The Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer is aimed at those who want the motorway-cruising personality of the Insignia hatch model, with the added practicality of a more family-friendly vehicle. Competition includes the likes of the Ford Mondeo Estate and Volkswagen Passat Estate.

The Insignia’s 2013 facelift was quite significant, ironing out some niggles from its initial 2009 release – including its slightly dated diesels and frustrating dashboard layout.

Although the facelift also brought some exterior tweaks, the Insignia is still not considered the most dashing hatch/saloon cruiser on sale – although we think it looks pretty good. But throw the asset of affordability into the mix and many will be willing to overlook the arguably drab exterior. 

Performance

Our test car was powered by one of Vauxhall’s new ‘whisper diesels’, this time in a 168bhp 2.0-litre guise. As you probably guessed, the whisper element refers to the noise of the engine – which in this case is very hushed. First and second gear will give you a fair rumble however, much like any other diesel engine.

The new 2.0-litre feels fairly nippy, with a zero to 60mph sprint time of just 9.4 seconds. Second gear pulls particularly well. The six-speed manual gearbox is incredibly smooth as well and is the most popular transmission in the range, although there is an automatic gearbox available with the 2.0-litre 161bhp diesel.

Other engines in the range include multiple variations of the 2.0-litre diesel – including 118bhp, 128bhp and 138bhp outputs – as well as a 1.4-litre turbo petrol, producing 138bhp. The wide range of diesels gives fleet customers added wiggle room.

Ride and Handling

Its newly-updated suspension means that it breezes over bumps in the road and can be comfortably driven for hundreds of miles.

The Insignia Sports Tourer isn’t the most nimble car in its segment, due to the lack of feedback behind the wheel. It can feel a little unsure of itself when you drive it enthusiastically around winding country roads.  The Ford Mondeo Estate and VW Passat Estate feel more confident in this department. The weighting of the steering is decent though. It is only really at home when on the motorway, which is primarily what it is designed for. Its newly-updated suspension means that it breezes over bumps in the road and can be comfortably driven for hundreds of miles. Although the ride is supple, there is still a large amount of road noise that makes it through to the cabin. Again, its Mondeo and Passat rivals feel more refined here.

Interior and Equipment

The Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer was recognised as the ‘Best Petrol Tow Car’ in the 2014 Tow Car Awards.

The interior of a cruiser should be a stress-free, ergonomically sound place to spend time – this wasn’t necessarily the case with the pre-facelift Insignia Sports Tourer as the dashboard layout was very confusing. Thankfully, this has been skilfully rectified with a much cleaner design and the installation of a new eight-inch touchscreen system. Standard kit has also been boosted. It now includes Bluetooth – an omission that received frequent complaints from Insignia customers – DAB digital radio, cruise control and climate control. Practicality is one of the Insignia Sports Tourer’s biggest assets. As well as offering a plethora of cubby holes in the cabin, the rear seats offer tons of head and leg room – although the bulky transmission tunnel makes middle passenger room a little tricky. The boot is also particularly impressive, offering 540 litres with the seats up (on par with the Mondeo Estate) and 1,530 litres with the seats down (smaller than the Mondeo Estate). Rear visibility can be a concern with the Sports Tourer however, thanks to the narrow rear window, chunky C pillars and small wing mirrors.

Cost

Residual values won’t be as good as the likes of the VW Passat Estate, simply due to the badge.

In isolation to its competition, the Sports Tourer is extremely efficient, with the most economical option – the 118bhp/138bhp 2.0-litre diesel - emitting just 104g/km of CO2 and claiming to return an average of just over 70mpg. The new 2.0-litre 168bhp whisper diesel comfortably returns around 55mpg and CO2 stands at 124g/km. The Ford Mondeo Estate however ducks the all-important 100g/km mark with CO2 from just 99g/km – so this is likely to be the model of choice for business drivers. Prices for the Sports Tourer start from just over £19,000, making it considerably cheaper than the Mondeo and Passat Estate. However, residual values won’t be as good as the likes of the Passat Estate, simply due to the badge.

Our Verdict

Price tag wise, the Insignia Sports Tourer is the most attractive option out of its rivals. But start to introduce more finite details, such as CO2 and driving dynamics, and it is clear to see that it needs to mature a little – it is still in its first-generation don’t forget. If an affordable motorway cruiser with fair running costs is what you are after, then the Sports Tourer is excellent. But if you want something with enhanced resale value, better long-term running costs and a bit more substance when it comes to driving dynamics, then you may want to look at one of its rivals. The Vauxhall Insignia is certainly moving in the right direction however, and the next-generation model will hopefully offer a much fuller package.