The new Insignia and its competitors

oakshade

My head is wrecked in my search for a new car. Would really appreciate your opinions.

Drove a new 1.6 136bhp diesel insignia today, it looks great and I like it. I know three people who had 'the old insignia' and two of them had nightmares with them. What's the feedback on the new model? The salesman tells me it's a complete rebuild but he would say that.

Would also love your thoughts on the 1.5 Mondeo Titanium or the 1.7 Kia Optima Platinum.

My OH didn't like the Skoda Octavia Tourer (think it was Style spec ), that isn't a deal breaker but I think I missed the 6th gear.

I also drove a Renault Megane Sport Tourer, not sure it holds up to some of the cars above and Im not sure how I feel about tourers now based on another thread I had here, but the tourer is the nicest body on the Megane in my opinion.

First world problems! Thanks all.

bazz26

I had great hopes for the new Insignia but after seeing it in the flesh I cannot help but feel it won't age well. The exterior styling is a bit bulky looking imo and most wheel options look lost under the large wheel arches. The body sits a bit high also if you don't opt for the OPC body kit and the rear section overhang looks too long for the wheelbase. The dashboard looks a bit dated compared to others too where they don't appear sure if they want to go fully touch screen or not with the infotainment screen. To me it feels like a car that was designed 5 years ago and they made last minute changes to bring it up to 2017. Hopefully PSA will do something good with the Opel range over the next few years but the takeover wasn't in time for the Insignia.

BTW the Megane is from the class below these cars so it's not really a fair comparison against these cars.

oakshade

bazz26 wrote:

I had great hopes for the new Insignia but after seeing it in the flesh I cannot help but feel it won't age well. The exterior styling is a bit bulky looking imo and most wheel options look lost under the large wheel arches. The body sits a bit high also if you don't opt for the OPC body kit and the rear section overhang looks too long for the wheelbase. The dashboard looks a bit dated compared to others too where they don't appear sure if they want to go fully touch screen or not with the infotainment screen. To me it feels like a car that was designed 5 years ago and they made last minute changes to bring it up to 2017. Hopefully PSA will do something good with the Opel range over the next few years but the takeover wasn't in time for the Insignia.

bazz26 wrote:

BTW the Megane is from the class below these cars so it's not really a fair comparison against these cars.

I agree about the body kit, saw one today with the kit and upgraded alloys and it was class.

Good valid point re: the Megane

road_high

They missed a trick with the new Insignia. The styling is too conservative and boring. Not even particularly handsome and is plain dull in black (the most common colour I've seen so far!).

FUBO

VW Passat, Skoda Superb, Seat leon Estate, Peugeot 508,

road_high

FUBO wrote: »

Peugeot 508,

How is this car doing? You see quite a few around but it has been on sale since 2011 I think. It looks good, fine big car for the money but I'd imagine the depreciation is hefty.

GavMan

Mazda 6?

Refresh might not be far away for it though.

road_high

GavMan wrote: »

Mazda 6?

Refresh might not be far away for it though.

Given the choice that's what I went with. It still looks good since 2013. Interior not as good as rivals though, feels cheaper and tinnier inside.

oakshade

GavMan wrote:

Refresh might not be far away for it though.

GavMan wrote:

Mazda 6?

Beautiful car but expensive to get any level of spec.

I'm also afraid of a refresh on the Mondeo as well as not loving the boot or the interface on the entertainment screen. I will be keeping for 4-5 years and would hate to see a new spec in the next year or so.

road_high

oakshade wrote: »

Beautiful car but expensive to get any level of spec.

I'm also afraid of a refresh on the Mondeo as well as not loving the boot or the interface on the entertainment screen. I will be keeping for 4-5 years and would hate to see a new spec in the next year or so.

I remember spec wasn't hectic on the Mondeo when I test drove it a few years back. No sat nav for example,

GypsyByName

There are heaps of Insignia's on Donedeal for breaking! that should be a clue!

road_high

GypsyByName wrote: »

There are heaps of Insignia's on Donedeal for breaking! that should be a clue!

What model years typically?

GypsyByName

road_high wrote: »

What model years typically?

