Vauxhall Signum

If you want high-spec motoring without forking out a huge premium over the cost of a standard compact executive car, the Signum Exclusiv is an interesting choice. It offers exceptional value for money compared to its rivals, but you'll have to keep it a while to reap the benefits - it won't hold its value as well as a trendier model.

If you like to wear the latest trainers, frequent trendy bars and insist on having a fashion designer's label inside your underwear, then look away now. This car is not for you.

If, however, you're prepared to accept that avoiding a premium badge means dodging a premium price, then here is the latest version of the Signum - Vauxhall's oddball junior executive challenger. The Exclusiv may shortchange you a letter 'e', but in all other respects it offers an impressive spec.

There are 18-inch alloys, sat-nav with traffic avoidance, power windows, smoked rear glass, front foglights, silver roof rails and a quality CD system all fitted as standard. Yet starting at £17,995 for the 1.8-litre petrol variant, it's cheaper than the previous entry-level model. And if you want 19-inch wheels, Vauxhall will charge only £200 for the privilege.

We drove the £19,995 1.9 CDTI, which is £1,630 less expensive than a BMW 318d would be without 18-inch wheels and sat-nav. And it's a great package, too. The common-rail engine is very refined, and while the performance figures might not look inspiring on paper, the engine's torque and mid-range grunt more than make up for it.

The six-speed manual box is also good: with a smooth shift action and well spaced gears, it represents a quantum leap over diesel Vauxhalls of the past. Throw in an 18 per cent benefit-in-kind tax rating and a combined economy figure of 47mpg, and the oil- burner makes a huge amount of sense, especially to company car drivers.

Exclusiv buyers get sports suspension, too. While this might not deliver the same rewarding handling as on rear-drive German rivals, it gives the Vectra-based Signum a sharper feel without impacting too much on the car's renowned ride comfort.

The Vauxhall is still no dynamic tour de force, but as a motorway cruiser it's an exceptionally pleasant companion. It's also incredibly practical, with a big boot and acres of rear legroom. However, the Signum remains a four-seater thanks to the fold-out Travel Assistant in the back, which offers extra storage and cup-holders for rear passengers.

Yet it's not all good news. As well as the lack of brand image, the car suffers from heady depreciation and has the same irritating column stalks as the Vectra. But if you can live with these, it is a model which is hard to beat in terms of what it offers for the money. There's also the Signum's position in the market to consider - Vauxhall would like us to believe it's posher than a Vectra, but in reality it's little more than an alternative bodystyle with slightly more individuality. The Signum, then, remains an anomaly. But one that, in Exclusiv form, becomes a lot more interesting.