Key Facts
Model tested: Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer 2.0 CDTi 160 4x4 SE
Price: £27,670
Date tested: October 2010
Road tester: Rhian Angharad Jones

With over 56,000 sold in the UK since its launch last year, the Vauxhall Insignia has proved a huge success.

In what is an already extensive line-up of bodystyles, engines and trim levels, there's a new addition in the form of the first diesel Insignia Sports Tourer 4x4. Its adaptive four-wheel drive system - previously only available with a petrol engine - is now available with a 2-litre CDTi diesel engine.

We drove the attractive and spacious Sports Tourer - with its 540 to a maximum of 1,530 litres of luggage space - but the combination is also available in saloon and hatchback-guise.

The four-wheel drive system works by automatically distributing power between the front and rear axles to maximise traction and comes with an electronically controlled limited-slip differential. This controls the distribution of power between the rear wheels; shifting power to whichever has the most grip to ensure seamless movement.

If four-wheel drive isn't required - such as when driving on a motorway - the car reverts to two-wheel drive to maximise fuel efficiency.

The 158bhp 2-litre diesel engine is capable of going from 0-60mph in 9.8 seconds while returning an average fuel consumption of 47.1mpg and emitting 164g/km of CO2.

If you opt for petrol power instead, there's the 2-litre turbo with 217bhp - which has benefitted from a four-wheel drive option for longer - a 2.8-litre turbo V6 with 260bhp and 4x4 as standard, or the hot VXR model - using the same 2.8-litre engine, but with 321bhp.

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Vauxhall offers the Insignia Sports Tourer 4x4 in five trim levels: Exclusiv, SRi, SRi Vx-Line, SE and Elite. Entry-level models get 17-inch wheels, climate control and MP3 compatibility.

SRi adds 18-inch alloy wheels, lowered sports suspension, front fog lights, front sports seats, tinted glass, a sat-nav and the company's FlexRide electronic suspension system - which uses adaptive dampers to adjust the suspension depending on driving conditions.

There are three settings - standard, Sport and Tour. Sport stiffens the ride and ups pedal response while Tour offers the best compromise for UK roads, with its slightly softened ride while maintaining the handling and response benefits of Sport.

At its most expensive, an Insignia Sports Tourer will set you back almost £35,000 - with the four-wheel drive a £1,750 premium. So it's costly, but for those who tow a large caravan or do a lot of driving in rain or snow it's an ideal car.

When we first tested the car with 4x4 and towing pack - which includes self-levelling rear suspension - the Insignia proved a very capable tow car, comfortably controlling a 2,000kg caravan.

Its mix of space, refinement, fuel economy and all-weather capability is an attractive package but it won't be to everyone's taste or needs. Although the rarity of four-wheel drive systems in other popular saloons and estates can only play to its strengths.