What is it?
If you always liked big, mainstream saloons with great handling and a decent turn of speed, take a good look at this one because the breed is getting much rarer and even this former market leader won’t be around forever.
Vauxhall’s D-segment Insignia has had a good life in the UK, amassing sales of around 300,000 units in a bit over a decade – even managing 8000-odd units in 2019 – despite much demand shifting to SUVs, and the premium marques have taken even more.
However, Opel-Vauxhall has made it clear this platform won’t continue beyond the mid-2020s, when all of its models are due to be electrified, so this latest set of changes – bringing impressive and efficient refinements to powertrains across the Insignia range – is likely to be the last before the Insignia joins all those other family-sized exec saloons in the sky.
Our test subject, the top, performance GSi – which comes with a brand-new 227bhp four-cylinder turbo engine, a new nine-speed auto and a clever four-wheel drive system – emerges as the car with the clearest purpose in the newly refreshed range.
SUVs can’t match it for handling, and big, spacious saloons as quick as this (147mph, 0-60mph in 7.0sec) are usually a fair bit more expensive than this car’s seriously enticing £38,690.
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At just under £27,000 for the then new Carlton GSI 3000 in 1991, this now equates to just over £49,500 in todays money, so not too horrendous really for the latest GSI Insignia. The difference is that our expectations have changed over the last 30 years. Businesses and private buyers just won't pay that kind of money for 'mass market badges'. Even though they're more exclusive (in numbers) than the so called prestige badges!
Using the common inflationary and valuation tools £27k in 1991 is actually worth today £58,349.29, so an even better price for the Vauxhall.
"Great equipment, handy performance and excellent chassis, at a price no one else can match."
Maybe not new. And that's still a maybe. Used Audi and BMW would be my choice.
"Nothing in this class can match the Insignia GSi’s standard, clever Twinster four-wheel drive system..." Again, talking about 'this class' these days seems to be a bit of a nonsense. Long gone are the days of the clear Fiesta/Escort/Sierra/Granada split. There's almost no such thing any more.
And I thought quaint old expressions like "executive car" died out in the 1970s...
Morning, I think its strange people say they don't come other with examples of a large performance, hatchback, fully kitted out, that's quick with awd and an auto box. Neaest example might be a Jaguar which are also excellent value for money.