Vauxhall Insignia Elite 2.0 CDTi ecoFLEX Start/Stop 5dr Car Review - March 2012

The Insignia is in a very competitive class with some excellent vehicles such as the Ford Mondeo, and the steering and suspension for the Insignia aren't quite up to the standard of these excellent rivals. The ride feels a bit rough around town, and the steering isn't as accurate as it should be, but when you take the Insignia on the motorway this is where the car is really at home, with a comfortable ride and stable steering. Inside the car there is plenty of adjustment for the driving seat and the steering wheel, but the strange angle on the rear windscreen does make visibility a bit of an issue.

The engine performance from the 2.0 litre CDTi engine is very good, especially considering the great fuel efficiency. Acceleration from 0-62mph takes only 8.9 seconds, and the top speed of 137mph means that it has plenty of power for motorway driving. One issue is that there is a fair bit of wind noise at motorway speeds, and also some road noise at lower speeds too.

The Insignia is certainly an attractive car which has some nice lines, and the large headlights and the horizontally lined grille do remind you of a Mercedes-Benz front end. The hatchback rear end is also quite attractive, with the teardrop tail light clusters, but the back window really is quite small. Inside the car, the level of trim is very nice and looks good, while the dashboard is very colourful and bright, but does contain an awful lot of information to take in while driving.

The Elite level of trim does include a number of nice features which will be particularly appreciated by those business users who will be spending a lot of time in the car. The leather seats are very comfortable, and the power heated features with the seats do make them practical and luxurious too. There is also climate control and cruise control also included as standard.

There is no doubt that the cabin of the Insignia is comfortable and spacious, with plenty of room for four adults, but the middle seat in the rear is affected by the large transmission tunnel running down the centre of the car. Space in the boot is good, with plenty of luggage space for even the most weighed down of travellers. Recent driver surveys haven't been particularly generous to the reliability of Vauxhall cars.

There is also plenty of safety equipment included with the Insignia, with six airbags and anti-whiplash head restraints featured. In addition to this is stability control to help the driver keep all four wheels on the road and going in the right direction.

This is probably one of the sticking points for many drivers, as a car costing £28,300 really does have to be quite special, and the Insignia doesn't quite cut it with some of its more accomplished rivals.

Fuel efficiency is excellent, with the 2.0 litre diesel delivering an average 65.7mpg. However, many drivers won't recoup the additional cost over the standard diesel engine, unless they are going to be covering a lot of miles. The insurance costs are fairly typical for a car of this size, but the heavy toll of depreciation will be particularly worrying. A major highlight for Vauxhall cars at the moment is the lifetime warranty up to 100,000 miles, which is coupled with a one year roadside breakdown assistance policy.