Vauxhall Insignia to return as crossover

Next-generation all-electric family model to make a clean break from tradition

- Yousuf Ashraf

Plans are in place to turn Insignia into a high-riding crossover

All-electric powertrain will be optimised for 450 miles of range

LAST year the UK bade farewell to the Vauxhall Insignia. The once-popular family car suffered dwindling sales before being discontinued in the wake of the SUV boom and a much-heralded push towards electrification. But Auto Express has learned that Vauxhall is planning for the Insignia's return with a radical class-busting replacement by the middle of the decade.

As our exclusive images preview, the new model is likely to take the form of a highriding, sleekly profiled crossover. Vauxhall Vice President of Design Mark Adams has revealed that in response to the SUV trend, the next Insignia will abandon the more traditional hatchback design.

Speaking exclusively to Auto Express, Adams said, "We're going to replace the Insignia with something, but it will categorically not be a saloon. Large saloons are a shrinking part of the market. For brands like Vauxhall that operate in the upper-mainstream sector, they don't work. We've been thinking about the right balance, and we believe that the car that does replace the Insignia needs to be really attractive and aspirational. It's about finding that new formula."