Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer
Petrol version of classy new estate put through paces
WE drove the new Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer last month (Issue 1,478), and were impressed by its breadth of ability. We praised everything from the spacious cabin to its punchy engine and high-quality interior – but what if you’re after a petrolpowered estate? Can this turbo Insignia satisfy those wanting to ditch diesel?
The first thing you notice is how quiet the car is. We rated the new 1.5 turbo highly in the Grand Sport hatch, and it’s a suitable fit for the estate, too. At idle there’s barely a murmur from under the bonnet, while pulling away is a relaxed affair. It can feel strained at high revs, but a welcome slug of torque means you’ll rarely stretch it that far.
This 163bhp version feels fast enough. It costs £300 more than the 138bhp car, yet is a full second quicker from 0-62mph, taking 8.6 seconds. It’ll cost around the same amount to run; CO2 emissions of 139g/km put it in the same 26 per cent Benefit in Kind tax bracket for company car drivers. That’s one point higher than the 1.6 diesel, but claimed fuel economy of 47.1mpg means you’ll spend more on petrol.
Still, for those spending a lot of time making short trips around town, the petrol Sports Tourer makes sense. The stop/start system works well, preventing the engine from re-engaging until you lift off the brake. Rival set-ups restart the motor when you depress the clutch, wasting unnecessary fuel before you’re ready to move off.
We haven’t tried the car with a full load, but its composed low-speed ride is matched by fine motorway manners. The cabin is well insulated from wind and road noise, and the soft suspension soaks up all but the worst lumps and bumps. If you can live with the less favourable fuel consumption, this petrol model is a fine long-distance cruiser. It’s not the most fun car to drive, with light steering and a baggy long-throw gearbox, although body control is good.
It gets the same spacious 560-litre boot, which expands to 1,665 litres with the rear seats folded flat. There’s plenty of room in the back, with the clever silver exterior trim giving the illusion of a low roofline, without the interior compromises associated with a swooping shooting brake. Neat touches such as luggage nets add extra versatility.
We’ve previously driven a Design Nav car in Grand Sport guise, and an identical spec sheet makes this Sports Tourer the bestvalue model in the range. Auto lights, keyless entry, air-con and an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple Carplay and Android Auto compatibility are all standard features.