Vauxhall Insignia VXR £30,995

This new Insignia VXR is the car Vauxhall hopes will give it credibility among high-performance German premium saloons such as the BMW 335i SE and Audi S4. And before you scoff at that, remember the basic Insignia is the current holder of the European Car of the Year award, and that this VXR comes fitted with a turbocharged 2.8-litre V6 motor developing 325bhp — more than the BMW offers and only a fraction less than the Audi. At £30,995, the VXR is cheaper than both, despite a decidedly generous equipment specification that includes four-wheel drive.

With a new mesh grille, lowered suspension and a rear wing, it looks attractive and purposeful even on its standard 19in rims, and sensational if you spend another £1,100 on the optional forged-aluminium 20in wheels. It’s practical, too, offering more rear room than those it aspires to rival, as well as a substantially bigger boot.

So far so good. But the VXR’s case starts to crumble soon after you slip behind the wheel. It doesn’t feel as fast as its 0-62mph time of 5.6sec suggests, and while the engine is quiet and responsive, it lacks the smoothness and character you’d find in any six-cylinder BMW. Worse, while a robot would be highly impressed by the VXR’s grip through corners, its poise and precision, a human looking for a bit of interaction between man and machine is going to go unrewarded. The steering disappoints in particular: it’s too light and provides little information to your fingertips about conditions underfoot.

The VXR is also going to cost a packet to run: not only does it return less than 25mpg, while the 335i and S4 manage a little above and a little below 30mpg respectively, its CO2 emissions place it firmly in the naughty-boy tax band, where a tax disc will cost you £405 per year — not far off double what it will cost to tax the BMW or Audi. It’s also a fair bet that the Insignia VXR will find itself hurtling down a more than usually steep depreciation curve.

The truth is, this latest Insignia looks good in the flesh and is superficially convincing on paper, but driving it strongly suggests that Vauxhall’s dream of building a sports saloon that is a truly credible alternative to those made by the cream of Europe’s car makers is still some distance from becoming a reality.

Rivals

Audi S4 £34,260

For: Good looks, performance and build

Against: Another Audi that confuses fast with fun

BMW 335i SE £31,950

For: Lovely engine, well-balanced handling

Against: Not much rear room, rather unattractive styling

Engine 2792cc, six cylinders

Power 325bhp @ 5250rpm

Transmission Six-speed manual

Fuel/CO2 24.7mpg / 268g/km

Acceleration 0-62mph: 5.6sec

Top speed 155mph (limited)

Road tax band M (£405 a year)

Rating