Vauxhall Insignia road tests and consumer car reviews

Vauxhall Insignia 2009

I have been a Vauxhall owner for 20 years, but never again. I have always bought second-hand and have never had any problems, so when I retired from work I bought a new Insignia 2.0t. The first year saw no problems, but after that things went down hill. So far it has needed three steering racks and two steering pumps; the steering is still moaning and pulling left all the time making the handling very bad, even scary at times. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve had the steering checked and aligned, paying for this every time. The dealer has told me the steering needs to be aligned often because of the size of the wheels. Funny, a lot of Insignias have the same size of wheels?! If I manage to sell this car I will never buy Vauxhall again.

Vauxhall Insignia ecoflex 160bhp exclusive 2011

My car was delivered with 98 mileson it, brand new. Day 1 the service light came on so I went to the VX garage and was advised 2 sensors needed changing, but I had to wait for parts to come in stock. While waiting for a date to go back in the car went into limp mode and was basically un-drivable. The Car went into the garage and everything was fixed after 2 days, with an additional over boost valve changed also. The same day I collected it from the garage the service light came back on and so I took it straight back. After approx. 7 days I was told they couldn’t find the fault and the car is ok. They advised me to take the car back and continue driving with the service light on!!! The Vauxhall mechanic, however, argued with the service staff that the fault relates to a mechanical problem and that there must be something wrong, but it just hasn’t been found yet. My god what kind of customer service is this? How am I to tell the difference from the service light to a genuine fault on the car? No answer. I refused to drive the car even though I was told by Vauxhall that they wanted it removed from their premises. After almost a month I have been offered a demo car until they fix the issue, which they say is a software fault, but they have no idea when a fix will be available. On another email I’ve had they have contradicted themselves saying it’s an easy fix. If so why have the garage had it longer than I have had it, almost a month? Poor MPG, 39-41mpg on the eco flex stop start model, which I was advised was because it’s a new car. The oil seems to be burning at a rate of 1-2% per day, as the computer tells me it’s dropping. I noticed in 1st gear I sometimes get an extra boost of power even when my foot is off the gas causing the car to jump forward. The last Vauxhall I will ever own!

Vauxhall Insignia 2006

I have had nothing but trouble in the 2 years of having this car. First the front tyres needed replacing at 15000 miles, rear brake pads and shoes needed replacing at 25000 (not covered under warranty) and now at 35000 I am experiencing loss of power. I can’t wait until my new car is ready, which is a Nissan. My first and last Vauxhall. Vauxhall head office Customer Service did all they could not to provide any customer service.

Responses to this review

Tyres at 15k? What’s wrong with that, they don’t last forever you know?! - Wayne Dog from England

Vauxhall Insignia SRi 2009

A very good family car. Good ride, spacious, huge boot, very good value but..... Minor teething problems (Ignition failure three times) and the car battery went dead last week (replaced with new one immediately by Vauxhall under warranty in Woolston, Hampshire) They knew there was a problem with car batteries in Insignia’s and have offered to try to diagnose the problem to ensure it doesn’t happen again. The dealer I bought the car from in Lymington "Pats Garage" were worse than useless - they offered no help, no advice and "we can look at the car in 10 days time if you can get it to us". "we have no knowledge of such a fault on the Insignia" "The car battery is not covered under warranty"

Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 CDTi 160 Ecoflex 2010

I bought this car new, and paid significantly extra for the Ecoflex version, which allegedly gives an average 7mpg more than the standard version. I was assured by the dealers that I could expect at least 48mpg - slightly more than the 46 mpg I had averaged with the three year old Vectra 1.9 CDTi I traded in. The Vauxhall brochure itself claims 41.5mpg (extra urban), 67.3 mpg (Urban) and 54.3mpg (Average). What absolute rubbish! In practice, and with almost 2/3 of my driving done on motorways, my average to date is just 38mpg - and that’s driving as efficiently as I can. The dealer doesn’t want to know, and Vauxhall themselves don’t give a damn (their response was that anything between 41.5 and 67.3 is acceptable to them, but they won’t accept the fact that I am actually getting less suggest something is not right). That apart, the car is great in most respects, but with an attitude like Vauxhall’s, never again!

