Vauxhall Insignia

The Vauxhall Insignia is a big family car that’s been around for a long while now. And while it’s beginning to show its age, a facelift and a new range of engines have kept it relatively fresh.

The latest ecoFLEX engines offer great efficiency and refinement, and the Insignia is a superb car for travelling long distances in. However, rivals like the Mazda 6, Volkswagen Passat and Skoda Superb have it beaten in terms of driver enjoyment.

It’s a practical choice, with plenty of space for driver and passengers, as well as their luggage, although its sleek roofline can make things tight for taller people in the back.

Standard equipment is generous and pricing is very competitive, especially as there are usually deals to be had. Just beware of plunging values over the course of ownership, which can have a big impact on overall costs.

With its Insignia range, Vauxhall offers a line-up of large and practical family cars that has lured many buyers away from established mainstream rivals such as the Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat. Outstanding value for money has always been the trump card for this model, and it certainly follows in the company’s long history of creating big, spacious, well equipped cars.

The Insignia is feeling its age somewhat these days, having been launched way back in 2008 as the replacement for the old Vauxhall Vectra. A facelift breathed some new life into the Insignia range in 2013, and did a lot to align it with the brand’s updated image. Inside, the dash and centre console were tidied up, with more of the car’s functions now operated via the infotainment system and touchpad.

The 2013 update also brought tweaks to the chassis, including making the steering more direct and improving ride comfort. As a result, the Insignia feels a little fresher from behind the wheel, but it faces tough new competition in the form of recently renewed rivals like the Ford Mondeo, Volkswagen Passat and Skoda Superb.

A broad range of petrol and diesel engines is on offer, with diesels by far the more popular choice among buyers (who tend to be mostly business users).

The Insignia also comes with a whole host of trim options, starting with the entry-level Design. The mid-range Insignia SRi is very popular, with the Tech Line model adding extra equipment and the VX-Line a touch of sportiness.

The plush range-topping Elite comes packed with loads of kit, such as 18-inch alloys, leather trim and dual-zone climate control. There’s even a high performance VXR model.

But the variety doesn’t stop there. As well as hatchback and saloon versions, Vauxhall offers a practical Sports Tourer estate – although the rugged Insignia Country Tourer, designed to rival the likes of the Volkswagen Passat Alltrack and SEAT Leon ST X-Perience, was dropped from sale in 2015.

The Insignia is at its best as a comfortable, refined long-distance companion, but lacks the sharpness of more modern rivals

The latest Vauxhall Insignia is incredibly comfortable and will happily eat up long journeys with ease. Tweaks made to the suspension in 2013 filter out the biggest bumps to deliver a comfortable ride, while wind noise is minimal and the engines are generally quiet – although petrol cars are definitely more refined than diesels. As a long-distance cruiser, this Vauxhall can’t be faulted.

But while the car offers buckets of grip and decent turn-in, it doesn’t come close to the Mazda 6 for driver thrills. There’s not much in the way of feedback through the steering wheel, and the pay-off for that comfortable ride is a rather soft feel through corners.

The Insignia suffers more body roll than the class leaders, and the suspension can easily be unsettled by mid-corner bumps. The exception is the VXR model – its HiPerStrut front suspension system offers massive grip and extra feedback.

There’s a huge variety of engines available. The entry-level petrol unit is the 1.8i VVT, offering 138bhp, but this engine does feel a bit breathless.

Surprisingly, the small-capacity 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine has the same 138bhp power output, but it offers more torque, flexibility and performance. It’s smooth and quiet, although it still lacks oomph. If you want that, Vauxhall’s 246bhp 2.0T SIDI petrol engine is much more potent.

However, easily the strongest performer in the Insignia range is the VXR SuperSport model, with its mighty 320bhp 2.8-litre V6. This 168mph super saloon is one of the fastest cars on sale in the UK in its price bracket, taking just 5.6 seconds to sprint from 0-62mph.

As of summer 2015, there was big news for the Insignia on the diesel engine front. Vauxhall’s new 1.6-litre ‘Whisper Diesel’ engine replaced lower-powered versions of the 2.0 CDTi diesel. This new 134bhp 1.6-litre is impressively responsive and smooth, while remaining remarkably refined. In ecoFLEX form, the engine delivers a top speed of 130mph and 0-62mph in 10.9 seconds.

A 167bhp 2.0 CDTi diesel remains available, offering excellent acceleration and flexibility. The fastest diesel of all – the 192bhp 2.0 CDTi Bi-Turbo – was dropped from the range in 2015. Unfortunately there’s no hybrid Insignia, whereas other brands are increasingly offering this option.

