Insurance Group: 22
MPG: 55.4
CO2: 134
0-62 Mph: N/A secs
BHP: 158 BHP
Range: 853 miles
PROS: Good diesel engine, elegant styling, quality interior, well equipped.
CONS: Only average handling on back roads, poor quality ride on 18-inch wheels, hampered rear visibility.
Inside the cabin it’s a pleasant enough environment, with ample adjustment on the driver’s seat and steering wheel to make finding the perfect driving position an easy task. Rear visibility is hampered a little because of the weird shape of the rear windscreen. The dash is well designed; however the centre console seems more cluttered with controls than other cars in its class. The interior finish is excellent and materials used wouldn’t look out of place in a more expensive car.
The 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine produces 158bhp and delivers a decent 258lb-ft of pulling power low down in the rev range. It has a top speed of 132mph and will do 0-60mph in 9.3 seconds. Average fuel economy of 53.3mpg is impressive for a large family estate car. Performance is generally good, but it isn’t as smooth or refined as equivalent diesel engines from Ford or Volkswagen.
The Insignia’s handling, while competent, is not class-beating. It doesn’t possess the composure or cornering ability of the Ford Mondeo, and while it rides smoothly and comfortably on the motorway, potholes and uneven roads cause it problems and make it feel less sure-footed.
The SRi version comes fitted with lower suspension and with Vauxhall’s ‘Flexride’ system as standard, which basically allows you to choose between a comfort setting (Tour) or a firmer setting (Sport).
Surprisingly, the Insignia Sports Tourer is quite a noisy car in spite of its aerodynamic styling. Rough surfaces give rise to an intrusive amount of road noise and wind noise around the tailgate is also evident at cruising speeds.
The Insignia Sports Tourer is a lot more sophisticated and dashing than the old Vectra estate which it replaces. Its aerodynamic, flowing lines and upmarket interior certainly make it an head-turner.
There’s a wide range of trim levels available for the Insignia. The SRi version comes well equipped with power steering, central locking, stability control, alloy wheels, climate control, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, cruise control, alarm, immobiliser and CD+MP3 connectivity.
Vauxhall offer several optional extras including metallic paint (£495), rear parking sensor (£395), leather seats (£1,145), Bluetooth (£220) and satellite navigation (£850).
All Insignias are kitted out with a road sign reading camera which passes the information to the driver’s digital display.
The Insignia Sports Tourer is really practical and comfortable. Legroom and headroom are generous for four adults to travel in comfort. It’s not the class leader the old Vectra was in terms of boot space, but it still provides a competitive 540-litres of luggage space with the rear seats in place, which can be boosted to 1,530-litres with them folded down. The SRi version includes an electric tailgate which makes life easier when loading.
EuroNCAP awarded the Insignia the maximum five-star rating in its crash-tests. Adult occupant safety scored five-stars, child occupant safety scored four-stars and pedestrian safety scored two-stars. All Insignias come fitted with six airbags, ISOfix child seat mounting points, anti-lock brakes, and stability and traction control systems.
The Insignia is built to a higher standard than its predecessor, the Vectra. While the Insignia is stylish and quality materials are used throughout, Vauxhall's reputation for reliability is no better than average and not in the same class as its German rivals. In the 2011 JD Power
Survey, Insignia owners rated its reliability as below average.
Anti-theft measures include an alarm and engine immobiliser.
The Insignia Sports Tourer comes with Vauxhall’s 100,000 mile warranty and 20,000 mile regular service intervals.
The Insignia Sports Tourer SRi 2.0 CDTi offers an attractive package and comes well equipped and competitively priced at £25,860. You should shop around for deals, both at main dealers and the big car supermarkets if buying new. As a used buy, the best ones will be available through the Vauxhall Network Q approved car scheme and will save you thousands on the new price, making it even better value for money.
Running costs are reasonable for this diesel version. Insurance is in group 22 and its CO2 emissions of 139g/km keep it in VED band E for Road Tax.
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