Opel Insignia 1.6 CDTI - a family classic
Most of us associate the Opel Insignia with unmarked police cars or sales representatives' cars. In fact, looking around the street, we will see that in most cases this car is driven by a typical "corpo". Isn't the opinion of a car that sets the ranks of a corporation in motion unfair?
The current generation of the Insignia A entered the market in 2008, replacing the Vectra, which has not yet had its successor. However, she underwent several cosmetic procedures along the way. In 2015, two small-capacity 1.6 CDTI engines with a capacity of 120 and 136 horsepower were added to the engine range, replacing the existing two-liter units.
At the Geneva Motor Show next year, we're set to take a look at its next incarnation, and the first photos and rumors are already leaking. In the meantime, we still have the good old variety A.
Looking at Insignia from the outside, there is hardly any reason to kneel and bow, but there is also no way to make a face at the sight of it. The body line is beautiful and neat. Details are far from slits straight out of space, but overall it just looks good. No unnecessary frills. Apparently, Opel engineers decided that they would make a good car and not force it into peacock feathers. The tested copy was additionally white, which made it almost invisible on the road. However, it is easy to find small highlights in it, like chrome-plated handles, in which you can literally see yourself.
"Corporate" Insignia on the road
We tested the 1.6 CDTI with 136 horsepower and a six-speed manual transmission. This engine boasts a maximum torque of 320 Nm available from 2000-2250 rpm. It may seem that such a unit will not bring you to your knees in a large car weighing 1496 kilograms. However, spending some time with him is enough to be a real surprise.
Insignia accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h in exactly 10,9 seconds. This does not make it the fastest car in the city, but it is enough for everyday driving. Especially since it can repay you with surprisingly low fuel consumption. Although the car is alive - both in the city and on the highway, it is not at all greedy. Power reserve on a full tank of almost 1100 kilometers! The city of Insignia will burn about 5 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers. However, she will prove to be the best "friend" on the road. At a speed slightly above the motorway, 6-6,5 liters is enough for a distance of 100 kilometers. After removing your foot from the gas, according to the manufacturer, fuel consumption will be only 3,5 liters. In practice, when keeping the speed within 90-100 per hour, about 4,5 liters are obtained. It is easy to calculate that with an economical drive, on one refueling of a 70-liter tank, we will go very far.
In addition to very satisfactory fuel economy, the "corporate" Opel also feels at home on the road. It accelerates very quickly to a speed of 120-130 km / h. Later, he loses his enthusiasm a bit, but it doesn't seem to take a huge amount of effort from him. The only downside is that it gets quite noisy inside the cabin at highway speeds.
What is inside?
Insignia surprises with the amount of space inside. The front row of seats is very spacious, despite the black leather upholstery, which can sometimes make the cabin feel smaller. The front seats are very comfortable, although getting them into the correct position takes some time (which is probably a problem for most Opel cars). Luckily, they boast decent lateral support, and tall, long-legged folks will love the slide-out part of the seat. The rear seat also offers ample space. The back will be comfortable even for tall passengers, there is more than enough space for the knees.
Speaking about the amount of space and dimensions, one cannot fail to mention the luggage compartment. In this regard, the Insignia really surprises. The trunk holds up to 530 liters. After unfolding the backs of the rear seats, we get a volume of 1020 liters, and up to the height of the roof - as much as 1470 liters. From the outside, although it is difficult to call it small, it seems neat and proportional. That is why such a spacious interior and an impressive luggage compartment can come as a surprise.
The center console of the Opel Insignia is clear and easy to read. The large touch screen allows you to control the multimedia center, and the buttons on the center console are large and legible. A bit the opposite is the case with the steering wheel, on which we find as many as 15 small buttons. It takes some time to get used to working with the background computer and audio systems. The presence of a touch switch for temperature and heated seats may surprise you, because there is nothing tactile except for the central display. Oh, such a strange power a little.
The unit under test also included the OnStar system, thanks to which we can connect to the headquarters and ask, for example, to enter a route for navigation - even if we do not know the exact address, for example, only the name of the company. The only downside is that the kind lady on the other end of the virtual phone cannot enter intermediate destinations into our navigation. When we are going to reach two places in a row, we will have to use the OnStar service twice.
Insanely intuitive
The Opel Insignia is not a car that will capture the heart and revolutionize the way we think about family or company cars. However, this is a car that sometimes does not require the attention of the driver while driving. It is extremely intuitive and easy to get used to, despite the initial skepticism and opinion about the "corporate" car. After a few days with the Insignia, it's no surprise that corporations choose these cars for their dealers, and that it's a companion for many families. It is economical, dynamic and very comfortable. May its next version be just as driver-friendly.