Company fleets account for most Vauxhall Insignia sales, so by far the majority of cars on the market are diesels. The efficient ecoFLEX diesel engines make the most sense. Crucially for fleet managers and company car drivers, the 1.6 diesel model achieves 99g/km CO2 emissions when specified with 17-inch alloy wheels and low-rolling-resistance tyres, and claims 74.3mpg fuel economy. That’s very impressive for such a large car, even if it’s now been beaten by the new Ford Mondeo (which goes as low as 94g/km and 78.5mpg).

The most powerful current Insignia with ecoFLEX technology is the 2.0 CDTi model, which has CO2 emissions as low as 114g/km and fuel economy of 65.7mpg.

Among the petrol options in the Vauxhall Insignia range, the 1.8i isn’t a very economical choice (it claims 40.4mpg and 169g/km). The 1.4-litre turbo is much more attractive, with CO2 emissions of 123g/km and 54.3mpg economy – but again Ford beats this with its Mondeo 1.0 EcoBoost, which emits less than 120g/km of CO2.

As you’d expect, the 2.8-litre twin-turbo VXR SuperSport is a real gas guzzler, while the nippy 2.0-litre SIDI petrol Insignia is hardly the most efficient option, either, with 39.2mpg economy and emissions of 169g/km.

Like its Ford Mondeo, Volkswagen Passat and Skoda Superb rivals, the big Vauxhall is a firm favourite with fleet buyers, and Insignias are a common sight trawling the UK’s motorway network.

Compared to the Mondeo, which can appear bulky, the Insignia is one of the better-looking large cars out there, thanks to an arching roofline that tapers to a shallow rear screen and a raised tail.

What’s more, Vauxhall’s 2013 facelift improved on the original Insignia’s sharp design by adding a larger grille and revised LED headlights. Higher-spec cars also get a reprofiled chin spoiler with foglamps, and the hatchback model’s tail-lamps are joined by a thicker chrome bar across the tailgate. In fact, from some angles the Vauxhall Insignia is reminiscent of the Volkswagen CC.

The interior changes introduced in 2013 are equally subtle. The steering wheel is the same as the one fitted across the rest of the Vauxhall range and the curvy dashboard found on the first-generation Insignia is largely unchanged.

Vauxhall has reduced the number of buttons on the centre console, as all Insignias now get a touchscreen to navigate through the major functions.

Opt for a model equipped with sat-nav, and you also get a touchpad that’s used to work through the menus and write characters. This IntelliLink system features Apple CarPlay connectivity, so you can hook up your smartphone to access in-car entertainment apps for things like music and news. You can also use audio streaming, have text messages read aloud and play videos. The navigation system can be displayed two or three-dimensionally, and can be controlled by voice command.

All versions of the Insignia feature a digital radio as standard, with steering wheel-mounted controls. A Bose Premium sound system is optional, providing excellent clarity.

One of the most appealing extras Vauxhall offers for the Insignia is the eight-inch TFT instrument cluster. This costs around £400, and replaces the traditional analogue dials with a large screen that can show a range of information, from speed and revs to economy and driving efficiency. The system looks and feels very modern thanks to its clear, colourful display.

New to the Insignia from summer 2015 is OnStar, which provides in-car Wi-Fi, notifies the emergency services if the airbags are deployed and also includes a direct connection to call centre advisors. It’s standard on Elite, Limited Edition and VXR trim levels, and a £395 option on other models.

According to feedback from the Auto Express Driver Power 2015 satisfaction survey, the Vauxhall Insignia isn’t the most dependable car on the market. It ranked in a lowly 170^th place in the reliability category of the poll.

The interior makes a decent impression, using good-quality materials. The upmarket feel is enhanced on higher-spec cars, which come with leather upholstery and plusher trim than on entry-level and mid-range versions. However, owners who have lived with the car for some time score it down for build quality (the Insignia ranked 159^th in this category in Driver Power 2015).

As for safety, Vauxhall hasn’t scrimped on kit. The Insignia comes fitted with six airbags, ESP and two Isofix child seat mounts in the rear as standard. What's more, Euro NCAP awarded the car a score of 94 per cent for adult occupant protection in its independent crash tests, and gave it an overall rating of five stars.
However, it’s worth pointing out that the Insignia hasn’t been tested by Euro NCAP since 2009, so this doesn’t mean quite the same as the five-star rating achieved by the BMW 3 Series in 2012.
A raft of advanced safety kit is available on the Vauxhall options list. This includes a rear-view camera, plus a park-and-go technology pack with blind spot and rear traffic alerts.

Automatic lights and wipers can be added to lower-spec Insignias as extras, as can Vauxhall’s auto-park system and front and rear cameras. The front camera pack option includes lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and forward collision alert. Optional OnStar also alerts the emergency services automatically if the airbag deploys.

While all this kit hikes the price, it keeps the Insignia among the best cars in its class for safety equipment. Even so, modern rivals like the latest Ford Mondeo have definitely caught up in this regard, and offer things like city braking, which Vauxhall does not.

