VAUXHALL INSIGNIA Hatchback 2009 on

I traded in an Audi TT 225 for the Insignia so I am not surprised that I have noticed a big difference in performance. That said, the 1.8 petrol engine is sufficient and, although acceleration is not too hot, it has plenty of power for motorway cruising. The car is well equipped and very comfortable with easy to adjust electronic seats.

MIne is finished in black, which polishes up very smartly and is a joy to see gleaming in the car park.

It is a big car with plenty of boot space which I use to good effect lugging guitars and amps around. Upholstery is a classy leather/fabric mix and it gives a spacious ride for passengers in the back.

I have owned Vauxhalls before but this is a stage up. I've had no problems with mine but would always advise a reliable warranty if buying used.

Bought second hand just 16 months old at a cracking price and still with over 20 months on warranty. Network q where fantastic and I gave what I needed and they supplied. Power is great, running costs match others in same league and above, boot is huge, regardless of other drivers the parking is hard at first but you get used to it. I would buy Vauxhall again without a shadow of doubt. Also such an attractive car and a real head turner...

I only hired this car for a week while mine was off the road but I feel compelled to tell others of my experiences as a warning. The boot was big and it was a comfortable drive but it's completely underpowered and very thirsty, we never got more than 30 mpg over the course of the week. Given that the Tax is £325, I just don't see why you would buy this instead of a more economical, cheaper, better powered Octavia turbo diesel or similar. I know that the vast majority of new sales will be to fleets and hire companies but even as secondhand this is a complete waste of money.

Sold my Ford Mondeo ST estate , as I opted for a company car , being the Vauxhall Insignia.

Looks great from outside , big boot and that's it

Car is not as fuel efficient as my Mondeo, seats are uncomfortable, ride is sloppy

It has been back to Vauxhall for many faults

Wish I had kept my Mondeo and not opted for the company car.

Got the car from 6 months old very happy with it smooth fast enough, nicely finished inside and very comfortable on long journeys.Mpg is about 36 which is based on very short journeys, I did get 51mpg driving down to devon which I was pretty pleased with.Nice loopking car massive improvement compared to the vectra and previous vauxhalls.

The insignia CDTi SRi combines performance with luxury and space.

I use the car to travel to work, take the family on days out and tow the caravan to and from holiday.

The boot is more than ample for a family shop and quite at home with a pram or push chair stowed away.

The car returns 47miles per gallon when driven at 70mph plus on motorways and whilst slogging around town will deliver between 36 and 40 miles per gallon.

I would recommend the option of reversing sensors if you are not comfortable reversing with mirrors, as the rear view visibility is poor.

The car has heated mirrors which have been a blessing in the recent frost and the screen wash reservoir has a low level warning so no excuses for running dry.

Rear seat passengers if they are tall have to take care on entry as the roof line reduces towards the rear of the car. I have fitted comfortably two child seats and an adult in the rear without complaint for journeys of 1 hour plus.

Being a diesel the emissions are lower than a petrol performance car with 160bhp and so tax does not break the bank. For me this is the everyday mans jaguar.

This vehicle is used for business and private use and is driven reasonably hard frequently on unmade roads in addition to normal public roads. It has covered 41000 miles in 2 years and has been very reliable. There have been no breakdowns or equipment failures requiring garage repairs in this time, apart from normal servicing.

The fuel economy is a little disappointing (37-42mpg) but it is an auto so it will be lower than manual.

The auto box is also not well matched to the diesel engine and they appear to fight each other at times. The auto box is also set up to not change gear when cornering which I find very annoying.

Overall, in particular the reliability, a vast improvement over my previous Vectra.

I have had this car for about 18 months. It has done 40k miles.

First, the bad points:

Rear vision is poor and I would definitely advise parking sensors.

Steering is too sensitive and is somewhat lacking in feel.

For a modern 2.0L diesel, it should do better than 39.3 mpg combined (e.g. BMW 520D !!).

Road Tax is £210 annually, which again is worse than it should be.

