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Weekend roadtest: Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer VXR
publication date: Jan 14, 2012
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author/source: Robin Roberts
The
Vauxhall Insignia is riding the crest of a wave and was Britain's best selling
medium sized model in 2011.
While
most of its success has been built on its appeal to cost conscious fleet buyers
and drivers, the more fortunate user-choosers and private owners can pick the
Insignia Sport Tourer VXR Auto as their preferred version unless they really
can afford the all singing and dancing VXR8 at up to £51,250.
|  | With
the Sport Tourer you have a really useful additional loading capacity with a
very clever tailgate which when open reveals rear lights, which makes it
particularly safe to use in the dark on busy roads.
The
nominal boot space of 540 litres rises to 1,530 litres with the back seats
folded in the tourer and it's a very useful and practical shape with a low deck
and a full luggage cover when the back seats are used.
Vauxhall
really has done a good job of making the Insignia ST a purposeful performance
model.
At
the other end, the beefy 2.8V6 engine comes with six speed manual or, as
tested, an automatic box and that is a delightful match to the engine.
Power
flows strongly and consistently with no hesitation and the silky changes gives
a feeling of refinement and sophistication as well as powerful urge when
overtaking. You will not find any gaps or performance lacking in this svelte
Sports Tourer.
For
all its snappy performance you do pay a price however. It is not particularly
economical and its emissions figures are eye watering to anyone who is more
familiar with a smaller petrol engine, but you have the satisfaction of knowing
you have a very capable all rounder under foot.
The
acceleration is very good, particularly when overtaking, and it cruises with
utter composure on main roads and motorways. Where limits permit in Germany you
can sit at 140mph all day if desired.
In
this sense it is a true grand tourer capable of gobbling up the miles without
any strain while you sit in comfort.
|  | Access
is very good, seats large and very supporting but it's not the roomiest of
interiors although you have a lot of adjustment available on the front seats. Oddments
room is good throughout the cabin, the heating and ventilation is comprehensive
and clear and the instruments are large but you need to become familiar with
the multi-tude of switches for the secondary features. |  | Major
controls are all grouped close to the driver. The steering is very well
weighted, the turning circle good and there is no vibration or kickback from
the wheel.
I
liked the balance to the brakes and the undramatic way they slowed the Insignia
ST from high speed without any problem but a lot of confidence.The
ride is subtle and sophisticated, soaking up shocks without complaint while
giving very good feedback about its handling and reassuring road holding. It is
firm but not fiddly. |
Visibility
is good to front and sides, with excellent bright wide ranging headlights which
turn with the wheels around curves and the big wipers are appreciated on very
wet days. The rear, the curving shape and sloping profile mean you have
blind-spots over shoulders and you need to take care emerging from junctions,
but it's not as bad as some smaller hatchbacks. | VERDICT
The
difficulties of designing a sports tourer mean there has to be a compromise
between ability to carry loads and agility in winding lanes and I think the
Insignia VXR has struck the right balance between these sometimes conflicting
needs. It
is well equipped, well built, performs with distinction and is a very hard act
to better at the price. |  |
Fact file
| Vauxhall
Insignia Sports Tourer VXR Auto £36,730 | | Engine: 2.8V6 325ps
6sp | Performance: 155mph max., 0-60mph 6.2sec, 22mpg | | Insurance
group: 36 | Emissions: 259gkm | | Warranty: 100,000 miles | ©
Robin Roberts
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