Vauxhall used to supply a unique lifetime warranty, but that was scrapped for new cars as of January 2015. Instead, the company currently offers a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty that’s much more in line with industry averages. It’s still possible to extend the warranty, at extra cost, up to 100,000 miles. Brands offering more generous warranties include Toyota (five years), Hyundai (five years) and Kia (seven years).

The Insignia range benefits from 20,000-mile service intervals, which are longer than most cars, but to maintain the warranty you’ll still need to have a service carried out at least once a year. Optional service plans can spread the cost of dealer maintenance, and offer discounts on wear and tear items. 

Vauxhall Adam

MINI, Audi and DS have all had great success in the supermini market in recent years, introducing premium-feeling, fun-to-drive models that have all majored heavily on style. Vauxhall entered this market with the Adam back in 2013, and so far the car has proven a big hit – it has clocked up more than 22,000 sales in the UK.

This small Vauxhall offers classy, distinctive looks backed up by a large range of customisation options, which allows owners to personalise their cars to their tastes – according to the company, there are more than 30,000 different combinations on offer.

However, while the compact proportions look good on the outside and bring obvious benefits when it comes to town driving, they make themselves known inside the Adam, too. There’s plenty of room up front, but passengers will find sitting in the back a very tight squeeze.

There’s less space in the Adam than there is in the MINI, for instance, and the rather cramped rear is matched to a tiny boot. When the back seats are in place, the car has a load capacity of just 170 litres, so prospective buyers shouldn’t expect to fit a lot of shopping in.

Another big contrast to the MINI is the driving experience. Sadly, the appealing looks do not add up to much involvement from behind the wheel, with the Adam suffering from light steering and a hard ride. Vauxhall has attempted to address this with the introduction of an Adam S – the range-topping ‘warm’ model has a great chassis, but as it’s fitted with 18-inch alloy wheels as standard, it still suffers from a firm ride.

So while the Adam has more flair than the other small cars in the company’s range, the Vauxhall Viva and Vauxhall Corsa, there are rivals in this class that offer a better ownership experience.

Due to its style, but also its compact size, the Vauxhall Adam can count as rivals everything from the retro Fiat 500 to the modern-looking Volkswagen up! and premium cars like the MINI, DS 3 and Audi A1.
Vauxhall offers some fun-sounding trim levels: Jam, Glam and Slam. The range grew in late 2014 with the arrival of the Adam Rocks and Adam Rocks Air – these are pumped-up SUV-style models, and the latter features a full-length fabric sunroof. Then, in early 2015, came the Adam Grand Slam: a performance version packing a 148bhp 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine.

However, Vauxhall has performed a U-turn on the naming policy for the top-spec Adam. In Europe, the Opel version was badged S, and while Vauxhall stuck with Grand Slam at launch (to fit in with the other trim names), S logos could still be seen on the car’s bodywork and in the interior. Accordingly, the fastest and most powerful Vauxhall Adam is now also known as the S. It’s also the most expensive model: while the Grand Slam started at £16,995, the Adam S is priced from around £250 more.

For the regular Adam range, there are three engine choices: a new and punchy 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo, introduced first in the Adam Rocks and Adam Rocks Air, and two older 1.2 and 1.4-litre normally aspirated units. There are no diesel engines in the Adam line-up.

The 1.4i comes with a choice of 86bhp and 99bhp power outputs, while stop/start is an option on all engines bar the 86bhp 1.4i (where it isn’t available at all). The 1.0i comes with the fuel-saving feature as standard. The 1.4-litre turbo engine is only available in the Adam S.

All Adams are three-door hatchbacks, and all are also front-wheel drive. Despite their rough and ready appearance, the Adam Rocks and Adam Rocks Air are not available with four-wheel drive.

Transmission choices comprise a standard five-speed manual on the 1.2 and 1.4-litre normally aspirated engines, and a six-speed manual on the 1.0i and 1.4i turbos. There’s also a five-speed automated manual called Easytronic, although this is only an option on the 86bhp 1.4-litre engine.

The Adam is one of a trio of small cars from Vauxhall, alongside the big-selling Corsa supermini and the more recently introduced Viva city car. The focus is more on style with the Adam than in the other two models, although as a result it’s arguably less practical – both the Viva and Corsa are available in five-door format.

As with the latest Vauxhall Corsa, quick steering ensures the Adam feels keen and alert on winding roads. Turn-in is sharp and there’s lots of grip, plus the stiffer suspension in the top-specification Adam S helps reduce body roll. However, push harder and the car starts to lose its composure.

