Vauxhall

10 February 2012

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Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 CDTi ecoFLEX Exclusiv Nav road test report

2.0 CDTi ecoFLEX Exclusiv Nav

Vauxhall’s inspired replacement for the functional yet incredibly dull Vectra, the Insignia, has certainly blown away the design cobwebs at the manufacturer. It is without doubt one of the prettiest cars on the road at the moment, and it isn’t just an attractive face either as there’s plenty of brains in there too. Bags of innovation and on this green “ecoFLEX” variant the promise of strong fuel economy and impressively low CO2 emissions should make this a strong contender for business users looking for lower BIK, and for consumers wanting a D-segment car with a reduced carbon tyre-print but with the poise and refinement expected of a car in this segment. Can the Vauxhall Insignia ecoFLEX deliver on its promise?

A front-facing image of the Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 CDTi ecoFLEX Exclusiv Nav

Image number 2 of the Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 CDTi ecoFLEX Exclusiv Nav

Image number 3 of the Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 CDTi ecoFLEX Exclusiv Nav

Image number 4 of the Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 CDTi ecoFLEX Exclusiv Nav

Performance

The engineers at Vauxhall must have thought long and hard about the size of engine to stick under that attractive bonnet - the delicate act of balancing power against economy. In the end the GM-owned car maker has opted for a 2.0 litre CDTi unit with a power output of a more than respectable 160PS. To further enhance the powerful credentials of the car, it will hit 60mph from zip in a smidgen under 9 seconds (8.9 seconds to be precise), on its way to a top speed of 137mph. In fact, performance wise its exactly the same as the standard 2.0 CDTi-powered Insignia available. On the opposite side of the seesaw is the requirement to hit economy and emission targets – after all this is the eco-version of the car. Glancing at the vital statistics, the car’s green credentials become apparent. A fuel economy figure of 54.7mpg on the combined cycle is more than decent, and official CO2 emissions of 136g/km place it in Band E for UK road tax, not exceptional by any stretch of the imagination but importantly for the business market this car comes in at 18% for Benefit-in-Kind purposes. Here’s where Vauxhall has been very clever – making a car which should appeal to business users wanting a performance large hatch but in a package which isn’t going to really hit them financially. The car maker could have gone with a smaller sized engine to bring that CO2 figure down, but then that would have been to the detriment of the car’s perky performance which would no doubt have alienated a large proportion of the car’s target market. When you’re behind the wheel you quickly forget that this has the ecoFLEX badge on the rear, true the first and second gear change is a little clunky, and the car’s diesel unit grumbles a bit when you change to second a little too early – but that’s merely force of habit and you quickly adapt to letting the engine rev higher in first gear before changing. Once you’re past this initial “problem” the rest is near flawless, there’s plenty of torque available across the rest of the range and the car accelerates quietly and quickly. Once at cruising speed the car really is in its element – eating through the miles effortlessly. Drive with a light right foot and you’ll barely notice the fuel gauge fall.

Ride & Handling

Poised and confident on the road, the Insignia ecoFLEX is a real pleasure to drive. Steering is responsive and smooth although pretty light, however you never feel detached from the proceedings which can so often be the case with light steering. The handling feels very responsive and even though the ecoFLEX is on low resistance tyres (to improve economy) this doesn’t put the skids under the car – so to speak. The car’s ride is pretty firm but soaks up the majority of the potholes out there. This ecoFLEX version actually sits 10mm closer to the road surface over a normal Insignia (again this is to improve economy) but doesn’t have any noticeable effects on either the ride or the handling.

Build Quality & Reliability

Top marks for Vauxhall in again getting the balancing act right in this eco-model. Many manufacturers in a bid to reduce weight in their “green” models often strip out as much material as they can to bring the car’s kerb weight right down; thankfully this isn’t the case with the Insignia. Externally the build quality matches the impressive aesthetics – every panel fits snugly together and all five doors close with a reassuring thud. Inside the cabin the car comes with the usual plethora of buttons and gizmos you would expect to find in a car of this size. The traditional handbrake has been done away with, in favour of a console button, and the central console has a myriad of buttons, perhaps a few too many when you first see it but given time and a quick flick through the manual it all fits in to place. The “Exclusiv Nav” trim level as tested here comes with climate control, cruise control, trip computer, Sat Nav system, and MP3 player connectivity – basically everything you would want there to be on a car such as this. In terms of reliability the Insignia has been on British roads since late 2008 and so far all appears to be fine, with no major reoccurring issues being reported.

Safety & Security

All of today’s modern cars come with a substantial amount of safety equipment as standard, and the Vauxhall Insignia is no different. All Insignias, including the ecoFLEX model, come armed with measures such as anti-lock braking, electronic stability programme (ESP), traction control, ISOFIX child seat fixtures, and a comprehensive airbag system for both front and back. The engineers designed the car to withstand a real battering too – so the body structure is super stiff and this is reflected in the car’s EURO NCAP crash test results where the car performed excellently. Attaining an overall rating of 5 stars, the car scored an impressive 94% on adult occupancy, 79% on child occupancy and 71% on safety assist. Only pedestrian safety could be describe as “could do better”, with a mark of 40%, however it must be said that virtually all cars perform poorly in this area – the Vauxhall Insignia is by no means an offender in this category.

Space & Practicality

The Vauxhall Insignia is a pretty considerable motor – measuring almost 5 metres long and 2 wide, it takes up some serious space. Inside the amount of room both front and back is good – certainly upfront the driver and passenger have plenty of head and leg room. The seats and steering wheel both come with multiple positions, so it’s a doddle to configure the car around your body – whether you’re a jockey or a rugby player! In the rear the amount of leg room is perfectly adequate, the only fly in the ointment is the amount of rear head room, and that car’s beautiful racking roofline is to blame – rear headroom has been somewhat sacrificed in the name of beauty, and for taller adults it could become an issue on regular, long journeys. Boot space is more than ample with 530 litres available with the rear seats up, and 1470 litres with the rear seats down. The actual space is more horizontal than vertical however – lots of depth and width, but a bit lacking in the height department so it could prove a problem with tall box items. The Insignia is also suitable for towing a caravan as it has a limit of 1600kg available to pull.

Ownership & Value

The ecoFLEX model comes at a £510 premium over the standard 2.0 CDTi Exclusiv Insignia but for that additional outlay you are getting a car in VED Band E rather than G, which equates to a £30 per year saving. For company car drivers Benefit-in-Kind drops 3% from 21% to 18%, while fuel economy improves from 48.7 to 54.7mpg on the combined cycle. You’ll have to get your calculator out to see how long it will take to begin making you savings but if you’re planning on racking up the miles then the ecoFLEX model will start saving you money over the “standard” model fairly quickly. Surprisingly you shouldn’t be hit with high insurance costs either, as the ecoFLEX model falls into insurance group 10, while Vauxhall’s standard 3 year/60,000 miles warranty offers peace of mind. A servicing interval of 20,000 miles is also worth a mention as it means that maintenance costs should be pretty low. In summary, it isn’t the greenest of cars on the road, and it isn’t the most powerful either, but what it does incredibly well is that you have a car which still plays to the Insignia’s considerable strengths but in a package which manages to knock 12% off the standard 2.0 CDTi Insignia’s CO2 emissions as well as appealing to company car drivers looking to reduce car ownership costs. For people unwilling to sacrifice performance and luxury but want to do something to reduce their carbon footprint, or simply save money, then this Insignia ecoFLEX should be high up your wanted list.

Submitted: 11/03/2010 09:19:07

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