Vauxhall Insignia

OUR PICK 1.5 Turbo SRi Nav (2018/67, 48k miles, £11,950)

DEPRECIATION is a nightmare for new car buyers, but it’s manna from heaven if you’re in the market for a used motor – and nowhere is this more obvious than with the Insignia. Hobbled with an unfashionable badge and an increasingly unpopular large hatchback body, the big Vauxhall’s poor residuals mean you can buy a lightly used three-year-old example for less than half what it cost when it originally left the showroom as a new car.

Crucially, for that bargain price you’ll get a hugely capable machine that’s twice scooped the coveted Family Car title in our annual New Car Awards ceremony. Originally known as the Insignia Grand Sport when it was launched in 2017, the Vauxhall benefits from a spacious interior that looks and feels almost as upmarket as those of premium rivals. Better still, it comes with more kit, with most versions getting musthave essentials such as climate control and a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Its popularity with fleets means you’ll be spoiled for choice, with most models having a full history and only a handful of owners. Diesels are popular and there’s even a racy GSi 4x4, but the front-wheel-drive turbocharged 1.5litre petrol is the sweet spot in the range, particularly in SRi Nav guise. The smooth and torquey unit offers more than enough performance, while 40mpg is possible on a long run.

With a supple ride and low noise levels, the Insignia is ultimately tuned for comfort, but guide the Vauxhall through a series of corners and you’ll discover some genuine driver engagement with accurate steering, strong grip and good body control. Yet it’s also easy to live with day to day, thanks to its comfy seats and standard parking sensors.

There are more desirable and classy alternatives to the Vauxhall, but as a talented and no-nonsense family car with a dash of driver appeal, the Insignia is arguably one of the second-hand bargains of the decade.

“Poor residuals mean you can buy a lightly used three-year-old car for less than half what it cost originally”

INTERIOR There’s a real premium look and feel to the Insignia. It’s well equipped too, fitted with climate control and touchscreen infotainment

BOOT You get a near-500-litre capacity in the boot, while the huge hatchback makes it very easy to load and unload the car

REAR SEATS Thanks to decent head and legroom in the back, the Insignia can take four adults in comfort even on long trips

STYLING Hatchback bodies are not all that fashionable these days, but that means the elegant Vauxhall is all the more distinctive