The combination of harsher sports suspension and large 17-inch alloys on the Adam Slam also has a negative impact on ride comfort, because the car thumps into potholes and fidgets over small bumps. With their softer springs and smaller 16-inch rims, the Adam Jam and Glam are much better suited to the UK’s poorly maintained roads. Yet the Adam Rocks and Adam Rocks Air deliver the best ride in the range, with their 15mm increase in ride height meaning longer-travel suspension.

Whichever model you go for, a City steering mode makes the wheel light around town for parking and then disengages at 30mph-plus to deliver a more natural feel. Combined with the Adam’s small dimensions, it ensures the car is a natural in the urban jungle. Even so, the blend of small rear windows and thick C-pillars means the optional parking sensors are worthwhile.

If fun behind the wheel is your priority, then the performance-biased Adam S will appeal to you most. It uses a 148bhp 1.4-litre turbo engine, sits on a VXR-tuned chassis and borrows the larger brakes from the Corsa VXR. It’s quick for a car of its size and engaging to drive, but the firmer set-up and 18-inch alloys can make it a little rough at slower speeds.

The Adam arrived with a choice of dated engines already seen in the previous-generation Corsa supermini, and these did little to help its appeal. Although they’re largely well proven in terms of reliability, on the performance front they don’t offer enough power and torque to make the most of the Adam’s light chassis.

First up is a 1.2-litre 16-valve four-cylinder engine that is normally aspirated. It delivers a paltry 69bhp at 5,600rpm and 115Nm of torque at 4,000rpm – resulting in a rather sluggish 14.9-second 0-62mph time and a top speed just the right side of 100mph.

Following on is the 1.4-litre normally aspirated four-cylinder, which has a choice of 86bhp or 99bhp outputs. Both develop peak power at 6,000rpm and deliver 130Nm of torque at 4,000rpm.

Neither model is quick, but the 99bhp Adam does 0-62mph in 11.5 seconds and goes on to 115mph, ahead of the 86bhp car’s 12.5 seconds and 109mph. Equip the 86bhp engine with the Easytronic auto, and the sprint time slumps to 13.9 seconds, although the box’s longer gearing improves the top speed marginally, to 111mph.

To get the best from any Adam, the engine under the bonnet needs to be turbocharged – and the real star is the 1.0-litre three-cylinder. With 113bhp and 170Nm of torque, it takes the car from 0-62mph in 9.9 seconds and on to a 121mph top speed. But this data doesn’t tell you how sweet, smooth and free-revving this unit really is. It’s one of the best of its type and something for Vauxhall to be really proud of.

The 1.4-litre turbo powers the hot Adam S, and delivers 148bhp from 4,900-5,500rpm, along with 220Nm of torque from 1,800-4,500rpm. It’s an impressive engine, and gives warm hatch performance: 0-62mph takes 8.5 seconds and the top speed is 130mph.

Engine choices are much more limited in the Adam Rocks and Adam Rocks Air. Buyers’ only options are the 1.2 or 1.4-litre engines without ecoFLEX technology, or the 1.0-litre three-cylinder. The latter is the obvious choice.

Just as the Vauxhall Adam trails the class leaders on performance and driving fun, it can’t quite match its rivals on efficiency and running costs. Most of the alternatives on sale offer tax-friendly, sub-100g/km models in their line-ups, but the best the Adam can manage on the CO2 emissions front is 112g/km.

If you’re considering the 69bhp 1.2-litre or 99bhp 1.4-litre models, it’s worth opting for the ecoFLEX versions, as they come with stop/start and other fuel-saving measures for a premium of only around £300. These tweaks cut emissions from 125g/km to 115g/km on the 1.2 and 118g/km on the 1.4, and bring the cars down into a lower road tax band – so you’ll save £80 a year on VED from year two onwards.

The Adam S comes with stop/start, but doesn’t benefit from a full suite of ecoFLEX technology, so its CO2 emissions are relatively high, at 139g/km. That means it’s the only Adam to incur a ‘showroom tax’ of VED in the first 12 months.

At the other end of the range, the greenest Adam is the 1.0i three-cylinder. It uses ecoFLEX tech to match the claimed fuel economy figure of the 1.2i ecoFLEX model, at 57.6mpg, but it has lower CO2 emissions of 112g/km. That’s not enough to improve its VED rating, so buyers will face the same annual road tax bill as those who choose the 1.2, but perhaps their conscience will be clearer.

All Adams claim official fuel economy in excess of 50mpg, with the exception of the Adam S (which returns 47.9mpg). Consumption figures range from 52.3mpg for the non-ecoFLEX, normally aspirated 1.4-litre model to 57.6mpg for the 1.2i ecoFLEX and 1.0i.

Fitting 17 or 18-inch alloys to models with smaller standard wheels can have a very minor detrimental impact on economy and emissions. Yet strangely, the Adam Rocks, which is 25kg heavier than a standard model with an equivalent engine and has at least 17-inch alloys, brings no penalty in terms of mpg or CO2.

