Opel’s or Vauxhall’s in Britain, family car has matured over the years, having received a new name too – Insignia, meant to make buyers forget all about that unattractive and boring Vectra.

The Insignia is now in its second generation, which brings not only an entirely new car, but also a different suffix for the four-door saloon – the Grand Sport.

It competes against the likes of the Volkswagen Passat and its Czech cousin, the Skoda Superb, as well as the Ford Mondeo, and others in the segment, while being priced fairly competitive. But could it be an alternative to the premium Audi A4 and BMW 3-Series, and should you shortlist it?

Before letting WhatCar’s Rebecca Jackson answer these questions in the review that follows, let’s focus on some of its strong points, which include the appealing design, generous space for the rear passengers, and a decent size boot.

Every new Insignia also comes with automatic emergency braking and lane keeping assistance, and no matter what trim level and engine you’re going for, the running costs should be fairly cheap. In the long run, this could be a huge perk.

VIDEO