Vauxhall Insignia SRi ecoFLEX

Engine: 2-litre, four-cylinder, turbodiesel

Power: 138bhp and 158lb.ft. of torque

Performance: 0-62mph in 10.5 seconds and 127mph

Economy: 76mpg (combined)

CO2 emissions: 99g/km

Price: £21,649

Introduced to encourage motorists into cleaner, more economical new cars — and to reflect draconian EU rules for manufacturers — it came hand-in-hand with tax breaks for company car users taking advantage of greener vehicles.

When the new rules came in force Auto Express Magazine amassed a collection of 99g/km to give readers an idea of what was on offer for beardy types and aspiring tax-dodgers.

Back then the choice was limited to a handful of mid-sized hatchbacks and the Toyota Prius.

Now the choice is more varied and Vauxhall has recently broken new ground by achieving a 99g/km score with its commodious sales rep’s favourite, the Insignia.

With 138bhp and 258lb.ft. torque my SRi 2.0 CDTi ecoFLEX test car (£21,649) confounded a few friends who encountered it during my week-long test — “I remember when the SRI was what a VRX is now” — but still manages a creditable 10.5 second time for the sprint to 62mph and 127mph top speed.

Given the Insignia’s size, those emissions claims and the fact Vauxhall claim 76mpg fuel economy, that’s pretty damn impressive.

I take the point of those questioning the SRi’s new stance in the Vauxhall range, though. Those expecting an aggressive body kit, a ground-hugging stance and sports seats will be sorely disappointed.

In the car park at Advertiser towers the Insignia struck an undoubtedly handsome figure but it was also inconspicuous.

Perhaps familiarity now sees us take the Insignia for granted, but even its latest generation styling tweaks failed to attract attention.

Vauxhall’s update, introduced last October, introduces a wider and lower front grille, which gives the car a more head-down stance, and black inserts for the headlights and fog lights.

At the rear, the chrome logo bar is set lower and extends into the rear light clusters in an effort to accentuate its width.

All-in-all, though, it’s a fairly subtle re-style.

Inside, the cabin has been subject to more significant changes than its initial familiarity might suggest.

The formerly cluttered centre console has been cleared of a few of its buttons thanks to the introduction of a finger-sensitive control pad and voice control for many functions, in addition to the touchscreen function of the eight inch display which takes centre stage.

Another eight inch colour display (a £400 option) replaces the analogue speedometer, allowing an array of set-up options, including a sat-nav screen, stereo display or trip computer in the centre of the animated speed dial.

Also among the standard features of my SRi test car — which slots in to the range just above the base Design trim level — were a digital radio, Bluetooth hands free telephone and music streaming functions, cruise control, a multi-function steering wheel, tinted rear windows and lowered sports suspension.

Although I would have appreciated a little more reach adjustability in the steering column, in order to accommodate my legs, the interior felt spacious and of generally high quality.

The tactility of various plastics is not up there with Volkswagen or, perhaps, Peugeot’s 508, but is a match for the soon-to-be-replaced Ford Mondeo or Toyota’s Avensis and the fascia wraps itself around the front seat occupants, leaving them feeling ensconced in their surroundings.

Around 80 per cent of the 167,000 Insignias sold up until October last year were bought for business fleets and it feels like a car honed for motorway miles.

Vauxhall has made the Insignia the most aerodynamic car in its class thanks to clever exterior design and the inclusion of engine ventilation flaps which close when the engine is not in need of cooling.

Long gearing is evident through the appreciably clean-shifting six-speed manual gearbox but not intrusive thanks to reasonable low-down torque.

Low rev progress makes for economical driving and I managed to see miles-per-gallon in the low-50s, the claimed 76mpg never really on the cards.

But above 2,200rpm the two-litre turbodiesel engine pulled keenly and the stability of the front-wheel-drive Insignia makes for a secure and surprisingly quick cross-country cruiser, the ride proving supple compared to most modern saloons, even with the ‘sports suspension’ fitted to the SRi.

It is not hard to see why Vauxhall’s Insignia has been such a hit with business users. Spacious, comfortable and very well-specced for the money, it is a car that is sure to lure those looking for a practical saloon to suit their budget.

Thanks to improved environmental credentials that bring associated tax advantages, its popularity looks set to strengthen.

Whether its association with suite clad sales reps and its air of anonymity on the roads lessens its appeal with the rest of us is another matter entirely...