Business users will be interested to hear that the non-ecoFLEX 1.2 and 1.4-litre models sit in the 20 per cent Benefit in Kind (BIK) company car tax bracket. The Adam S incurs BIK at 22 per cent, and 1.0i models on 16-inch wheels are taxed at 17 per cent. Every other Adam sits in the 18 per cent BIK bracket.

There seem to be two ways for the modern city car to go on the styling front: they either try to look modern or retro. In the modern camp, we have the likes of the Hyundai i10, as well as the near-identical Volkswagen up!, Skoda Citigo and SEAT Mii trio, while on the retro side there’s the Fiat 500.

The Adam takes the modern approach, featuring the latest Vauxhall front-end design language with a prominent Griffin badge. Having said that, the curves of the roofline and elsewhere on the bodywork do give the Adam something of the cute profile that marks out the Fiat 500.

As you’d expect, there’s huge scope to customise the car, with graphics, different wheels and various paint finishes. It’s easy to get carried away, though, and some additions can make the Adam look a little garish.

Climb aboard and it’s clear that Vauxhall has worked hard to create a classy atmosphere. From the slick dashboard to the high-quality materials, the Adam feels a cut above rivals like the DS 3. Highlights include the body-colour trim set into the dash, the chrome-ringed dials and the chunky leather steering wheel.

As with the exterior, the sky’s the limit when it comes to personalisation. There are 18 seat finishes to pick from, plus more than 20 trim insert colours and five options for the rooflining, including a ‘starlight’ version that uses 64 LEDs to create a sense of the sky at night.

Specs comprise Jam, Glam (for around £1,400 on top of the Jam) and Slam (which adds about £750 to the price of the Glam). The Adam Rocks is around £500 more than a Slam and has a broadly similar spec to that car, although climate control – standard from the Glam upwards – is an option. The Rocks comes as standard with manual air-conditioning, like the Jam.

As well as air-con, Jam models have a CD stereo with USB and aux-in connectivity, and controls mounted on the leather steering wheel, plus Bluetooth. They also get cruise control and a trip computer, plus ESP, ABS, a tyre pressure monitoring system, six airbags, 16-inch alloys and daytime running lights.

Glam trim builds on this with climate control, a fixed panoramic sunroof and DAB. Body-coloured door handles also set it apart, as does some chrome trim outside and on the door sills, while the daytime running lights and tail-lamps are upgraded to LED units.

Slam spec is mainly marked out by styling tweaks, with 17-inch alloys, sports suspension, a black roof and door mirrors, plus tinted rear windows. It also benefits from the Vauxhall OnStar connectivity package – this is featured on the Adam Rocks and Adam Rocks Air, too.

The higher-riding, crossover-style versions of the Adam get Morrocana seats and earthy interior trims, to hint at their rugged visual appeal on the outside. And the Adam Rocks Air is set apart from the Adam Rocks by its full-length fabric sunroof. The Air carries a premium of around £1,000 over the standard Rocks when specified with the 1.0 and 1.2-litre engines, but it isn’t quite so much extra with the 1.4-litre engine.

At the top of the range, the Adam S costs around £1,500 more than a 1.0i Adam Slam and has 18-inch wheels, a bodykit at the front, sides and rear, switchable ESP-plus and the brakes from a Corsa VXR. Buyers of this model can also specify figure-hugging Recaro sports seats.

You’ll have to pay extra for the IntelliLink seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system on all models. It’s not the most intuitive set-up, but it lets you upload various music and sat-nav apps, with the sort of swipe functionality you’d find on a smartphone.

Every Adam features a CD stereo with USB connectivity and an aux-in socket, but Glam models upwards get a six-speaker surround sound system with DAB radio. For the best in-car sound, an optional Infinity premium speaker set-up can be added to all versions.

Vauxhall hasn’t performed very well in the annual Auto Express Driver Power satisfaction survey in recent years. While it ranked an impressive 13^th in the manufacturers’ chart in 2012, it’s since slid down the rankings. The brand was 26th in 2013, 29th in 2014 and 30^th in 2015.

The Adam seemed to have gone against this trend initially, as it clearly impressed owners, ranking in an excellent 23rd place when it made its Driver Power debut in 2014. But it’s also endured a bit of a decline – in 2015, it finished in 90^th place out of 200 cars.

Even so, the car achieved decent individual category scores for build quality (68^th), handling (84^th), ride (58^th) and ease of driving (63^rd), plus a superb 13^th for in-car technology. What let it down was owners’ criticism of performance (167^th) and practicality (179^th).

The stylish Vauxhall shares most of its platform with the tried-and-tested Corsa, so buyers shouldn’t have to worry about durability.

A four-star Euro NCAP crash test rating will disappoint Vauxhall, but it was achieved during the much tougher 2013 tests, and the Adam beat the likes of the DS 3 with its individual percentage scores. All versions get six airbags, stability control and a speed limiter, although there’s no option to add safety technology such as autonomous emergency braking.

Vauxhall Astra Elite

 

How does Vauxhall's impressive new Astra shape-up in top-spec Elite trim with 1.4-litre turbo petrol power?

 

It’s been a while since a new Vauxhall has come along and disrupted the class order, but it seems the new, seventh-generation Vauxhall Astra has done just that. It’s impressed us as an overall package in both diesel and 1.0 turbo petrol form, but how does the mid-range 148bhp 1.4-litre turbo stack up?

Like most manufacturers, Vauxhall  considers the 1.6 CDTi diesel to be the biggest seller in the UK even in lightof current events. But there are plenty of people with an aversion to oil-burners, hence why the Luton firm is offering as many petrols as diesels in the range.  The 1.4-litre unit is available in 123bhp or 148bhp forms, with the latter both faster and more efficient than any non-VXR petrol offered in the previous Astra.

That’s a big achievement, and it’s mostly thanks to nearly 200kg being shaved off the kerbweight of this new platform. Banishing the image of the rather lardy previous model, it actually manages to be smaller in external size yet offer more interior space.

The 1.4-litre turbo is as refined as you’d expect from a four-cylinder petrol, and pulls strongly from low down in the rev range thanks to a decent 235Nm of torque and less weight to pull. It’s more about relaxed mid-range progress rather than high-rev action, as the unit sounds a bit strained past 5,000rpm and doesn’t reward with much extra shove. The VW-Group’s 1.4 TSI feels a bit more willing to rev and Ford’s 1.5T Ecoboost sounds more characterful, but the latter can’t match the Vauxhall for smoothness.

The extra power also suits the Astra’s newfound enthusiasm for corners. The ride and handling balance is as good as you’ll find anywhere else in the class, with strong grip levels and a tied-down, planted feel. The steering isn’t brimming with feel and the ride has a slightly firm edge to it, but the same minor points can be levelled at the SEAT Leon.

Where the Astra 1.4 T does fall behind a bit is in overall efficiency, despite the improvement over the old car. A combined economy figure of 51.4mpg is perfectly good, but CO2 emissions of 128g/km fall short of the SEAT Leon 1.4 TSI  – the Leon is as much as 18g/km cleaner when fitted with cylinder deactivation tech.

Elsewhere it’s business as usual, which means sharp looks, a classy-feeling and spacious cabin and strong kit levels. It’s way ahead of the Ford Focus in terms of fit and finish, and the superb 8.0-inch touchscreen is amongst the slickest we’ve come across under £30k.  Our Elite Nav spec model comes in at a reasonable £20,315, with standard kit such as satnav with Apple CarPlay connectivity, heated front and rear leather seats, and Vauxhall’s OnStar concierge system with 4G Wi-Fi hotspot. 

Key specs

• Price: £20,315 (Elite Nav trim)
• Engine: 1.4-litre 4cyl turbo petrol
• Power/torque: 148bhp/235Nm
• Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
• 0-62mph/top speed: 7.8 secs/134mph
• Economy/C02: 51.4mpg/128g/km

New Vauxhall Astra 2015

 

All-new, British built Vauxhall Astra scores with strong refinement, excellent quality, lots of tech on board and competitive pricing.

 

The new Vauxhall Astra is right up there with the very best in the small family hatchback class, competing strongly against the VW Golf and SEAT Leon, and being a much better bet than the Ford Focus. It was developed in the UK and it shows - it drives really nicely on our roads. It also looks great, inside and out, while there’s more space inside than in the old car, even though the new model is smaller on the outside. Efficient engines, the very latest technology and prices lower than its predecessor all add to the new Astra’s appeal. 

Now in its seventh generation, the Vauxhall Astra has been a mainstay of the British car market for generations. Its rivalry with the likes of the Ford Focus and VW Golf is legendary, while in spite of the SUV boom these small family hatchbacks still sit comfortably at the top of the sales charts each month.

This new Astra has a broad range of engine options, but currently only one bodystyle – an all-new Astra estate arrives at the turn of the year, with similarly sharp styling and strong kit levels. We expect a coupe version to arrive eventually, which should also result in a hot VXR model. A GSI version of the five door is also expected, but for now the hottest version would be an SRi model with the 198bhp 1.6-litre turbo engine.

You can also get an Astra with the fabulous new three-cylinder 1.0-litre engine with 104bhp, or two turbo versions of a new 1.4 with 124 or 149bhp. The entry level Astra features a 99bhp 1.4-litre engine with no turbo power.

Diesels are mostly versions of the excellent ‘whisper’ diesel engine – although not entirely silent, they all offer strong refinement, performance and economy. The 1.6 can be had with 109 or 135bhp, while there’s also a 159bhp Bi-Turbo version, too.

