Nearly new buying guide: Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport
Just about the only thing this car lacks is a premium badge
The five-door version of the previous Insignia was called simply the hatchback, but Vauxhall clearly thought its replacement, launched in 2017, needed a grander title, hence Grand Sport. It set the bar pretty high in terms of customer expectations. As things turned out, the new car was impressive: handsome, roomy, comfortable and great value. Indeed, we ranked it our third-favourite mid-size business car.
Of course, since it was launched, the world has changed. Unless it has a premium badge, nobody wants a midsize business saloon any more. At the same time, EVs are making old fossilfuel burners such as the Insignia, which doesn’t even have a hybrid in its range, look yet more passé. And that’s good news for used car buyers spoiled rotten by the huge choice of cheap yet still youthful Insignias.
*Click here to buy your next used XC40 from Autocar*
How about £8990 for a 67-plate 2018 1.6 Turbo D Ecotec 136 Tech Line Nav with 60,000 miles? This model is the sweet spot in the range, being refined and reasonably economical.
In fact, there are almost 35 trims to choose from, including engines, and twice that when you add manual and automatic gearboxes. Those engines include 1.5-litre turbo petrols with a choice of 138bhp and 163bhp outputs, the rare 197bhp 1.6T and the 256bhp 2.0-litre reserved for Elite and GSi trims and paired with an automatic ’box and four-wheel drive. This engine lives up to the Grand Sport’s ambitious name. The most rounded petrol is the 163bhp unit. It’s flexible around town and a quiet, long-distance cruiser.
The most frugal motor is the 109bhp 1.6-litre diesel, but the more powerful 134bhp version offers a superior blend of performance, price and economy, and there are loads for sale. The 163bhp 2.0-litre diesel trails rivals on economy. The most powerful diesel is the twin-turbo 207bhp 2.0-litre, again paired with an automatic ’box and four-wheel drive. As standard, every Insignias has automatic lights, keyless entry and ignition, electric windows, air conditioning, a DAB radio, good connectivity, lane departure warning and traffic sign recognition.
Design Nav trim adds a sat-nav, while SRi offers alloy wheels, tinted glass and a spoiler, plus climate control. SRi Nav is self-evident. SRi VX-Line extras include a flat-bottomed steering wheel, a bodykit and a second digital screen. This trim dominates used supply. Our pick is the SRi-based Tech Line Nav for its parking sensors and lumbar adjustment in place of a bodykit.
A facelifted Insignia arrived in 2020, touting even more tech and safety kit; four new engines, including a 143bhp 1.4-litre turbo petrol and 120bhp 1.5-litre diesel; and torque vectoring on the GSi. Why Vauxhall didn’t call its new Insignia the Grand Deal is anyone’s guess.
*BUYER BEWARE*
*Engine* On diesels, check there are no particulate filter issues and that the engine oil level isn’t too high. A 'diesely' noise at tickover on petrol or diesel engines could be a timing chain issue.
*Gearbox* Along with the engine, the gearbox was the source of most problems reported by owners in a What Car? reliability survey so make sure all's well here.
*Body* Examine front and rear ends for casual parking damage and poor repairs.
*Mileage* Make sure the displayed mileage tallies with that recorded on past MOTs and services.
*Servicing* Don't just accept stamps in the service book but try to establish what's been done precisely.
*Ex-fleet or daily rental?* An ex-fleet car may have a good service history but will have been driven less than sympathetically, while a daily rental will have had multiple users and the barest maintenance.
*Need to know*
The Insignia is such a large car that it’s worth looking for one with the optional rear-view camera. Don’t expect Skoda Superb levels of interior quality, never mind Volkswagen Passat levels. Real-world economy differs significantly from official figures. For example, the 1.5 Turbo 165 auto does 30mpg (compared with 46mpg), while the 1.6 Turbo D 136 auto does 39mpg (54mpg). Early models were subject to seven recalls ranging from an incorrectly installed windscreen to incorrectly routed rear seatbelts.
*Our pick*
*1.6 Turbo D Ecotec 136 Tech Line Nav: *Reasonable economy, at least with the manual gearbox, a well-balanced specification and a plentiful supply make this Insignia the pick of the crop. Just ensure all recalls have been attended to.
*Wild card*
*1.6T 200 SRi VX-Line Nav: *This rarity can crack 0-62mph in 7.2sec. We found a 2019 car with 36,000 miles for £13,689 – less than half its price when new. Features include 20in alloys and a VXR styling pack.
*Ones we found*
2017 Insignia 1.6T D Ecotec 136 Tech Line Nav, 100k miles, £7700
2018 Insignia 1.6T D Ecotec 136 SRi Nav, 30,000 miles, £10,800
2019 Insignia 1.5T 165 SRi VXLine Nav, 30,000 miles, £12,000
2020 Insignia 1.5T 165 SRi VX-Line Nav, 50 miles, £19,499
*READ MORE*
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