Vauxhall Insignia GSI

The GSI continues to deliver in its own understated way

NOTHING EXCEPTIONAL TO REPORT this month, other than that the big Vauxhall continues to perform its daily duties with quiet aplomb. The powertrain is disappointingly insipid, but I still enjoy threading the Insignia along a decent road because the bit within the engineers’ control – that’s to say the chassis – has been done very well indeed.

On a long day trip to the south coast I was also impressed by the Insignia’s ability to effortlessly chomp through a combined seven hours of driving. I also liked the simplicity and clarity of the infotainment system. I only mention these otherwise dull basics of modern motoring because comfortable seats and intuitive tech are pretty much a given in mainstream cars, yet are by no means a certainty in more specialised high performance kit. Why is that?

In other news I rediscovered the Gsi’s head-up display. I must have nudged the adjustment switch so that the HUD dropped below my sight line. Like the switchable all-wheel-drive system it’s not something I’d expect to find in a large saloon car. To be honest it’s not something I even thought I wanted in a big saloon car, but now I’ve found it I rather like it. Especially being able to monitor my speed without consciously looking at the speedo – handy in those infuriating 50mph average speed roadworks sections of motorways.

Life with the GSI is a million miles from the rock ‘n’ roll dream of evo’s old Aventador SVJ longtermer, of course, but sometimes Fast Fleet is about spending time with an outlier. I’m not sure the Insignia exists on many wish-lists, but it is serving me well.

Date acquired April 2021 Total mileage 3815 Mileage this month 710 Costs this month £0 mpg this month 28.8