Quick test: Vauxhall Insignia
Model tested Grand Sport 2.0 170PS Turbo D SRI Vx-line Nav Price £24,250 Kerbweight 1582kg
We test the towing capabilities of the 2.0-litre diesel Grand Sport hatchback
What’s new?
We’ve already tested the estate version of the new Insignia, the Sports Tourer. Now it’s the turn of the Grand Sport hatchback. With its powerful and torquey 2.0-litre diesel engine the Insignia promises strong towing performance. It’s keenly priced, too, undercutting most rivals offering similar space, performance and kit.
What are we looking for?
Will we miss the estate’s greater practicality? And how well does the Grand Sport tow?
Towing ability The Insignia has a couple of advantages over most family hatchbacks. For one, it’s relatively heavy, with a kerbweight of 1582kg. For another, the 2.0-litre diesel has plenty of power and a very high torque figure. With a punchy 295lb ft of torque delivered all the way from 1750-2500rpm, the Vauxhall made short work of pulling a Bailey Unicorn Cabrera with a MIRO of 1377kg (an 87% match), hauling from 30-60mph in just 11.1 seconds. The 50-60mph time of 8.6 seconds in fifth gear shows how flexible the engine is. We sometimes needed to drop from sixth to fifth on the motorway, but that’s because of the tall top gear rather than any lack of pep from the engine. At speed, the Insignia feels secure. When we towed with the Sports Tourer in windy weather it moved around a little, but in calmer conditions the Grand Sport was reassuringly stable. The suspension allows a little more vertical movement than a Volkswagen Passat’s, but we’d happily hitch up the Insignia and head on a long tow. In dry conditions, the Insignia handled the hill start well. The electronic parking brake released a fraction early, but there was plenty of pulling power to drag car and caravan to the top of the 1-in-10 gradient. If you need to stop in a hurry, the Vauxhall comes to a halt smoothly with no bumping and barging from the caravan. The stopping distance of 10.8 metres is reasonably short, although we have tested cars which stop closer to 10 metres.
Solo driving The Insignia drives well. Perhaps it’s not as precise as a Mazda 6 or Volkswagen Passat, but it is composed and comfortable. Our test car had the Flexride system (an £850 option) which alters the suspension settings at the touch of a button. Choose ‘sport’ and the ride is more firmly controlled, although you feel more imperfections in the road
‘The motorway seems like the Insignia’s natural habitat, with a smooth ride and muted noise levels’
surface. ‘Tour’ is the equivalent of ‘comfort’ in most similar systems, but we found it a little too loose and soft for all but town driving. The standard setting is best, both while towing and in everyday driving. What’s particularly impressive is how smooth the ride is, even with the optional 20-inch wheels. The motorway seems like the Insignia’s natural habitat. Wind and engine noise are held in check, and although there’s some road noise it’s not excessive.
Practicality
There’s lots of space up front, and with a wide range of adjustment for the seat and wheel, finding a sound driving position should be straightforward. Our test car came with the optional ergonomic sports-style front seats. We found them comfortable and supportive, although they cost £1155. There’s an 8.0-inch touchscreen as standard, with satellite navigation as well as Apple Carplay and Android Auto to link up with smartphones. The touchscreen is mostly responsive and easy to use, although some of the icons could be a little bigger to make them easier to hit first time. We’re pleased that the air-con controls are separate from the touchscreen menus, making quick temperature adjustments easier. There’s enough legroom in the back for a lanky adult to travel in comfort, even if those in the front are also tall. The sloping roofline eats into headroom slightly, but our six-foot three-inch reviewer still had enough space. There are air vents between the front seats and two USB ports, but the stout transmission tunnel intrudes. Boot space is relatively modest at 490 litres with the back seats in position. That compares with 541 litres in the Ford Mondeo and 625 litres in the Škoda Superb. Fold the rear seats down and space increases to 1450 litres, although there is a slight slope.
Buying and owning
You get a lot of car for your money with the Insignia Grand Sport. Just over £24,000 is a keen price for a car with this much space, performance and kit. What’s more, that should drop by around £800 if you haggle, according to What Car?. According to the official combined figure, the Insignia is capable of 54.3mpg; we achieved an impressive 28.7mpg towing on A-roads and motorways. Also according to What Car?, you can expect to get back a healthy 42% of the original price after three years and 36,000 miles on the road.
Verdict
The Insignia Grand Sport is a stable and strong tow car. It’s also well equipped and very good value for money.