Opel Insignia facelift: driving test and video
Posted on 23-09-2013 at 16:00 by Wouter – 34 Comments”
In the pouring rain we were allowed a taste of the revamped Insignia. The most important news for the Netherlands: three engines with 20% tax liability. But there is more..
[ First look, then read? Watch the video HERE! ]
1. Appearance
The essence of a facelift is a refreshed appearance. Some facelifts derail, other nobody will see what has changed. It listens closely, but Opel has for me the right chord had been touched. No facelift without introduction of LEDS and thus also get the Insignia is the modern alternative to the incandescent bulb. At the rear, that is, and the back had the chrome strip (= associated styling) that we know of the Opel Cascada.
2. Aerodynamics
The Insignia hatchback scores a cW value of 0.25, the Sports Tourer gets 0,28. Thus, according to Opel, the most streamlined cars in their class. Opel got that for each other by application of active louvres in the radiator grille of the 120 and 140 hp 2.0 CDTI.
3. Driveability
It was the only good thing about all the rain that afternoon. Normally you come into a 140-hp diesel in this class not fast on the limit, but in the cold under water-contained asphalt, it was still exciting. The Insignia sends simply good. Understeer is early announced and by the gas lift turns up the nose neatly to the inside.
4. New navigation system
In the middle of the dashboard is now a larger screen (optional up to 8 inch) with less buttons. Fortunately, there is voice control, a touchscreen and a touchpad to operate. Nevertheless, it is a little getting used to: the system is just not fast enough to really work and the layout on the touchscreen, “explains” your finger quite a few distances away.
The touchpad is in the center console can direct the approval comes. There is haptic feedback: the touch pad will vibrate when the mouse pointer from one to the other icon pops up. It should help the user to make the system blind to operate. The touchpad can also be used to letters to write.
As icing on the applesauce offers the Intellilink system to access the internet, with the local weather.
5. Country Tourer
For the Netherlands, a totally irrelevant and my cup of tea, but Opel launches him anyway. The extra tupperware, equipped and raised Insignia Country Tourer. Standard with four-wheel drive and only with the 250 hp strong petrol 195 hp biturbo diesel engine is available. Theoretically you can use it on the heath the plants with extra CO2 to grow, but in practice there will be at most ten to be sold in the Netherlands.
6. Security features
Signs to recognize and the beam of the great light adjusting could be the Insignia from the first day, but this Opel now also has a radar in the nose. So, there is adaptive cruise control and a vooraanrijdingassistent (will even submit it to Dictionary) and an automatic braking function. In the display in front of your nose is, moreover, the following distance, in seconds, to call. That we saw not before, and it makes painfully clear that the two-second rule is totally outdated in modern traffic. Even truck drivers poking their car in the hole that is there.
More meaningful is Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), which is activated when reversing and to warn the driver, for traffic up to 20 metres of each side of the vehicle is approaching.
7. New petrol engines
The runner (not literally) will be the 140 hp 1.4 Turbo, which has, in fact, 20% of list price. We drove a little with the newer 1.6 SIDI Turbo with 170 hp and 260 Nm (with fuel cut 280 Nm), a nice block, but the Insignia is there is no strepentrekker (0-100 in 9,2 seconds, top speed 220 km/h). Also been updated and a tank faster is the 2.0 Turbo with all-wheel drive. That sprint in 7,5 count to 100 and achieves 250 km/h.
8. New diesels
More important for the Dutch market are the 120 hp and 140 hp 2.0 CDTI variants. As a hatchback or sedan achieve a fuel consumption of 3.7 litres per 100 kilometres, and emit only 99 grams of CO2 per km. Good for 20% additional tax, therefore, the Sports Tourer with CO2 emissions of 104 g/km, by the way. Compared to competition are the diesels a bit less refined: light … leave me alone and also in the clutch are what vibration. To the Insignia as tractor label is going to far, but at the same time, so that it can be even better.
The 20 hp extra costs only 900 euros, so the advice is very simple: always for the strong variant. The 140 bhp 2.0 CDTI in the Insignia, but not that much. It is also apparent from the figures: the sprint to the 100 he does in 10.5 seconds and the top speed is 205 km/h.
9. OPC without limiter
Also, the OPC was pulled tight, but under the hood kept everything as it was. Still, there is the turbo blown 2.8 V6 with 325 hp and 435 Nm. Given the solid price tag of € 69.995,- we will take that little. If you do fall, don’t forget the limiter removed, then the OPC with manual transmission to a top of 270 km/h (Sports Tourer: 265 km/h). Still nice to 250 governed others to jesters on the Autobahn.
The OPC is exactly 33.000 euros more expensive than the entry-level model of the Insignia series: the 1.4 Turbo with manual gearbox. Dieselen can from 30.995 euros, but the aforementioned 20-horsepower upgrade costs only 900 euros. Always do so. Movie!
Gallery: Opel Insignia facelift
”
“