Opel Insignia Select Sports Tourer road test
by Mark Walker
2nd April, 2013
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The Opel Insignia commenced production back in 2008 replacing the Vectra.
It’s built in Opel’s home town of Rüsselsheim, Germany and has been on sale here in Australia since August 2012.
Test Car particulars
The vehicle driven is the Opel Insignia Select Sports Tourer diesel finished in Technical Grey with black trim.
Variants and Prices*
The Insignia is available as sedan or wagon, with each body style being available in two trim levels. There is a
choice of petrol or diesel engines.
The Insignia sedan entry level model is priced from $38,490* with the 2.0 litre four cylinder turbocharged petrol
engine. Diesel power adds $1,500* to the price. The higher spec Insignia Select sedan is priced from $45,490* (petrol
engine) and $46,990* (diesel).
The Insignia Select Sports Tourer is priced from $48,990*. The test vehicle included premium paint ($695*) and was
therefore priced at $49,685*.
The OPC high performance Insignia sedan is also available in Australia now. It is priced from $59,900*.
Driving the Insignia Select Sports Tourer
The test vehicle was fitted with the 2.0 litre four cylinder common rail turbo diesel engine and 6-speed automatic
transmission. The diesel engine has substantially less power than the petrol alternative offered. However, the levels of
torque are equal between the two except the diesel torque arrives lower in the rev range. Power is still reasonable with
the peak of 118 kW arriving at 4,000 rpm. Maximum torque is 350 Nm between 1,750 – 2,500 rpm and gives this car a good
balance of power and torque for comfortable driving.
It’s neither slow nor fast and Opel claim 0-100 km/h time of 10.1 seconds which isn’t too bad for an economical wagon.
We were particularly impressed with the freeway performance.
The engine noise entering the cabin is a little too high, even when compared to other diesel vehicles. The ride
quality is smooth and bumps are handled very well, even with the massive 19” alloy wheels and slightly lower chassis on
the Insignia Select. The steering is wheel weighted and supported by rack electric power steering.
Living with the Insignia Select Sports Tourer
Although the shape is now five years old, the Insignia still carries a lot of style by current standards. The Select
Sports Tourer is finished very well with the large 19” alloy wheels and privacy glass on windows rear of the B pillar. It
definitely stood out to a lot of people whilst we were driving it and we hope that’s a good thing.
The overall interior quality is excellent thanks to the leather trim and piano black highlights on the door trims and
dash.
The seats look and feel great. Perforated leather trim is standard and the front seats are very comfortable, providing
good support for average sized adults. The in-seat ventilation system is great for keeping you cool on hot days and
compliments the dual zone climate control well. The front seats are also heated. For a premium vehicle like this, I was
expecting full electric seats but unfortunately these seats are partly manually adjustable and part electric.
The rear seat is spacious and comfortable and the boot provides a reasonable 500 litres of cargo space when the rear
seats are upright. Drop the rear seat and the cargo area expands to a generous 1,530 litres. The boot space is neatly
appointed with carpet on the walls as well as the floor to give a more premium look and feel.
The tail gate itself is quite heavy which may put some people off. There is no power option for the tail gate
either.
Unfortunately there isn't a reverse camera fitted but there are front and rear sensors included as standard equipment.
The park brake is electric and it is well positioned near the gearstick. We'd like to see more cars have an electrically
operated parking brake fitted.
The Opel infotainment system on the Insignia Select includes satellite navigation and Bluetooth phone connectivity.
The Opel system is not as intuitive as most in the market but is redeemed slightly by the centre console mounted control
dial. The 7” screen is a good size but not a touch screen. MP3 players cannot stream audio via Bluetooth and must be
connected via auxillary or USB cable.
Safety
The Insignia Tourer has been awarded a five star safety rating by EuroNCAP.
In a collision, occupants are protected by 6 airbags (dual front, dual front side and dual curtain), active head
restraints and the driver is also protected by a pedal release system. Electronic stability control, traction control and
anti-lock braking are also standard equipment in an effort to assist in avoiding an accident (where possible).
Fuel and emissions
Opel advise the fuel economy rating on the combined cycle is 6.0 litres per 100 km, which we believe is quite
reasonable. The fuel tank has a capacity of 70 litres.
CO2 emissions are 157 g/km on a combined cycle from the Euro V compliant petrol engine.
Dimensions
Length: 4,908 mm
Width: 2,084 mm (including side mirrors)
Height: 1,520 mm
Wheelbase: 2,737 mm
Weight: 1,576 kg
Boot capacity: 500 litres with rear seats upright. Maximum capacity is 1,530 litres with rear seats folded.
Towing
The Insignia Select Tourer has a towing capacity of 750 kg for an unbraked trailer and 1,800 kg for a braked trailer.
After Sales
The Insignia is supported by a warranty of 3 years or 100,000 kms, whichever comes first, which is the market norm.
Service intervals are 15,000 kms or 1 year. All Opel models are currently backed by Opel Service Plus which caps the
pricing of the first three scheduled services. For diesel powered Insignia models, each of the first three services up to
3 years or 45,000 km is restricted to a maximum charge of $399.
Opel also provide 36 months of roadside assistance to all customers.
Conclusion
The Insignia Select Sports Tourer is a welcome addition to the Australian market thanks to it’s high level of standard
equipment, neat styling and efficient diesel engine. That said, it has a few weaknesses and it is expensive, particularly
when compared to some competitor wagons.
NOTE: * Manufacturer's List Price (MLP) excludes dealer delivery
fees and the numerous statutory charges (commonly known as on-road costs). Additionally, please note that all prices,
fees and charges are subject to change without notice, as are the specifications.
E&OE
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