Vauxhall Insignia Goes On Sale In The UK

It's really all there isn't it? The whole package!

Vauxhall Insignia

Styling
Voted Car of the Year 2008 the Vauxhall Insignia is the latest new addition to Vauxhall stable, the Insignia has been described as stylish, not something you would expect to hear about a Vauxhall really. Build using quality materials they have concentrated in the finer details; resulting in a car more able to compete with other executive cars ins the market place. Competitors like the Ford Mode. In truth it is the first Vauxhall for many years to have a very radical design. It shows large chrome grilles, a restyled Vauxhall badge, coupe-like side profile & curving rear with integrated spoiler, making for a far more handsome car than we are used to seeing form them.

The new L-shaped lines along the doors will be a future feature in Vauxhall models, along with its L-shaped accents in the headlamps, which are visible in the daytime, running lights will also become a new Vauxhall trademark. The bonnet is now 50mm higher than that of the Vectra, incorporating pedestrian crash protection. The Insignia will be available in not only saloon, but hatchback models. There's little difference in the look of the 2 models, but the hatch shows the ample 520 litre boot.

Interior
The Insignia is a family car, containing 6 airbags & stability control. It also has anti-whiplash front headrests & an alert to tell you if anyone in the rear has undone their belt. There are 5 trim levels or nine if you include the four sat-nav specials. Air-conditioning, cruise control, steering wheel-mounted stereo controls & a CD player are standard. Other options include adaptive damping, four-wheel drive, speed-sign recognition & display. The layout is functional. The seats have great adjustability, the dash design & ergonomics are good, & the central control & screen give quick, easy access to the necessary functions. Comfort is apparent. However visibility is the not as it should be, especially through the angled rear screen. Due to the curving design of the Insignia, it can restrict headroom & legroom inside.

Engine
There are 5 engines at present, 3 petrol & 2 diesel. The 128 & 158bhp diesels are most suited to company car users, although the former has long gearing, the 2.0-litre petrol turbo provides speed at a price. Vauxhall claim the Insignia is the sportiest in its class. Petrol options include a 1.8, 2-litre turbo & 2.8 V6 turbo. The 2-litre turbo offers 220PS, & 350Nm of torque. Power delivery is very smooth, with it covering 0-62mph in 7.4 seconds & on to a top speed of 147mph. The 2.8 V6 turbo has the engine previously found in the Vauxhall Vectra VXR. It will reach 62mph from rest in just 6.7 seconds, before reaching 155mph. The diesels will make up a significant percentage of sales, thanks to their economy. Both models can return an average of 48.7mpg, while emitting 154g/km of CO2. An ultra-efficient ECOflex version, which will emit less than 140g/km will be available in 2009.

Driving
It has a smooth ride, is a stable high-speed car, but the steering is light & loose to encourage cross-country driving, even with the optional adjustable damping called Flex-ride. Four-wheel drive is optional on some models & standard with the V6.
Road noise is a problem. There's also wind noise. However there is very limited bodyroll through bends. The headlights come with nine different beam patterns, to suit all driving conditions, & offers a superb safety option. Ultimately, the Insignia is stable, it drives smoothly over any roads, & is great at high-speed motorway journeys. The 2.0-litre petrol engine offers ample acceleration, however it can be considered expensive & not as clean by today’s standards. The 4 wheel drive with the 2-litre turbo charged engine has immense levels of grip, free from under steer& over steer.
Under hard cornering it's possible to feel the four-wheel drive system working, shifting power back & forth to keep the car in line. As with most cars with electric power steering, the steering feels strange, but the optional Easy ride system can rectify this. At this time, the Vauxhall Insignia hasn't been put through the EuroNCAP crash test program, Vauxhall is confident of full marks. They claim it to be one of the safest cars on the road. Its adaptive brake lights flash if the car's ABS is activated above 20mph. Additionally, Vauxhall will introduce a front camera system after launch which can read traffic signs to provide information on speed limits.

Models
The Sport mode weights up the steering, & levels the suspension. All Insignias come with high levels of equipment as standard, including ABS, ESP, passenger airbag deactivation, automatic headlights, electric driver’s seat height adjuster and electrically adjustable four-way lumbar support. Cruise control is also standard across the range, along with front, side and curtain airbags &ISOFIX child seat mountings.
The entry level S model has manual air conditioning, a 7 speaker radio/CD with steering wheel mounted controls, power door mirrors, trip computer & a leather trimmed steering wheel.
This exclusive model includes single zone climate control, 17-inch steel wheels with bespoke wheel trims, a front centre armrest with storage facility, & interior ambient lighting. The SE has 18-inch alloys wheels, an electronic handbrake, automatic wipers, electric rear windows, electric passenger’s seat height adjuster and electrically adjustable four way lumbar support as well as an audio upgrade which includes an MP3-compatible six-disc autochanger & DAB digital radio.
At the sporty end of the range is the SRi which has sports seats, single zone climate control, electric rear windows, front fog lights and suspension lowered by 15mm.
The Elite model builds on the SE, adding full leather trim, eight way electrically adjustable drivers seat, dual zone climate control, front and rear park sensors, Intelligent Adaptive Forward Lighting, front fog lights and folding door mirrors. Flexride is standard on the 2.0 Turbo and 2.8 V6 petrol engines, while 4X4 is also standard on the 2.8 V6 model. Flexride is also standard on the 2.0 Turbo petrol engine.

The Sports Tourer estate model will follow in early 2009.

Sources:

www.autotrader.co.uk
www.whatcar.co.uk
www.evecars.com

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