Vauxhall Insignia Hatchback (09 on) - Review

Vauxhall Insignia performance is doled out via a range of petrol and diesel engines.

Petrol power

The entry-level petrol engine is a 1.8-litre with 140bhp. That’s good for 0-60mph in 10.9 seconds and a top speed of 129mph, plus it's capable of returning 37mpg. There's a 1.6T which, thanks to a turbocharger, produces 180bhp - impressive for such relatively small engine - and manages the 0-60mph sprint in 8.4 seconds yet is equally as economical as the 1.8-litre. The 2.0T is the most popular petrol engine in the range however, and with 220bhp is powerful enough for most drivers. Plus being turbocharged, it’s quick and has a real burst of power when you need it for overtaking. It’s also lighter than the larger petrol and diesel engines, which gives it greater agility and makes it crisper to drive. It’ll reach 60mph in 7.2 seconds and has a top speed of 150mph while economy is 32mpg. The 2.8 V6 is the top petrol engine - it too is turbocharged and is well suited to long motorway trips, where it makes a relaxed cruiser. On top of this it's the quickest engine in the Insignia range, powering to 60mph in 6.7 seconds, but as you'd imagine it’s not the cleanest or most fuel efficient.

Diesel engines

The 2.0-litre CDTi diesel engine is available with 130bhp or 160bhp. The more powerful version gets to 60mph in 8.9 seconds and will return 47mpg, however it isn't as smooth or quiet as diesel engines from other makes.

New BiTurbo introduced

In 2011 a new BiTurbo diesel engine was introduced. Available with either two- or four-wheel drive, the 193bhp version of the 2.0-litre diesel powerplant means the Insignia can hit 60mph in 8.2 seconds (FWD version). It also boasts low CO2 emissions so represents a decent compromise between high performance and low running costs. It is noisy, but pulls extremely hard throughout the rev range

Parkers recommends

The BiTurbo engine represents a great mixture of low running costs and high performance, so we’d choose that.

The Insignia still isn’t up to the standards of its main alternative, the Ford Mondeo, when it comes to driving. It doesn’t corner as well, isn’t as composed and lacks the Ford's well-weighted and responsive controls. The ride is smooth and comfortable on the motorway, but comes unstuck when dealing with the potholes on backroads – it can be too stiff and doesn’t feel as sure-footed as similar cars. SRi models with larger wheels and low profile tyres are particularly poor. There is the option of a ‘Flexride’ system that allows you to choose a comfortable or sporty set-up for the car. This takes the form of two buttons on the dash marked ‘Tour’ (a more comfortable setting) or ‘Sport’ (firmer and more responsive). The 2.0T and 2.8T V6 – the two turbocharged petrol engines – are also available with ‘Adaptive 4x4’. In slippery conditions this senses when a wheel has little or no grip and applies more power to the other wheels to compensate.