Apparently the new Insignia was benchmarked against the Ford Mondeo for handling and the Volkswagen Passat for the interior and build quality. "I wanted 80 per cent of the Mondeo's handling," says the Insignia's vehicle line executive, Jim Federico, referring to the high driver inputs the Mondeo demands. He neglected to add: "And 80 per cent of the Passat's cabin quality," although the Insignia does fall some way short of the VW in a number of areas. The cabin is clearly inspired by the Passat, with its sweeping trim line across the bottom of the windscreen and into the doors. On the whole, it's smart and comfortable, with plenty of accommodation front and rear, and a huge and pleasantly shallow boot. It's not all brilliant, however. The centre console, while easy to use, is finished in nauseously greasy plastic, similar to that of the grubby dismembered doll's head that our dog found under a hedge. Some of the leather seat options feel like overstuffed armchairs and there are spectacularly bad colour schemes, including a sort of last-in-the-box fondant-filling hue mixed with puppy-poo brown.