Vauxhall Insignia SE 1.4 Turbo Start/Stop 5dr Car Review - March 2012

REVIEW
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List Price: £19,249
Tax Band: D
Insurance Group: 15
MPG: 54.3
CO2: 123
0-62 Mph: 10.9 secs
BHP: 138 BHP
Range: 836 miles
CarSite Verdict:  3.75/5
The Vauxhall Insignia SE 1.4 Turbo Start/Stop 5dr is a great option for family motorists. It's not particularly fast but it is economical thanks to start/stop technology and, with diesel prices so high at the moment, it's one of the cheapest in the range to run.

PROS:  Good fuel efficiency for a petrol, decent performance credentials, handsome looks

CONS:  The diesel models make much more sense financially and offer better performance

Behind the Wheel

The Vauxhall Insignia SE 1.4 Turbo Start/Stop 5dr produces 138bhp and 147 lb-ft of torque. This translates into a 0-60mph time of 10.1 seconds and a top speed of 127mph which is bang on the money for a a large family hatchback.

The Insignia has a very comfortable ride, making it perfect as a motorway mile-muncher. It also handles surprisingly well for a Vauxhall thanks to a surfeit of grip and good steering. It's not as sharp as a Mondeo or a Beemer but it's light years ahead of the Vectra.

Looks & Equipment

The Insignia looks great. It looks elegant and classy - not at all like the old Vectra - and the interior is also very luxurious.

Standard kit includes power steering, central locking, stability control, climate control, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, cruise control and an advanced stereo system with both CD and MP3 connectivity.

Rear parking sensors can be added for £395 whilst a leather seated interior is priced at £1,045. Bluetooth connectivity and a built-in sat nav are still only available for an additional fee, costing £220 and £855 respectively.

Practicality, Safety & Reliability

There is plenty of space inside the Insignia although rear seat passengers may find that headroom is at a premium. When the seats are in place there is a moderate 530 litres of boot space on offer whilst folding down the rear seats can expand this to an impressive 1,470 litres.

The Insignia should be very safe, scoring five stars in the Euro NCAP safety tests. Reliability shouldn't be an issue either as the Insignia feels well made and is offered with an impressive 100,000 mile warranty.

Value for Money

Priced at £23,820, this model is fairly cheap for its class and offers decent fuel efficiency of 49.6 mpg on the combined cycle.

CO2 emissions of 134g/km means the Insignia falls under VED band E and insurance premiums are also manageable, falling under insurance group 16.

Therefore, for buyers looking for a reliable and practical family car with high levels of performance and efficiency, the Vauxhall Insignia SE 1.4 Turbo Start/Stop 5dr could be perfect.

Vauxhall Insignia SE 1.4 Turbo Start/Stop 5dr Car Review - by 
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Large Family Alternatives

You might want to read reviews for other Large Family cars that you can then compare to the Vauxhall Insignia. Here are some popular Vauxhall Insignia alternatives:

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