Review of used Opel Insignia: 2012-2013

The Opel Insignia was introduced in Europe in 2009 and won the European Car of the Year award. It only came to Australia in September 2012, which turned out to be an unsuccessful marketing experiment.

The idea was to market the Insignia as the semi-luxury European import it was and separate it from the GM-Holden brand.

Seemingly a smart move, Holden got greedy and added a few thousand dollars to the prices of Opel's lineup (which also included the smaller Astra and Corsa models). Buyers were left out, and the experiment with Opel lasted less than a year. In hindsight, if Holden had insisted on the Opel brand, it might have worked in the end. But at the time, the company was thinking about other things, such as whether to close its plants in Australia.

Those who bought the Insignia often turned down the Commodore and may have also wanted something out of the ordinary.

All Opel Insignias are relatively new and we haven't heard any real complaints about them.

The Insignia was the flagship of the Opel range and was offered as a mid-size sedan and station wagon. Passenger space is good, with almost the same amount of legroom, but the rear seat is slightly narrower than the Commodore and Falcon. The shape of the rear seat does not hide the fact that it is designed only for two adults, and the central part is designed for a child.

Build quality is good and the interior has a premium look and feel, which fits in well with Opel's upmarket marketing in Australia.

Unsurprisingly, the Insignia's handling dynamics are very European-like. The comfort is great and the big German cars are great for long distance travel. It can't handle dirt roads like the Commodore and Falcon, but no other passenger car can.

Initially, all Insignias had 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines in turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel formats. Both have strong torque and are pleasant enough to sit in the back. The transmission to the front wheels is a six-speed automatic; there was no manual option in Australia.

In February 2013, an additional model was added to the range - the high-performance Insignia OPC (Opel Performance Center) - the Opel counterpart of our own HSV. The V6 turbo-petrol engine develops a peak power of 239 kW and a torque of 435 Nm. Surprisingly, the engine is manufactured by Holden in Australia and shipped to a factory in Germany, and the finished vehicles are then shipped to several global markets.

Chassis dynamics, steering and brake aspects of the Insignia OPC have been thoroughly revised so that this is a true performance machine and not just a special edition.

These are complex machines and we do not recommend that owners perform anything other than basic maintenance and repair on them.

Opel closed the store in Australia in August 2013, much to the annoyance of dealers who spent a lot of money furnishing the premises, often in different locations compared to their showrooms, usually in Holden. This decision did not quite please the owners, who believe that they were left with an "orphan" car.

Holden dealers often sell replacement parts for the Insignia. Please contact your local dealer for information.

On the other hand, the next generation Opel Insignia is said to be one of the GM vehicles that Holden is seriously considering as a fully imported Commodore when that car's local production ends in 2017.

Following the collapse of Opel in Australia, the Insignia OPC was re-launched in 2015 as the Holden Insignia VXR. Naturally, it is still produced by GM-Opel in Germany. It uses the same 2.8-litre V6 turbo-petrol engine and is worth considering if you like a hot Holden.

What to look for

All Opel Insignias are relatively new and we haven't heard any real complaints about them. The design had already evolved years before the cars came down to us, and it seems to have been well taken apart. Having said that, it is wise to have a complete professional inspection.

Your initial checks before calling for help should include an examination of the body for any injuries, no matter how minor.

Areas that may be scarred are the left front wheel, which may have had a curb dispute, the edges of the doors, and the upper surfaces of the rear bumper, which may have been used to hold things while cleaning the trunk. loaded.

Look and feel uneven wear on all four tires. Check the condition of the spare if it was on the car after the puncture.

Take it for a test drive, ideally with a completely cold engine after an overnight stop. Make sure it starts easily and idles right away.

Feel any loosening of the steering.

Make sure the brakes are pulling the Insignia up evenly, especially when you pedal hard - don't forget to check your mirrors first...