10-15s

oakshade

road_high wrote:

I remember spec wasn't hectic on the Mondeo when I test drove it a few years back. No sat nav for example,

On the Titanium spec there is no Sat Nav and no reversing camera. You can work around the Sat Nav using Android Auto and Google Maps but the camera if required is 600 eur extra.

oakshade

GypsyByName wrote:

There are heaps of Insignia's on Donedeal for breaking! that should be a clue!

Absolutely agree, a friend of mine had a nightmare with hers and it's long since gone. This was the initial model and apparently the 'face lift' model was slightly better. I'm real interested to hear if anything has been done on the latest build. I have a query in with Opel, let's see what comes back.

road_high

GypsyByName wrote: »

10-15s

Have to say I put over 150k kms on a 2012 one from new and it ran like a dream, never missed a beat. It was serviced religiously at a main dealer.

oakshade

road_high wrote:

Have to say I put over 150k kms on a 2012 one from new and it ran like a dream, never missed a beat. It was serviced religiously at a main dealer.

From what I've heard, regular servicing is key (as should be the case with all cars).

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

road_high wrote: »

Have to say I put over 150k kms on a 2012 one from new and it ran like a dream, never missed a beat. It was serviced religiously at a main dealer.

Likewise. I have had Insignias since they came out and never had a fault or issue of any kind. Regular services at the dealer.

FUBO

i think the older Insignia have Aged badly especially from the front

bazz26

To be fair it's a 9 year old design but it was sharp at the time of launch and light years ahead of the Vectra (not hard) it replaced.

Sexual Chocolate

FUBO wrote: »

i think the older Insignia have Aged badly especially from the front

The 2014 facelift were an improvement. The estate isnt bad looking.

road_high

FUBO wrote: »

i think the older Insignia have Aged badly especially from the front

They look good in SRI trim in red. The likes of a grey S or SC is very grim though. They are extremely spec sensitive.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Went looking at the new Insignia today. Took one for a long test drive and ended up buying one for 181 delivery. The changes are nice. Road holding excellent, lower driving position, longer wheelbase. It's more roomy that the previous model. I went for the elite but the spec in general is excellent.

Changed to petrol from diesel as I no longer do the mileage, so hope that decision doesn't come against me.

grogi

oakshade wrote: »

From what I've heard, regular servicing is key (as should be the case with all cars).

Not with an Insignia... Issues with oil pressure and gearboxes won't go away because it sees the dealer regularly...

road_high

Tate Nutty Springboard wrote: »

Went looking at the new Insignia today. Took one for a long test drive and ended up buying one for 181 delivery. The changes are nice. Road holding excellent, lower driving position, longer wheelbase. It's more roomy that the previous model. I went for the elite but the spec in general is excellent.

Changed to petrol from diesel as I no longer do the mileage, so hope that decision doesn't come against me.

Woman's question but what colour?!
I was going through the configurator and I see parking sensors weren't standard on the SRI? They would have been on old model for years.
Thought that was a bit miserable as they're essential on such a big car these days.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

road_high wrote: »

Woman's question but what colour?!
I was going through the configurator and I see parking sensors weren't standard on the SRI? They would have been on old model for years.
Thought that was a bit miserable as they're essential on such a big car these days.

Cosmic Grey - for a change: haven't had grey in years. The SRi doesn't have the sensors as standard for some odd reason.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

grogi wrote: »

Not with an Insignia... Issues with oil pressure and gearboxes won't go away because it sees the dealer regularly...

I've never had either problem and I have put some miles up on Insignias over the years.

grogi

For me the instrument cluster in the new Insignia is just a laugh... How did they come up with something that awful? Half analogue, half digital...

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

grogi wrote: »

For me the instrument cluster in the new Insignia is just a laugh... How did they come up with something that awful? Half analogue, half digital...

That's not the cluster I saw today. Not sure where you got that shot from but it ain't the 2017 model in the showrooms nor in the brochure I have here beside me now.

grogi

Tate Nutty Springboard wrote: »

That's not the cluster I saw today. Not sure where you got that shot from but it ain't the 2017 model in the showrooms nor in the brochure I have here beside me now.

That photo is from 2016 Holden, but the same idea I have seen in MY2017 Opel (LHD though )

It sometimes looks more interesting, especially with two complete chrome ring, but IMHO they should have gone all digital.



There is also a cheaper version: