This was my last test car for the year 2009. I had it from the week before Christmas, to the first Monday in January 2010. During that time we experienced some of the worst weather in twenty odd years, with rain, floods, snow, ice and similarly harsh driving conditions. The Insignia Tourer carried us safely through it all in comfort; Thank You Opel !
Family members were flying over from the UK, to spend Christmas with us, but they had booked their flight into Belfast International Airport. I set out at seven in the morning, to meet a flight that was expected to land at around 9.30 am. The M1 was in a bad shape, so driving was a difficult task. One of the biggest annoyances was the grit and muck thrown up by the wheels of large multi-axle trucks and their trailers. Needless to say the windscreen washer fluid quickly ran out, so using the wipers only tended to smear the windscreen with a thin layer of muck, which quickly froze in place.
When I reached Newry I stopped along with a queue of other southern registered cars to refill the washer reservoir, but without the necessary anti-freeze additive, the contents of the reservoir quickly froze up. After that it was a matter of stopping every so often to pick up fresh snow at the side of the road, to wash the windscreen. I arrived up at the airport at around half past nine and parked at the side of the road, along with a lot of other traffic. I had received a telephone call to say the departure had been delayed at least until eleven o’clock. When the flight eventually took off, at around 2.00 pm, it was unable to land in Aldergrove, due to fog, so was diverted to Dublin. Thus having spent about six and a half hours sitting waiting in the car I had to head back to Dublin again !

Conditions like that certainly challenge the comfort of the seats and the efficiency of the air-conditioning. On both scores this Opel Insignia Tourer passed with flying colours. The two front seats are electrically adjustable and include heating. My only complaint is that the three level heating available is confined to the seat cushion. I would like to have it extended to the lower section of the seat backrest as well.

The rear seat is split 60/40 in the backrest. The larger section also incorporates a folding central armrest, with covered storage tray and two cupholders, plus an access door into the luggage area, thus serving as a ski-hatch for longer items of equipment, like fishing rods, although in the weather we experienced, skis may have come in handy too. Like most cars today, the centre section has a harder backrest and a higher and firmer cushion, so it is not really comfortable for adults, except over shorter distances. The centre console, between the two front seats, also extends backwards into the rear seating area, thus reducing kneeroom and footroom for a passenger seated in the centre of the rear seat.

Above left : Normal luggage space, tonneau cover extended
Above right : Normal luggage space, tonneau cover rolled back

Being an estate car, or Touring model as they prefer to call them in mainland Europe, there is a very generous luggage space available, even with all seats in place. Between the luggage floor and the underside of the extended tonneau cover there is 0.540 cubic metres of space. Fold the rear seats flat and this enlarges to 1.530 cubic metres. If that is not enough, you can carry up to 100 kg in a suitable container on the roof. That 100 kg would include the weight of the container and the necessary mountings. The Insignia Tourer can also tow braked trailers/caravans of up to 1700 kg, or unbraked trailers of up to 750 kg. Taken together, this makes the Insignia Tourer a very versatile and practical, all round family car. The only fly in the ointment so to speak, is that Spacesaver spare wheel and tyre. While this is better than no spare wheel at all, it is useless when towing and it severely restricts your mobility when touring, especially touring abroad.

Above : Maximum luggage space, with just two seats in use.

Look closely at the picture above and you will see four aluminium strips, two either side, one at window level and the other just above the floor. These are part of Opel’s FLEXorganiser system, allowing you to divide the luggage space into sections and is an optional extra costing Euro 202. Another option on the test car, was a load net, that stretches between the roof and the floor, to prevent items sliding forwards into the passenger area under braking. It costs an additional Euro 101.
One very upmarket feature of the rear luggage door, was its effortless form of operation. Press the appropriate button on the key fob and it unlocks. You then simply press a strip, under the ledge, just above the number plate and the door rises smoothly and slowly, completely automatically. To close it securely, you press a button on the underside of the lower edge facing you and stand back, as it closes smoothly and slowly automatically.
The instrument panel and driving controls are laid out clearly and conveniently, making them easy to see and easy to use whilst driving. The main analogue instruments are located in a binnacle, under a curved hood, behind the steering wheel and directly in front of the driver. The two large instruments are the tachometer (left) and the speedometer (right). These also have warning lights for selected functions. Between these two, there are two smaller dials for engine temperature (left) and fuel level (right). Immediately below and still between the two larger dials, is a rectangular, digital information panel, displaying other useful and essential information.

The left hand arm of the steering wheel, has switches for the cruise control, while the right hand arm houses additional controls for the audio system and associated equipment like the mobile telephone. A circular dial, on the extreme right of the facia, under the larger air vent, controls the lights and fog lamps. The Insignia Tourer has daytime running lights, which adapt to the ambient light, so at night you get plenty of illumination, even if you forget to turn on the lights.

A large rectangular screen at the top centre of the facia provides a further raft of additional useful information. It is also the display screen for the satellite navigation system. Below this screen there are buttons to operate the automatic door locking and unlocking, the hazard warning lights and to switch off the electronic stability programme. The audio controls are below, with the switches for the dual range climate control below that. Electric window controls are in the driver’s door armrest. All in all it is a comfortable and convenient layout, which contributes in no small way, to the overall driving pleasure.
A 1.6 litre engine may appear to be on the small side for a car of this size and potential. However, it is turbocharged, which makes all the difference. Its specific power output is a very sports oriented 82.603 kW/lt, added to a very useful specific torque output of 143.929 Nm/lt. This gives a potential top speed of 220 kph (136 mph), while its 0-100 kph acceleration time is a very satisfactory, for a car of this size and potential, 9.3 seconds. I have tested highly respected, two seater roadsters, with 1.8 litre engines, that are slower in top speed and just barely match the 0-100 kph acceleration time. While those roadsters are a lot lighter in both unladen and gross vehicle weight, their fuel consumption and exhaust emissions are only marginally better.

On the Urban cycle the 1.6 Turbo Insignia Tourer has been measured to deliver 26 mpg (10.7 lt/100 km), while on the Extra urban cycle, this increases to a magnificent 47 mpg (6.0 lt/100 km). Overall this gives a Combined cycle average of 36 mpg (7.7 lt/100 km). Considering the overall size and versatility of the car, that is very good indeed.
Other aspects of the driving experience are equally satisfying. The leather covered steering wheel is geared to give a sporty 2.75 turns from lock to lock. The electric power assistance makes manoeuvring in tight spaces effortless, while in the straight ahead position it is firm and positive.
In the driving conditions experienced during this test I naturally never got to exploit the performance potential to the full, while rally style roadholding was out of the question. However, in the slippery conditions, the brakes never once gave me any cause for concern and the car held the road in a very comforting and relaxing manner from a driver’s perspective. Overall I would have to say, that I was very satisfied and impressed with this Opel Insignia Tourer, with its 1.6 litre turbocharged engine.
Its exhaust emissions are 186 gm/km, which puts it into Irish Road tax band E, which carries an annual rip-off of Euro 630, at present rates. That just goes to show how out of touch this pathetic government is, with reality. But then I suppose, if you are cosseted with a luxury car and driver, which doesn’t cost you a penny, nor do you have to spend a brass farthing in annual road tax, insurance, road tolls, parking fees or congestion charges, not to mention fuel and maintenance, you would be out of touch with reality !

Technical data