Reference Auto

List price from £16,479 Lease price from £145 The verdict 7

Low company car tax bills and leasing rates make the Vauxhall Insignia a fleet favourite

The Vauxhall Insignia has always been a great looking family car, but one that was undermined by dated engines, disappointing comfort and a fussy dashboard layout. This revised version is designed to fix those failings, benefiting from significant mechanical and interior updates.

Headroom is tight in the back

Vauxhall offers saloon and hatchback versions of the Insignia, with the latter more practical, thanks to a larger boot opening. However, that opening is still a little pinched by the rear lights, so loading bigger items isn’t as easy as it is in a FordMondeo or SkodaOctavia. The size of the boot itself is harder to fault; the Insignia can transport a couple of large suitcases without you having to fold down the rear seats. And there are some useful storage spaces for smaller items inside the car. Those sitting in the front will find they have plenty of space, too. But the Insignia’s stylish, sloping roofline leaves six-footers short of rear headroom and means they have to be careful not to bang their heads when getting in and out of the back.

Supple suspension, but diesel engines are noisy

When Vauxhall was updating the Insignia it paid a lot of attention to the suspension - and it shows. The Insignia is now much better at dealing with bumps and patched-up road surfaces. In fact, on 16-inch wheels - the smallest available - it’s one of the smoothest-riding family cars you can buy. True, choosing larger, more stylish wheels that are covered with less rubber reduces comfort. But the same is true with rivals. Sadly, the front seats in the Insignia are less impressive, because they’re a little short on leg and lower back support. And the diesel engines are even more disappointing, clattering loudly at all times.

Better than before, but can still be fiddly

The Insignia’s dashboard used to be littered with buttons, making it difficult to find the one you wanted at a glance. However, many of these have now been binned in favour of a touchscreen control system. This screen is quite small on cheaper versions of the Insignia, so it can be difficult to hit the area you’re aiming for when you’re on the move, but models with sat-nav get an iPad-sized screen that’s a lot easier to use. Vauxhall also fits a small touchpad behind the gearlever that lets you control the car’s functions with finger gestures, but this is horribly fiddly.

Most of the diesels are strong; shame rear visibility is so limited

The diesel engines in the Insignia might be noisy, but most of them are strong enough to make everyday situations easy; only the cheapest, 120 version forces you to make lots of gearchanges, something that’s a real frustration, due to the Insignia’s notchy gearshift. The 1.8-litre petrol engine is also best avoided, whereas the 1.6-litre petrol comes with a turbo that boosts its performance. Reversing sensors are a must in the Insignia because it has big rear blind spots.

Plenty of family cars are more enjoyable to drive

Our favourite version:	2.0 CDTi 140 Ecoflex Design Nav 5dr, list price £20,044
Options you should add:	Metallic paint (£545) and front and rear parking sensors (£395)

Source : telegraph[dot]co[dot]uk

The Toyota RAV4 is a usefully-sized SUV that puts practicality ahead of style and driving pleasure

Since the first version went on sale in 1994, the Toyota RAV4 has gained a loyal band of followers who value its no-nonsense practicality, rugged styling and reliability, as well as having the choice of more frugal front-wheel-drive models, or the security of 4x4. In many way, this latest version is no different, but its a much bigger car than its predecessors, making it more suitable for families.

Plenty of room for passengers and a big boot, too

With enough room for a family of five, including a big boot with a flat floor and no lip to heave luggage over, the RAV4 is hard to criticise. It makes the average family hatchback feel tiny, and has lots of storage compartments and deep door pockets, too. Furthermore, the floor across the rear of the car is completely flat, so anybody sitting in the middle has just as much legroom as those either side (although the backrest is on the narrow side). Sadly, those generous internal dimensions don’t come without a cost, and in the case of the RAV4 it’s the size of the car itself. This is a big, wide vehicle and it feels it to drive.

Good seats, but the ride is a bit too firm

For such a big vehicle the RAV4 controls its body quite well, but it lets you know about bigger lumps and bumps in the road thanks to its overly firm suspension. The diesel engines are also noisy at anything other than motorway cruising speeds. The seats are comfortable, however, and it’s easy to find a good driving position.

Looks dated, and not all controls are easy to reach

Climb into the RAV4 and you might wonder if you’ve stepped back in time. For a start, there’s a digital clock that looks like it’s come from a 1980s Casio watch, and many of the other parts, such as the speedometer and rev counter, look decidedly cheap and basic. The heating controls are a good size and simple to use, though. Top specification “Invincible” models come with a touchscreen satnav and audio system (optional on other versions), but it’s overly complicated and slow to respond, particularly when entering an address. The satnav and audio controls are also too far away from the driver, meaning you have to stretch to reach them every time you want to change a radio station or zoom in on the satnav’s map.

Excellent visibility, but this always feels like a big car

The RAV4’s size makes it tricky to drive on narrow roads. On the plus side, visibility is excellent, with the high driving position and huge windscreen giving a great view of the road, and making it easy to pull out of junctions safely. Also, because the rear of the car is flat it’s easy to judge when parking. The controls are all light enough, and the manual gearbox is a willing partner, but the steering wheel needs a lot of twirling for low-speed maneuvering and the manual handbrake (rather than an electronic one) feels rather flimsy.

