Vauxhall Insignia Review and Prices

The Insignia comes with a wide selection of engines, ranging from a frugal 1.6-litre diesel to a twin-turbocharged V6 petrol that propels the Insignia VXR to an impressive top speed of 170mph – making it one of the fastest hatchbacks on sale.

The cheapest petrol engine on offer is a 1.8-litre unit that has been around since 2005. It produces 140hp, takes a leisurely 11.5 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 62mph with combined fuel consumption of 38.7mpg and annual road tax costs £205. In this era of frugal turbocharged and downsized engines it simply doesn’t stack up to rivals in terms of performance or economy.

Costing around £800 more, the turbocharged 1.4-litre is well worth the premium. It improves fuel economy by more than 10mpg compared to the 1.8 and road tax is £95 cheaper, yet it is also quicker than the 1.8-litre model with 0-62mph taking 10.9 seconds.

The range-topping 2.8-litre twin-turbocharged V6 is only fitted to the Insignia VXR SuperSport. It catapults the heavy family car from 0 to 62mph in around six seconds and is something of a cut-price Audi S4.

At the end of 2015, the Insignia diesel range was revised and simplified and now has only two choices – a 1.6-litre with 136hp or a 2.0-litre with 170hp.

The 1.6-litre is an all-new engine – part of Vauxhall’s Whisper range. It’s decently quiet on the motorway, but during hard acceleration becomes quite noisy – it is reasonably quick, though, with 0-62mph taking 10.9 seconds and a 236lb ft torque figure translating into strong in-gear acceleration. Go for the EcoFlex model with a manual transmission and 72.4mpg fuel economy is possible, while annual road tax is free because of CO2 emissions of just 98g/km. Go for the automatic and the 0 to 62mph time remains the same, but you get poorer fuel economy (56.5mpg) and a £110 annual road tax bill.

If you spend most of your time driving on the motorway the larger 2.0-litre is the best choice. With 170hp and even more pulling power (295lb ft) available over a wider rev range, the larger engine is popular with critics. Get it with a manual transmission and combined fuel consumption sits at 62.8mpg – just 6mpg less than in the Ford Mondeo 2.0-litre diesel – and road tax costs £30 per year. Specify the automatic gearbox and fuel consumption drops to 50.4mpg, while annual road tax rises to £145.

The Insignia’s ride quality is impressive, and it soaks up bumps and road imperfections without problems even on the largest 18-inch wheels. It’s also a refined companion on the motorway, with little wind and road noise making it into the cabin. It’s never going to set the world alight in terms of driving fun, but it grips well and the steering is accurate enough to place it confidently in corners.