Vauxhall Insignia 2 litre Sri 2010

I bought my brand new 60 plate from Evenshalshaw. After 430 miles my rev count shot up and the car shot away from me. After performing an emergency stop the car started jumping like a kangaroo and the fault light came on the dash. The car was recovered to Evenshalshaw where they had the car for 7 days to call me and say not faults were found on my car!! 24 hours later I was driving my car with my 3 year old son in the car and the same thing happened, I manged to prevent myself from crashing by performing an emergency stop. This time the car was recovered to Arnold Clark for repair. They established several fault codes and were instructed by Vauxhall to wipe the computer clean and up date the software. After 14 days I was given my car back. Last week with only 1100 miles on the clock the fault has reoccured this time I almost crashed at a set of traffic lights! Vauxhall, Evenshalshaw and the finance company are all refusing to replace the car as they cannot fix the fault. This is now heading to court in the next few weeks, if anyone else has experienced the same faults please put your complaints on.

Vauxhall Insignia 2009

This car is excellent, built like a 3 series and very good value. It has full heated leather, AFL xenon, sensors and 3D sat nav. The only thing that lets it down is the terrible 1.8 vvt engine. I strongly urge you to choose the diesel variant. I was averaging 26.9 mpg! I now get more from my Vectra VXR auto, madness. But truly one of the best built VXs I’ve ever owned.

Vauxhall Insignia 2008

I have an Insignia, it’s an excellent car, very comfortable, superb drive, average fuel consumption around 47mpg. would definitley have another one!!

Vauxhall Insignia sri cdti 160 2009

Bought it 12 months old in October 2010, excellent road holding and performance getting aroung 52mpg on a motorway, which I’m very pleased as I average around 20,000 miles per year. Had to take it back as the rear lights were letting in water. As a convenience to me I didn’t have to take it back to the dealer where I purchased it, but one closer to where I work. Both of them were replaced so may be best to check yours. Apart from this hiccup the car has been excellent.

Vauxhall Insignia 2.0T Sri 2009

Good Bits: Blisteringly fast, responsive, chuck aboutable, fun to drive, looks good. The power, just goes on and on. Mid bits: Fuel consumption but what the heck when the car is that much fun. Bad Bits: They made it out of plasticine and sticky back plastic. Too many rattles in the cabin and bits falling off. This is a superb car let down by the interior components and body build. It really is a star to drive.

Vauxhall Insignia 2009

Vauxhall Insignia 2009 pre registered, purchased through "Network Q (Vauxhall)" on March 2010 and driven only 3886 miles. I have been driving for 49 years, driven over one million miles, and driven most types of cars. I have always treated my vehicles with respect. I suffered a breakdown on the road and the RAC informed me that the clutch had burnt out. Never have I burnt out a clutch. At 3886 miles this seems absurd. Towed to the local Network Q/Vauxhall dealership who stated that, unless a mechanical fault can be proven, the repair will be my responsibility as they take the view that it is driver error. This appears to be a general response by the company when this occurs as other low mileage Insignia owners appear to be in the same position. My local Network Q dealer has removed the clutch and informed me that it is indeed burnt out and I am therefore liable for the repair costing £1600. I contacted Vauxhall directly and they are refusing to accept any responsibility whatsoever.

Responses to this review

I have a Vauxhall Astra 15,000 miles. I have a jumpy clutch and a loud clicking noise when changing from 1st to 2nd. I did have an Insignia hire car for 3 weeks, same thing and also a jumpy clutch - J Grundy from Cheshire

Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 CDTi 160 SRI 2006

When I test drove this car I was very impressed and now 2 years after purchasing and having covered 40K miles I can safely say it’s been a pleasure to drive. The seats in the SRI offer superb support for long journeys and the diesel engine has plenty of grunt when needed. I have had the car serviced twice and have replace the two front tiers but other than that no additional work required. When changing car I will definitely consider another Insignia.

Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 Cdti 130 SE 2010

Hi, I have a August 2010 INSIGNIA 2.0 CDTi 130 SE and it has undoubtedly been the WORST car I have had to drive! It is a company car and I’ve had so much trouble with it, it’s got to the point where a member from Vauxhall UK ended up coming to the local dealer in Belfast to look at the cars (Yes, CARS!, all 6 of the Insignias in our fleet are giving trouble!) I used to drive a 2006 VW Passat 2.0 TDi 140 S, which was also another bad car (The handbrake kept failing and the car rolled away lol) and the electrics were a bit unreliable. The Insignias are such a bad car our Company Director is implementing getting rid of the Insignias very soon due to the awful reliability and the MPG the cars are achieveing, nobody can crack 45 MPG and that’s driving her easily. Overall, this car is such a huge, huge, huge disappointment! Never buy an Insignia, save yourself the stress and bother!

