get it for even less.

Insurance for the Insignia 2.0 CDTi is in group 23, and Road Tax is in VED band C thanks to its low emissions of 115g/km. Combined fuel economy is an impressive 65.7mpg thanks to the ecoFLEX start-stop engine technology.

While residual values for Vauxhalls are generally unimpressive, this model's 2.0-litre ecoFLEX engine and SE trim level should make it easy enough to sell when the time comes.