Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer estate

Drive

The Insignia Sports Tourer's sleek styling and sporty driving position flatter to deceive: the Insignia is not the best family estate to drive. The steering is very light, leaving you feeling disconnected from the road. The two available 2.0 CDTi diesel engines – with 138bhp and 158bhp - are quite noisy, suffering from rattle and grumble under acceleration. That said, they’re still the best choice for an estate because they have plenty of pulling power and don’t require heavy throttle use, even when the car is fully loaded. A high-performance VXR version offers 321bhp and four-wheel drive.

Comfort

The Insignia Sports Tourer is a comfortable car to sit in over long distances, with well-contoured seats, a comfortable cabin and an adjustable driving position. At high speed there's a little too much wind and tyre noise, and at low speeds the Insignia clatters over potholes and bumpy roads. Ultimately, rivals like the Ford Mondeo and Mazda6 are more fun to drive, while the Citroen C5 is more comfortable.

Reliability

The Insignia Sports Tourer was released in 2009 and built using a new chassis and parts from Vauxhall. It's too early to comment on long-term reliability, although no major problems have been reported. There have been no recalls either – which is impressive. The cabin feels well built, and there is an advanced traction control system that boosts stability, and therefore safety.

Practicality

Although the Insignia Sports Tourer has a smaller boot than the old Vectra Estate, it still has one of the biggest load areas in the family estate class, at 540 litres. However, the space it offers with the rear seats folded flat is quite a lot smaller than the Ford Mondeo Estate's. The Insignia tops out at 1,530 litres, compared to 1,733 for the Ford. The 633 to 1,865-litre range of the Skoda Superb Estate dwarfs both, though. The Sports Tourer does have more rear headroom than the saloon and hatchback versions of the Insignia, though, thanks to a longer roofline. 

Value for money

You’ll pay a little more for the Insignia Sports Tourer compared to an equivalent saloon or hatchback, but there aren’t as many trim variants to choose from. Still, there's a wide range, from a basic 1.8-litre petrol in ES spec, to a high-performance, high-priced VXR with a 321bhp 2.8-litre turbocharged engine. All cars get alloy wheels and air-conditioning, and prices are about on par with the Ford Mondeo Estate's. However, like-for-like it's slightly more expensive than the bigger and higher quality Skoda Superb Estate. 

Running costs

A pair of 2.0-litre diesel engines are available with 128bhp or 158bhp, and these are the best choice when it comes to running costs and performance. However, compared to the best family estates, the fuel economy of Vauxhall's diesel engines falls short. With 47.1mpg and emissions of 159g/km, the 158bhp 2.0 CDTi diesel is comparable to the more powerful (and quieter) 168bhp TDI diesel in the Skoda Superb Estate. With an automatic gearbox, the Insignia's economy really suffers, too. In addition, as a ‘mainstream’ car, the Insignia won’t hold its value very well come re-sale time. That drives leasing prices and monthly finance rates up.