Vauxhall Insignia 2009

I loved the test drive of my Insignia and thought, yes this is a nice car. Had 16000 miles on the clock when I bought it. Only bought my car in March 2010 from Peter Vardy in Motherwell. Was driving my 13year old son to school on Wednesday 10th November. When I arrived at his school I could smell burning and saw some smoke coming from the bonnet. I thought what’s wrong? I had to get to work so I thought drive to Motherwell and take my car to Peter Vardy to assess it. Didn’t reach Motherwell did I as my clutch went and I was stuck on a busy road. Contacted garage and they sent recovery vehicle. I was told they would not look at car until Monday. Got a call on Tuesday and I phoned back to be told I would need to authorise gear box to be taken off to look at clutch. Girl said you will need to pay £229 for this and I said "thats terrible what about warranty"? You have got to take gear box out to find out whats wrong. I said I only bought car 6 months ago and I am going to get a big bill. Are we selling dodgy cars Vauxhall??? I have authorised to take gear box out and the girl will phone me on Thursday to tell me the big bill and damage costs. This is not good enough Vauxhall who are advertising life time warranties on TV. It’s a bad day when a new car presents big problems. I am angry and will not be buying another dodgy Vauxhall car now... Will let you know how it goes. If big bill I am going to Watchdog, local newspaper to inform and getting legal advice...CAR WARRANTIES AIN’T WORTH THE PAPER THEY ARE WRITTEN ON... WHAT A CON

Vauxhall Insignia 2.0D 130BHP SE 2009

The Insignia inside and out looks good on the eye and it has a number of toys which make it more appealing than some other more expensive brands. However don’t be fooled from my experiences with 2 separate Insignia models the issues with this car far out way the looks and toys. 1. Leaking back doors - happened on both cars 2. Faulty Fuel Filter causing car to stall whilst in motion. This happened to mine on the motorway causing a serious incident whilst my wife was driving and my 2 sons 6mths and 3 yrs old where in the car. Mine was swapped out by Vauxhall Motors directors office due to this. 3. Front bumper comes away from driver side of car - happened on both cars 4. Information display fails - happened on both cars 5. 2 amp drain on battery when car not being used, requiring new dash wiring loom and fuse box. Due to this and parts in short supply the car is off the road now for 2 months! I would seriously recommend you consider another car...Sorry Even as a company car could you put up with these issues given the poor emissions and high tax band? I some ways I wish this was my company car instead of my A4 at least it would be going back soon :)

Vauxhall Insignia Exclusiv CDTi 2009

Nice to drive but an oil change after 9000 miles !!! When is the next one going to be ???? Previously had a Mondeo and a Passat and did NOT have that problem. Customer service not at all helpful, "it must be the way you are driving the car"!!! Looks like my first and last Vauxhall.

Vauxhall Insignia TDI automatic aircon satnav 2009

Incredible spec for the price. Awful implementation of that spec. Flashy looks, expensive looking cockpit. The complete triumph of form over function. Terrible all round visibility for the driver with tiny tiny windows, view obscured by pillars and headrests and even a great bulge in the roof right in the middle of the windscreen. Electronic everything - from handbrake to aircon, to seat adjustment to wing mirror adjustment - with no manual override. The electronic handbrake and ventilation system in particular were a nightmare. The doors are so wide and curved outwards (with thick curved plastic mouldings on the interior that it’s often impossible to get out of the car when close-parked in a multistorey car park. To add insult to injury the central moulded drinks holder and armrest separating the driver from the front seat passenger makes it impossible for either of you to get out of the car on the opposite side. Can’t fault the roadholding or actual performance, it was as smooth and sweet at an illegal 90 as it was at 60. No question, you get a lot of flashy-looking swept-back car hight performance diesel for your money. So if you want a car to impress and drive fast in, go for it, but if you want a well designed easy to use, practical, safe and easy to understand vehicle at this price don’t get blinded by the spec. Go rent one for a couple of days from Europcar, that way you can endure the weeping frustration of it’s castastrophically impractical design and baffling user interface for yourself.

Responses to this review

What a strange review.... you must be a VW/Audi driver to have written such hypocritical nonsense! Sanjeev Mahabra from Berkshire

Why would anyone want to get out the oppsite side??? - Robert Mcallister from Lanarkshire

Difficult to see what is ’hypocritical’ about Tom Robinson’s review. It tells it like it is - the Insignia is a flashy, superficially attractive car, but one where form has taken second place to function. What’s hypocritical about that? - Andrew Barrow from Hampshire

Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 CDTi 160 SE 2009

I’ve never owned a Vauxhall before but this has surprised me. Very capable overall with the main highlights being refinement and ride. It’s a heavy car and as such don’t expect anything more than average performance. The interior is superb, I wasnt expecting 1/2 leather. Overall, a top all rounder. Ive had Mondeos (previous and newest model) and many other cars over the years but this would be my top choice again.

