First Drive review Vauxhall Insignia prototype 2017

In the area we can judge, the new emblem is a big change on the current car. Only time will tell whether it was good enough to challenge the best car in the class.

Auto Trader Verdict:

There are some things that are not possible to judge during our trip from prototype development of super-early, but in almost all the areas we can judge, the new emblem is a huge improvement on the current car. Only time will tell whether it was good enough to challenge the best car in the class.

Need to know:

• All-new version of the best-selling family car Vauxhall
• Larger and more practical, but with a reduced weight up to 175kg
• Available to order in January 2017, with first UK deliveries in July

What is that?

Really great news for Vauxhall, not to mention thousands of company car drivers up and down the country.

You see, despite trailing rivals like the Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat in a number of important areas, not the least of practicality and dynamic capabilities, Insignia has now become the best-selling car in the class since its original release back in 2008. And, since about 80% of 900,000 badges sold has found a home in the fleet of company cars, it is very likely that if you are due to change your company car next year, you might consider one of these.

However, Vauxhall says it's not just an old enemy from Ford and Volkswagen that have to compete with the Insignia. Now companies such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes are forming an increasing presence in the fleet sector, the new emblem should do enough to tempt buyers away from the more premium marques.

In order to do that, the styling will be absolutely key, and for that, Vauxhall said the Insignia will look a lot like a concept car Monza was first shown in 2013 (not that you would know that from the picture the prototype heavily camouflaged version we were given the opportunity to driving). What you can not fail to notice, though, is that the new Insignia has really ballooned in size.

Based on an all-new platform, the car is longer, wider and taller than replace, the Vauxhall hopes will give it more presence on the road. Indeed, the size of the car will be more familiar with the drivers of the BMW 5-Series it will be for Passat owners. However, although this proportion is increasing, Vauxhall has managed to shed a lot of weight compared with the current car, up to 175kg, depending on the version.

With our test car became very early prototype version, cast-iron details about the car in very short supply. We can say with confidence, though, that a boost in size certainly had the desired effect on the practicality. The cars we drove is a five-door hatchback version, which is now called the Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport - the real version will continue to carry the name of Sports Tourer - and the interior space is much cheaper than in a car today.

Indeed, the rear headroom may still be convenient for passengers plenty of shade over six feet tall, but the injection of an additional 92mm to the wheelbase means the rear kneeroom very generous, allowing passengers to scooch in their seats and recline. Anyone sitting in the middle seat cushion still have to put up with harsh and lifting and transmission tunnel that robs you of leg room, but the same is true in most rivals this symbol.

Meanwhile, the size of the boot looks to be competitive compared with rivals (although no figures are yet available), and although it is far from perfect, it is an improvement on what went before.

Unfortunately, we can not say more about the interior, because it was just as heavily camouflaged as the bodywork. The layout of the dashboard seems reminiscent of the latest Astra, it means significantly fewer buttons than before to clean, the layout is less confusing, but that's about it. The quality of materials at the end of the production car, and the fit and finish of the panel, remains a mystery. Touchscreen infotainment system in our test car not the finished article, either. That said, the infotainment system to be similar to the Astra system, which, while not having the most intuitive interface ever, does not offer an impressive range of functionality and connectivity.

Get comfortable at the wheel much easier than in the Insignia this time, because the driving position is much lower and feels more natural. large door mirrors also provide a clearer view down the side of the car, but we can not really get a feel for the visibility of over-the-shoulder because the amount of camouflage glued to the bodywork.

And fortunately, you'll detect a distinct improvement over the current emblem after you get the car and walk. The restless, fidgety ride was exchanged experience altogether more civilized, isolating you much more effective than the effect of the rough or rippled surface. Still not a smooth-riding car in the class, but it was much closer to the leaders of the class on that score than that.

The same applies to the handling. Slender body seems pretty well pressed and the transition from one corner to another occurs without too much fuss, but the steering is a little secluded mean it will not trouble the sharpest cars in the class. Even then, though, the wheel is a huge improvement on the current Insignia, because it is more consistent in its response.

We also tried the car with Flex ride adaptive damping system Vauxhall, which change the characteristics of the suspension, steering and throttle response, which according to the mode you choose to drive. While variations between modes is of blink-and-you-miss-them variations in the current car, there is variation in behavior is much greater in the new car, giving each its own character mode seen. Although you may feel more floats from the suspension in more comfort-oriented mode, it is debatable whether it is actually more comfortable, and it was the same story with a sporty mode.

There is no debating the merits of the machines we tried: the entry-level 1.5-liter turbocharged petrol with 163bhp. This machine has been newly developed for use in for Vauxhall Insignia feel 138bhp 1.4 engine that is found in other Vauxhall models may not be up to the job. Which may well turn out to be a very smart decision, because 1.5 has a decent punch at the bottom of the rev range for good flexibility, and things get much fizzier when turbo chimes true. It remains quite smooth and quiet, too, and a six-speed manual gearbox provides smooth shift from the new driver of any product Vauxhall will now be used for.

We also had a shot in the range-topping version, a 247bhp 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol mated to eight-speed automatic gearbox and all-wheel drive. If we are honest, this version is a little less impressive. It did not feel anywhere near as fast as it should be with numbers like that, and gearchanges felt a little slow and reluctant.

Should I get one?

With so many details are still unknown, it is almost impossible to say for sure. Price will be key, as the level of willingness equipment and CO2 figures that will dictate their operating costs are very important for the company car driver. Currently, however, they are all the details that we do not have.

What can we say, however, is that the Insignia next year is a big step forward compared to the year in almost every area we can feel, and that means it will trouble the best car in class more than they ever have before. It remains to be seen whether it can issue them enough to lead.

Key facts:

• Model: Vauxhall Insignia 1.5T manual
• Price: tbc
• Engine: turbocharged petrol 1.5-liter, six-speed manual
• Power: 163bhp
• 0-62mph: tbc
• Top speed: tbc
• Economy: tbc
• CO2 / BIK tax liabilities: tbc / tbc
• Boot space: tbc

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