The Vauxhall Insignia GSi Is More Expensive Than A Volkswagen Golf R

Vauxhall has announced prices for the surprisingly brisk and well-sorted Insignia GSi. And it’s not cheap.

After some deserved good press for the latest Insignia, which is as well-rounded a family car as you could ask for, Vauxhall seems to be chancing its arm with a price tag that eclipses even the likes of the Volkswagen Golf R.

The Grand Sport body style (that’ll be the saloon, then) of the new, warmed-over averagemobile starts at £33,375, and for that you get a very good car. There’s a 256bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol and a 206bhp twin-turbo diesel to choose from.

There’s also an estate, or Sports tourer. That has the same choice of engines and starts from £34,875. We’d like to reiterate what a good car the Insignia has become, and that the GSi should be the best of the lot, but… that does seem rather expensive if you’re after a versatile performance-minded family car.

The 306bhp, five-door, manual Golf R hatchback is £10 cheaper than the GSi saloon. For front-wheel drive thrills, the explosive Seat Leon Cupra 300 costs £30,895 even in the more practical estate guise - £2480 less than the Insignia. Even the four-wheel drive DSG-specced Leon Cupra estate is almost £800 more affordable than the cheapest GSi.

As for similar-sized alternatives? The 248bhp BMW 330i M Sport saloon costs £34,730, £1355 more than the Grand Sport but a gnat’s wing cheaper than the Sport Tourer.

We’d like the Insignia GSi to do well. We really would. We know it’s a class larger than the cheaper cars we’ve compared it to, but they’re designed to achieve broadly the same goals. Here’s hoping it gets sold with some seriously attractive finance deals.