Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport (2017 -) Comfort

• Longer wheelbase improves ride comfort
• Even 20-inch wheels offer a good ride
• Noise levels in the car markedly improved

Thanks to a longer wheelbase than the previous car, the Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport boasts better ride comfort than before, even on the large 20-inch wheels of our test car. We reckon the 18-inch option will be seriously smooth, and also a bit quieter on the move.

The front seats are large and cossetting and can be set really low down – great for tall drivers, and also improving rear passenger vision, making the cabin feel large and airy whereever you’re sat.

Heating is available for not just the front seats but also the two rears – plus the steering wheel can be warmed to help combat cold hands in the winter.

Engine noise from the 2.0-litre diesel at least is admirably hushed, although it gets a touch vocal at the top of the rev range. There’s a bit of wind rustle on the motorway but on the whole the Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport is a quiet and relaxing place to spend a long journey.

• Plenty of passenger space front and back
• Masses of leg space in the rear
• Large but relatively shallow boot

There’s loads of room whereever you sit in the Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport and the cabin feels particularly capacious in the front.

Those in the back are well catered for in terms of legroom – even behind a tall driver there is plenty of space to stretch out into. This car also has more headroom that its predecessor, but those of above average height will still find their hair brushing the headliner.

The rear seats feel like they are set high up in comparison with the cats-eye scraping front chairs, so you get a really good view out when sat in the back.

There are decent side pockets all around, plus three cubbies in the centre console and a pair of cupholders in the front and back.

Open the boot (a task made harder by the lack of a physical handle on the outside of the tailgate) and you’ll reveal a large and practical boot. It’s wide and long with a square shape that can fit up to 490 litres of luggage inside.

Insignia fans will note those dimensions are 40 litres down on the last car – and certainly the new Grand Sport’s boot looks relatively shallow. Fold the rear seats flat and you’ll unlock 1,450 litres, though.

There’s a FlexOrganizer Pack offering side rails, dividing nets and fastening solutions to help keep all the items in the boot tied down neatly.

• Much cleaner and decluttered look to the dashboard
• Some important functions retain a physical button
• Lots of driving position adjustment, even for tall drivers

The dashboard in the Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport has undergone a comprehensive decluttering this time around, although there are still proper switches for important things like the air-conditioning and stereo.

This car retains its button-fest steering wheel, which on the one hand is quite useful but on the other is a bit of a headache to navigate at first.

While on the whole the interior is much better than before, in terms of material quality it still doesn’t quite feel as good as its premium rivals, or the more mainstream Volkswagen Passat and Skoda Superb – both of which are nicer to look at and use.

That said, the Insignia’s cabin looks a lot more upmarket now, especially if you opt for the larger digital display behind the wheel. The rev counter and fuel gauge are physical instruments but the speedometer is a customisable graphic version with a large numerical display.

It’s also easy to get into a comfortable driving position thank to the highly adjustable seat and steering wheel. Despite the width of the cabin, the armrests are appreciably close to the driver.