Frugal, but not fun

Our favourite version	2.0 D-4D Icon 2WD, list price £24,995
Options you should add	None

Source : telegraph[.]co[.]uk

The Subaru Forester is a safe and roomy 4x4 that's genuinely capable in the mud

The Subaru Forester has always had a reputation for being rugged, dependable and practical. However, this latest version tries to be all that while adding a touch of luxury. Subaru is hoping that it’ll appeal not just as a useful and sturdy workhorse, but also as a comfortable, family-friendly rival to the likes of the HondaCR-V, MazdaCX-5 and ToyotaRAV4. 

Spacious for passengers, but boot could be better

The Subaru Forester is an easy car to get in and out of, and it feels very spacious once you’re inside. Leg and elbow room are particularly generous, though the centre rear seat will only be comfortable for small adults or children on a long trip due to the fact the floor is raised where they'll want to put their feet. The boot is quite small compared with the majority of its rivals, too. And while the rear seats do split and fold down, they don’t leave a flat floor when they do so, making it awkward to load large items. 

Good seats, but there's too much noise and ride comfort could be better

The Forester’s seats are extremely comfortable and supportive, even on a long journey, plus it's easy to find a driving position that suits because there’s plenty of adjustment on offer. It's all the more disappointing, then, that the ride isn't better. The Forester bounces and jostles you when you’re driving around town. And while things are better at higher speeds, some bumps still unsettle it. There's also a lot of wind noise from the top corners of the car, and engine noise is a problem in diesel versions.

Complicated to use and unpleasant to behold

Arguably the worst thing about the Forester is the way its dashboard is set out. It's far from intuitive, so you often find yourself having to take your eyes off the road to carry out simple functions. Things are particularly bad if you go for a car with the touchscreen satnav system, because this is needlessly complicated and far too fiddly. It also becomes difficult to read in direct sunlight. To make matters worse, the speedometer in diesel models has extra numbers on it that tell you the maximum speed in each gear, but mainly just make it more crowded and difficult to read. Meanwhile, the information display between the two dials is also very busy. The air-conditioning controls are, at least, tactile and simple enough, although they’re located about a foot away from the small screen that tells you what they’re doing. The whole lot is couched in plastics which look like the sort you’d find on an early 1990s hi-fi – that is to say, not very classy. And the design itself is rather bland. The one saving grace of the dashboard is that it feels robust and unlikely to squeak or rattle in the car’s later life. 

Good visibility, but sensitive clutch can make smooth progress tricky

Our favourite version	2.0D XC, list price £26,995
Options you should add	Metallic paint (£500)

Source : telegraph[dot]co[dot]uk

The VW Golf Estate is as practical as it is classy. Like the hatchback on which it's based, VW's latest Golf Estate offers smart, understated looks and a desirable image. Don't think this means it's one of those estates that puts style before practicality, though. The Golf Estate has a huge boot and lots of clever touches that are designed to make life easier.

Roomy for passengers, and boot is big and clever

With the rear seats in place, there’s plenty of room for large suitcases or the family dog. And when you fold the seats flat, the Golf Estate is an ideal choice for trips to Ikea. The way the rear seats automatically fold flat when you pull handles in the boot adds to the practicality. As does a height-adjustable boot floor; when this is in its higher setting, there’s no drop down to it from the boot opening, so you can just slide heavy items in and out. Even the luggage cover is thoughtfully designed. It automatically stops half way when you retract it, instead of sliding all the way to the back of the boot.This means you’re less likely to have to lean against the rear bumper and get your clothes dirty when pulling the cover back into place. Farther forward, the Golf Estate is much like the hatch, but this is no bad thing. Large, square door openings make it easy to get in and out without banging your head. And there’s enough leg and headroom to keep four six-footers happy. True, life isn’t as comfortable for a fifth person because the floor is raised in the middle of the car, but this is also an issue in most rivals. 

Almost impossible to fault

Even the sportier GT models are good at soaking up bumps in the road, while lesser Golfs are about as comfortable as family estates get. This isn’t just down to the suspension. There’s a huge range of adjustment to help you find a good driving position. What’s more, the seats are supportive and only the cheapest, S-spec cars miss out on adjustable lumbar support.The fact that the Golf Estate shuts out wind and road noise better than rivals adds to its credentials as a long-distance cruiser. And the engines are generally smooth and quiet. 

Simple to use and classier than most

The Golf Estate’s dashboard is made from appealing materials, plus it features rotary air-conditioning controls that make it easy to adjust the temperature inside the car. The touchscreen that you use to control the stereo, sat-nav and vehicle settings is similarly user-friendly. Not only are the various menus clearly laid out, but there are shortcut buttons around the outside of the screen that let you quickly switch between the various functions. The only downside is that you have to look away from the road at times to find the correct area of the screen to press. 

Precise controls and excellent visibility

Like the Golf hatchback, the Estate has large, deep windows that keep blind spots to a minimum. The steering is light enough to make parking pretty easy, too, while well weighted pedals help you drive smoothly in stop-start traffic. The only engines that struggle to pull the car are the lower-powered versions of the 1.2-litre petrol and 1.6-litre diesel. But it’s the other diesels that are best at coping with heavy loads, because they pull strongly in any gear. You can specify an automatic gearbox with every engine except the weakest 1.2-litre petrol and 1.6-litre diesel, and the super-efficient Bluemotion diesel. 

Above average, but not the best