Vauxhall seems to be able to bring new models out at lower prices than the old cars and the Astra is no different. It’s strong value when you look at the kit levels, too, which includes on some models Apple CarPlay connectivity and the Award-winning On-Star safety and navigation concierge system. Astra trim levels go from Design through Tech-Line, Energy, SRi and Elite, with the top two also available as Nav versions with standard satellite navigation.

Automatic gearboxes are available with the 1.0 and 1.4 149bhp petrol engines and the 135bhp 1.6-litre diesel engine that’s also likely to be the most common engine choice.

Strong diesel engines and punchy petrols combine well with the Astra's composed chassis for a fun and comfortable drive.

Unlike many of its rivals, the Vauxhall Astra is not only built in the UK, it has had its chassis tuned in the UK. In fact, Auto Express was invited on an early chassis development drive to give initial feedback.

Our thoughts back then mirror what we think now – the new Astra sits nicely somewhere between the sportiness of the Ford Focus and the comfort of the VW Golf.

The new Astra’s weight loss of up to 200kg has helped engineers deliver a car that rides on the firm side of comfortable over nasty British roads, yet won’t leave you wincing over the worst pot holes. Nor is the car as rigid in its sportier settings – SRi models and above sit on the shame chassis settings as other cars, with only wheel and tyre combinations making a slight difference to the ride and handling balance. For the record, we’d be very happy with an SRi model.

Vauxhall has chosen a novel torsion beam rear axle with a Watt’s linkeage rather than the independent multi-link system used in a Golf. It means there’s less weight and bulk, although it’s a bit bouncier at the back over lumps and bumps than the Golf.

The engines are a real highlight of the way the Astra drives, though. The ‘Whisper’ diesels may not be whisper quiet, but they’re not as clattery as rivals’ engines, while performance is impressive. The 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine is punchier than you might imagine, too, while the 1.6 petrol turbo is also excitingly swift.

The steering is linear enough, if not super-quick to react, while the brakes on a couple of our test cars have been a little bit grabby and take a bit of getting used to.

We’ve yet to try an auto Astra, but the manual box is easy enough to use, if not quite as slick as a Ford Focus’ shift.

New Astra comes with a broad range of engines: five petrol engines and three diesels. We’d expect the diesels to be the most popular and all come from the Whisper Diesel family. Although not exactly whisper quiet, they are more refined (and more powerful) than rivals – the 109bhp engine offers the best mpg and lowest emissions, while the 134bhp version is likely to be the best seller.

The star of the petrol range is the 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo, although it’s likely to be the 1.4 124bhp turbo petrol that’s the biggest selling petrol model – this engine impresses with its smoothness and performance.

All Vauxhall Astra models are impressively eco-friendly, with excellent figures from the 109bhp 1.6 CDTi diesel.

With many Astras still selling to fleets, having a sub-100g/km CO2 emissions figure is vital. The Astra 1.6CDTi 109bhp model smashes that with a claimed emissions figure of 82g/km – which equates to a claimed mpg average of an astonishing 91.2mpg. Of course, real-world figures are likely to be very different, but unless you go for a Toyota Auris Hybrid with its 79g/km figure only a Peugeot 308 manages to match the Astra’s figures.

The more powerful 134bhp 1.6 CDTi diesel will also dip under the magic 100g/km figure for free road tax and lower company car tax figures when it’s on smaller 16-inch wheels, but the 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol turbo model will also dip under that figure in certain specs and will save you 3% on your company car tax benefit-in-kind.

As with most rivals, it’s expected that Vauxhall will offer service packs on the new Astra to retail customers, which will cap service costs for a period of time.

Astra has a premium looking and feeling interior with a dashboard dominated by a seven- or eight-inch touchscreen.

Vauxhall interior design has been impressive of late, with a stylish, easy to use dash and good quality materials used, too. The Astra takes that a step further with strong tech on board – all operated through an intuitive seven- or eight-inch touchscreen.

That screen sits neatly in a classy piano black surround that stretches across the width of the dashboard and is underlined by a stylish piece of chrome effect trim.

The main instruments also have an information screen between them and the graphics are nice and clear – although strangely there are no obvious markings for 30mph and 70mph on the speedo.

There’s Apple’s excellent CarPlay connectivity system or Android Auto depending on the type of smartphone you use, while the award-winning OnStar navigation and concierge system can be found on higher-spec cars – this uses a call centre to help you find a destination and will automatically send it to the navigation system in your car. It’ll also call the emergency services automatically in a crash, while a 4G wifi hotspot is created to allow passengers to use internet services on their own devices.

