Road Tests
Read the road tests that have appeared in Local Cars magazine
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Vauxhall Iinsignia
Sensational! It’s not often I sink into hyperbole but after putting the Insignia Tourer from Dobies Vauxhall of Carlisle through the testing hoop I found it to be brilliant in so many ways.
Firstly, though the saloon is extremely attractive, in estate form it is deliciously sexy, elegant, tastefully imposing and having what the French would say ‘Je ne sais quoi’ – a distinctiveness which is diffi cult to sum up other than superb and, as you can see, an opinion with which my thorough-bred Connemaracross pony agreed as it thought the Insignia was pretty damned cool as well!
The fl owing lines and gently sidesculpting of the front doors forming the bottom swage line and a subtle top swage sweep the eye back along the gentle wedge shape to a nicely rounded rear, while the front has a gentle, feline look with the bold Vauxhall Griffi n motif on the under-stated grill.
The test car was in black which adds to its classy looks and in many respects should really be chauff eur driven for those of who have the wad to aff ord one.
However, that would be to deny yourself the joy of driving this wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Spacious all round, the Insignia’s boot would take a bale of hay for Inca, the holiday luggage or month’s shopping with the back seats up and everything, including the kitchen sink, with them down. The boot fl oor also lifts to reveal a shallow but large hidden compartment to keep valuables away from prying eyes.
The seating is generous both front and back, with the driver and front passenger ones electronically controlled for a myriad of positions.
In terms of material in the mid-range models it is sumptuous cloth but if you prefer a touch of the prairies, there is a leather option available.
The driving position is commanding, with a four-dial binnacle for speed, revs, temperature and fuel, plus a computer read-out to provide all the information required, while the sweeping dash gives a hint of being in an aircraft cockpit.
The centre console above the stubby gear stick contains an array of entertainment and climate control goodies, plus a Sat Nav on the top models.
The whole interior has a defi nite premium quality feel into which a great deal of design thought has gone, like the dash being neatly swept into the doors and outlined in aluminium (wood eff ect in top models) which is echoed on the central console, transmission tunnel and doors.
Needless to say that in a car of such innovation and quality, safety is a key priority for the Insignia, and apart from the endless chassis computer wizardry which gives the Insignia superb road holding, the cabin is festooned with hidden airbags for maximum protection.
It would take many pages to list all the design touches, the cubby holes, the storage space, and the excellence of the entertainment centre and climate control and the rest, but suffi ce it to say that even in the base S model, the Insignia’s list of extras is phenomenal.
However, if you want even more then you could have the test Exclusive model or rise to the Sri, SE and Elite models.
My test tourer was powered by a very willing and quiet 2.0-litre diesel with160bhp and stump-pulling 350Nm of torque, which will take the Insignia to 130mph+ on the Continent and whisk you to 62mph in under 10 seconds.
But the most impressive thing for me was that in 6th gear I worked out that at 100mph the Insignia will be revving at a phenomenally low 2,200 revs which means it will whisper along and which refl ects its dislike of fuel pumps with an average around 48mpg making the Insignia one heck of a luxury mile cruncher!
It is also a bit of the driver’s seat, it is so nimble that it felt half its size as I hurried it along the A and B roads of the Eden Valley with a grin from ear to ear.
Road holding is tenacious and helped by the adaptive 4x4 system and a clever suspension set-up which gave no soggy roll on corners but which is competent enough to absorb the many potholes which are spreading like Tarmac acne on our Cumbrian roads.
Unlike another well-known motoring journalist whose bête noir was the Vauxhall Vectra, a reputation which it certainly did not deserve, the Insignia will change his mind as it takes the executive car to a whole new level of excellence, comfort, handling and beauty.
These attributes were no doubt in the minds of the 59 senior motoring journalists from 23 European countries who voted it the 2009 Car of the Year, which in my humble opinion it justly deserves.
Starting at £17,125 OTR, my test Exclusive Tourer was £24,450 (zero percent available over 3 years with 30 per cent deposit of zero with no deposit for 2 years)the Insignia is one of the most impressive cars I have had the privilege of testing this year.
Were I in the market for an executive car, this would defi nitely be my fi rst choice as it ticks all the boxes and a good many more beside– it is simply brilliant! |