Vauxhall Insignia 1.8 SE Saloon 2009

I find the electric hand brake system is a problem and difficult to operate in some traffic situations, i.e., at traffic lights and on a slight incline. Also, the automatic lighting system is a constant annoyance - always on, every time you start up the car. The wide window frame to each door panel obscures vision and there is a some road & wind noise when driving on motorways & A roads.

Responses to this review

Just to tell you you can turn off the auto lighting on unlocking the car through the settings on the radio - Mo Khan from Middlesex

Vauxhall Insignia Diesel 2009

No matter how you look at it, there’s nothing vexing about the new Vauxhall Insignia. It pulls a clever trick, appealing to everyone, offending no-one and yet emphatically escaping the clutches of blandness. Styled to signify swift and sleek executive authority, it nonetheless embodies enticement that would not make it displeasing to any enthusiastic user of our over frequented roads. It has the panache to please the sleek wine bar afficionados and the dash to awaken longing in the fume filled chest of the young petrolhead. In short, there can be few motorists on the road today who wouldn’t feel, not just "at home" behind the wheel of this superior machine, but, indeed, empowered to impress - not in a showy way - but a sophisticated way. The cabin is a comfortable business-like place to be. Emboldened by contemporary flashes of cool minimalistic chrome with touches of black and grey, it’s like an expensive suit tailored for comfort. Yet it’s designed with a subtle flair for the progressive boundaries of taste that serve to enliven the sheer ergonomic excellence of the overall concept. The external proportions are certainly not modest, but the contours bespeak purpose. Smoothly aerodynamically clean, even at rest the impression is gained of an automobile that will simply swim through the air with the least possible resistance like the terrestrial counterpart of a regal marine mammal. "Wow!" exclaimed my Fine Art trained neighbour whose cynical critiques of all my press cars make me think that he should really have directed Pininfarina: this was indeed an accolade. Anchored to the road on large tyres, the Insignia propels itself forward in a long legged eager manner. A Gucci shod ballroom dancer would not glide across the polished sheen of a fine floor with less fuss or more poise than this winning machine. The 2.0 litre 4 cylinder 130bhp diesel engine (there’s a 160bhp version of the same engine) drives through a six speed gearbox with well chosen ratios. Sixth gear is almost an overdrive ratio so motorway cruising is effortless. Despite this, however, economy is nothing to write home about and an overall consumption of 49mpg is certainly not class leading. On twisty roads it’s easy to handle and good to drive. The ride is smooth and the car remains composed even if you do hit bad surfaces. The most popular model is the one described here, but the range of choice is wide with four petrol engines ranging from 1.6 to 2.8 and one 2.0 diesel. Prices start at £17,130 rising to £29,755. On todays troublesome, stress inducing roads the onus is increasingly more and more on the vehicle and the technology it embodies to relieve the strain on the driver through lots of electronic jiggery pokery. I can tell you, having subjected myself to every possible mode of tribulation from tailbacks to road humps and having experienced in one journey a lifetimes quotient, courtesy of highway contractors of every description, and forbidding detours, that the Insignia is an enjoyable car to drive.Thankfully it is not bland and uninspiring like so many cars today and when pushed hard it can offer an involving experience. I arrived at my destination with every remaining hair on my thinnining pate in tact. In a lesser model of car I might have torn out every strand. As it was, I simply settled myself more comfortably in the very supportive upholsterey, adjusted the ventilation to cope with rising blood pressure and laughed at the idiocy of the outside world, secure in the splendid, rationally conceived safe haven that was my Vauxhall Insignia. Better than a Ford Mondeo I concluded.

Responses to this review

Alan Dover from Yorkshire has responded to review - ID: 3617.

What a brilliantly written review. The writer is to complimented. I have just ordered an Elite but have some misgivings ie. the rear vision and electronic handbrake mainly which our friend does not mention but which are widely critized by reviews and drivers alike. My car is due in July; too much time to contemplate the disadavantages but time enough to switch to another make/model. The trouble is. . .which one? That the Inisgnia is a beautiful looking car, has a decent performance (2.0 160bhp) and ticks virtually every box, makes me think that, with all its downsides, I’ll stick with the Inisgnia. Not so much as the heart ruling the head. . . rather a psychological coalition of mechanical & and physical excellence - Alan Dover from Yorkshire