Review of the new Vauxhall Insignia 2.8T 4X4

Would you pay up to £30,000 for a plush medium range Vauxhall, one that was hugely powerful, good looking and sumptuously equipped? It's a question you may not have asked yourself before now but it's a relevant one because that's the ball park figure that the manufacturer is asking for its Insignia 2.8 24v Turbo 4x4 automatic, particularly if you go for the stylish Sports Tourer version. As the lengthy title indicates, this is quite a car, Vauxhall's problem is that a lot of other manufacturers will sell you a lot of car for a similar sum. Is this gin palace of a family load-lugger good enough to fend off the competition?

When it comes to cars, the price in the advert is rarely the price you pay. It's merely a starting point from which the showroom battle can commence. As a buyer, you should advance cautiously armed with the facts and a fixed idea of what you can afford. The salesman will be lying in wait, an experienced campaigner and veteran of countless training seminars. He'll have all the tricks of the trade and a profit margin to protect. If you're after a sensible mid-range Insignia, he might be keen to get you out for a test drive in something like the 2.8T 4x4.

Residing at the pinnacle of the Vauxhall Insignia hierarchy, this is an undeniably impressive car. The 2.8-litre V6 engine uses a turbocharger to achieve its 260bhp power output and has 350Nm of torque available from 1,900 to 4,500rpm. In short, it's going to feel seriously powerful even with 1.8 tonnes of Vauxhall to shift. The 0-62mph sprint is covered in seven seconds flat, so hot hatchback drivers who fancy racing one away from the lights are in for a rude awakening and in the wet, the Insignia will feel even more potent because it's got four-wheel drive to help put that power down.

The Insignia doesn't have the drama of its sportiest rivals when you're at the wheel but it's not too shabby in this regard and ride comfort is very impressive. Refinement is another strong suit and the cabin is a very comfortable place to be with the V6 purring away in the background and the automatic gearbox that's standard on this model easing between ratios. Buyers are also able to specify the FlexRide chassis that features electronically controlled damping. A FlexRide-equipped Sports Tourer can be placed in Sport or Tour modes. In the Sport setting, steering and throttle response are sharpened, as are the suspension settings for a more dynamic driving experience.

"Viewed in isolation, this range-topping Insignia looks a fantastic ownership proposition."

The Insignia saloon and hatch models are good looking things and the Sports Tourer estate version is even more impressive. Certainly, when it comes to estate cars, style is a key factor. In the war against chunky compact 4x4s and frumpy MPVs, the sleek, road-hugging lines of a well-conceived estate can have a major impact on its fortunes. The Insignia Sports Tourer definitely looks the part. Taking the core styling features of the Insignia such as the raised grille and the cutaway sections down the flanks, the designers have expertly integrated the extended rear end. With its long roofline falling away towards the rear and the tailgate wrapping around the car's corners, the Sports Tourer is a classy visual proposition. The elegant lines don't come at the expense of space inside either. A 540-litre load compartment can be extended to 1,530 litres with the seats properly folded. That's significantly down on the 1,850 litres of the old Vectra estate, but then that car sat on its own extended platform, something GM couldn't afford to do again with this Insignia.

Mere space isn't enough anyway in this kind of car: it's got to be usable. Vauxhall set out to ensure that the Sports Tourer fits the bill by introducing a series of features unique to this estate version. Self levelling rear suspension is standard on all models dropping the loading height to a more convenient level. Then there's Vauxhall's FlexOrganizer system that can be used to secure cargo in a series of rail-mounted nets and dividers. There's even an optional powered tailgate that opens to a programmed height to avoid clouting the ceiling of your garage or the local multi-storey car park. General build quality in the Insignia follows the exterior's premium themes and really is a massive leap forward for Vauxhall. The materials and design in the cabin are amongst the best in the medium range segment.

The combination of the 2.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine, the 4x4 system and the automatic gearbox is only available with the Insignia's plushest trim levels. Customers can go for the Elite model or the Elite Nav. Both cars have leather trim, Vauxhall's Adaptive Forward Lighting system that allows the headlamps to swivel with the car, a clever Front Camera System with a Traffic Sign Recognition function, cruise control, climate control and a quality stereo. The Elite Nav, in case you haven't guessed, also has satellite navigation.

There's no doubt that this Insignia Sports Tourer is fully-loaded, its problem is convincing buyers that all these bells and whistles are worth in the region of £30,000. The minds of prospective purchasers seem sure to drift up market to the likes of the BMW's 325i Touring or the Mercedes C230 Estate that they could have for similar money. These cars can't match the Insignia's practicality or space but they are premium products.

Hampering the prospects of this ultimate Insignia when it comes to convincing the public of its merits are the running costs. The old Vauxhall Vectra had notoriously shaky residual values and although the Insignia seems certain to improve on these thanks to its enhanced quality and desirability, they still won't compete with those of the compact executive alternatives. On top of this, the 2.8-litre Turbo engine, weighty 4x4 mechanicals and that auto 'box help the big Vauxhall to fuel economy of just 24mpg. With CO2 emissions of 277g/km, this is not going to be a cheap car to run.

Insurance is also likely to be a bit of a bugbear too, considering the performance that's on offer. At least Vauxhall can be proud to point out that the Insignia Sport Tourer is the most aerodynamic estate car it has ever made. The modest drag coefficient of 0.30 will help with efficiency.

Vauxhall will be well aware that the Insignia 2.8T 4x4 models are not destined to be the biggest sellers in the range. From their position atop the line-up, they show the car in a very favourable light. They're fast, comfortable, very practical in Sports Tourer estate form and have bundles of high tech equipment but at the prices being asked, many customers will have their heads turned by some of the classy alternatives.

Viewed in isolation, this range-topping Insignia looks a fantastic ownership proposition and does a fine job of showcasing the car's talents. In context of the wider market and with the running costs taken into account, it's much less compelling and many buyers will find a more compelling destination for their money. How many sales this king of Insignias does secure may depend on how generous the discounts are at the dealerships.

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