Standard headlights are a bit weak.

The good points:

Insurance is no problem, for me at least.

This car has never put a foot wrong - I start it, I drive it somewhere, I park it.

The sports seats are very comfortable on long runs and provide good lateral support.

The auto box works well as does the sequential gate, although occasionally it is a bit reluctant to change from 1st to 2nd.

The car performs well for 160bhp with plenty of power for overtaking.

Turn-in is good and the (slightly stiff) suspension allows for exciting cornering. That same suspension proves a bit harsh on anything other than a good surface, assisted by low profiles on 18 inch rims.

The equipment level is outstanding. I don't think there is any point listing it all. Suffice to say it is far better than many so called luxury cars!

The audio system is a good example - excellent sound quality,

steering wheel controls, DVD drive (for the initial loading of the satnav) which can play MP3's ( I think about 700-800 tracks), plus USB (currently use 6GB stick with....loads). Controls for tone, balance etc. are digital - manged through the satnav screen. It goes on.

Only 2 services so far and still about 7000 miles to go before the next one, unless I hit the time limit first.

I play in a band and find it is just about right for carrying my gear (hatchback).

Although I am now considering a change to save money, I would definitely recommend this car. It is fast, comfortable, well equipped and totally reliable. It compares surprisingly favourably with other cars I have owned which include Jaguar XJ, BMW 530. Knocks the spots off my Honda Accord.

I will be sad the day I hand over this car.

Have had the VXR for just over 12 months now and very pleased with it. I have had other sports saloons, Vectra GSI, BMW 325, which were great cars but the VXR is a different animal altogether.

The performance is blistering, partcularly when the VXR mode is activated, the dashboard dials change to red, (bit of a gimmick), and the drive characteristics change to high performance setting.

The looks are quite special, very much head-turning, 20" alloys, twin exhausts, front air intakes sets it apart from the normal Insignia.

It has been a pleasure to drive but comes at a cost. First years tax is £750, each subsequent year £445 at the moment. Replacement tyres about £300 each. Fuel economy, about 28mpg on a motorway run, but drops to less than 20mpg around the doors.

Thoroughly recommended.

I drive about 20k miles a year, and is nice to drive on the motorways and long journeys. Very comfortable and the road noise isn’t too loud. At 70mph the engine is doing less than 2000rpm so is economical on long runs. Even though the engine is only the 130hp model it’s got plenty of oomph when you need it and you never need to change gear to overtake.

When I take passengers, they're comfortable in the back.

Other people who have driven the car like the driving position but some think the view out of the rear is a bit closed in and the headroom for those over 6' will struggle in the back, but there’s plenty of legroom.

The carrying capacity is astounding, many a time we've tried to fill the boot with the fortnightly shop and there’s still plenty of room. Within the first month, I got a tumble dryer in the back, still in its packing material and the hatchback lid still closed!

Running costs are approx 35-40mpg round town if you drive it right, on a run I can average nearly 50mpg. At most a tank full of fuel will do about 700 miles.

Only had a few minor problems, where the rear discs wore down quicker than expected and went through a "squeaking phase", but was easily replaced. The car has done 45k miles and had a new set of tyres on the front last winter.

I admit sometimes I don’t treat this car with the respect it deserves but it never complains, it still feels nice and firm, the seats are very comfortable and the equipment level is just enough to keep a driver and its passengers happy. (Power steering, ABS, Electric mirrors, electric front windows, Air con, climate control, CD/MP3 player with aux port, electric height adjustment and lumbar support on the drivers seat, cruise control, central locking, 6sp gearbox, and a proper handbrake.....not like the later ones with a silly button operated handbrake)

I know these have the typical "rep" image and there are loads around, usually in SRi or Elite spec, but there’s a reason why there’s so many around...... They're pretty damn good.

If I had to buy one of these I would go for the 160CDTi diesel model, and a higher spec. I wouldn’t go for the estate as the hatchback is big enough for nearly every eventuality. The prices aren’t too bad if you shop around.