Vauxhall Insignia news - ’Signia of the times - 2008

Here's a word you'll need to forget: Vectra.

Lose it from your vocabulary; forget it ever existed. And replace it with this: Insignia.

Because Vauxhall's new saloon is about as far from the bland, boring old Vectra as you could imagine. We've just had a good look around it, see, and it's really rather good.

It's a smaller car than the pictures suggest, and feels quite narrow. But that's OK - interior space is uncompromised and there's actually quite a lot of room in the back.

It looks good from all angles too, especially side-on.

Not quite as bold as, say, a C5 - but a big step away from the Vectra's three-box silhouette. And if you're thinking of buying one, make sure you choose the massive alloys - they really set it off.

Inside, things have gone even more upmarket, too. Luton's interior design wizards (or someone, somewhere at GM) have finally realised the value of a welcoming, well-designed cabin.

The plastics are nice and squidgy, and nothing feels cheap.

There are some clever touches on this thing, too. Things like 'Hot Shot' - a windscreen washer system that squirts jets of warm water instead of cold stuff. Why did no one think of that before?

Other features include Flexride, adaptive 4x4, and some clever light thingies that dip automatically and see round corners. Fancy, eh?

Finally, to finish things off, this is the first Vauxhall to feature that new griffin badge. It's still not cool, but at least it'll help you forget about the Vectra.’