Vauxhall prefers to offer its navigation system as part of a trim level, hence the SRi Nav and Elite Nav models that are available. Vauxhall has clearly given much thought to what makes a good nav system and the Astra’s is one of the best with a combination of clear graphics and a simple menu system that’s easy to follow.

Of course, you don’t have to press any buttons at all – one call to an OnStar operator (working 24/7) and you can have directions downloaded directly to your car. It’s a very useful system, especially if you’d otherwise be hunting through the points of interest options on the screen. OnStar is so good it won the 2015 Auto Express Technology Award.

New Astra gets impressive safety kit and we’d expect reliability to be okay, although Vauxhall’s Driver Power ranking is poor.

New Astra gets impressive safety kit and we’d expect reliability to be okay, although Vauxhall’s Driver Power ranking is poor.

The new Vauxhall Astra comes with a full roster of advanced electronic safety aids and can be specified with even more. Opt for the Driving Assistance Pack and you’ll get a forward-facing camera that brings with it all sorts of benefits. There’s autonomous emergency braking to help prevent you bumping into the car in front at low speeds, while the car will even tell you if you’re travelling a safe distance from the car in front. There’s Lane Departure Warning to let you know if you’re wandering out of your lane on the motorway, while Lane Keep Assist will gently turn the steering wheel to help keep you in lane.

The Astra will also read and display road sign speed limit information and warn you if there’s someone in your blind spot. And as with rivals, there are self-parking systems available, too.

As far as airbags are concerned, there are front and side ‘bags for driver and passenger and full-length curtain airbags to protect all occupants.  The seats will also play their part in keeping you healthy as they’re certified by the Campaign for Healthier Backs.

Vauxhall Astra 1.0-litre ECOFLEX Turbo 2015

Small petrol engines have come a long way, and the Astra’s 1.0-litre ECOTEC direct injection three-cylinder turbo demonstrates that again. Refined, with good low-rev response and excellent economy, it’s as impressive here as it is in its Adam and Corsa relations. Just be careful with that configurator though if you want maximum tax-dodging ability, and as ever that quoted economy figure will be tricky to match in the real world. But all things considered it’s a fine economical choice for those that don’t want a diesel.

Lighter, sharper, more spacious and better equipped, Vauxhall’s new Astra has all it takes to have it fighting at the top of the segment for class honours. It has impressed us already as a higher-power diesel, but the real test of Vauxhall’s rigorous weight loss plan is how the Astra works with the smallest, most economical engines – such as the company's 1.0-litre petrol option.

Every engine under the new Astra’s bonnet is either all-new or extensively revised and Vauxhall is promising economy and emissions to compete with the best. Downsizing is the order of the day and this 1.0 ECOFLEX model features a direct-injection turbocharged three-cylinder unit that produces 103bhp and 170Nm of torque.

In its most economical guise that translates to a tax-dodging 96g/km and 67.3mpg – helped by the Easytronic automatic transmission, low-rolling resistance tyres and stop-start system. Play around with Vauxhall’s online Astra configurator and different trim levels with the same engine and a five-speed manual transmission do see those figures creep upwards.

It’s a marginal increase though, with the most economical manual still dipping below 100g/km. Even the heaviest, most comprehensively equipped and largest wheeled Elite Nav returns 64.2mpg and emits a still impressive 102g/km of CO2.

Our early drive in the three-cylinder economy champion is in a five-speed manual in Tech Line trim, which gains a larger 8-inch touchscreen with sat-nav and a leather covered steering wheel. The three-cylinder engine does a good job in both the Adam and Corsa, but even with the new Astra’s sizeable 200kg weight loss, there’s more being asked from it here.

In the Astra the turbocharged triple is a demonstration that downsizing works. The dinky 1.0-litre proves as enthusiastic and able as it is in its smaller relations, despite the bigger body. Obviously it needs working a little bit harder than the more powerful engines in the line-up, especially if you’re chasing its 10.5-second 0-60mph time, but with its peak torque delivered from just 1,800rpm it’s not as frenetic or busy as you might think.

Revving it hard does reveal its three-cylinder make-up, but it’s never raucous, unpleasant or intrusive, while the five-speed manual gearbox shifts quickly and easily – though another ratio might improve economy even more.

Around town you’ll be doing well to hear the engine thanks to the fitment of a balancer shaft to reduce vibrations, which, along with Vauxhall’s focus on noise reductions elsewhere, makes for a hushed drive. Such are the improvements in wind and engine noise you hear a bit more from the road as the speed rises, but the Astra’s right up there with the Volkswagen Golf when it comes to refinement, adding to its more upmarket feel.

That’s true inside too, which, thanks to some clever packaging, has far more space, in spite of the Astra's reduced exterior proportions. Rear seat passengers in particular are better accommodated for and the trim materials inside are a marked improvement over its predecessor – if not quite in the same league as the class best from Volkswagen.

The entertainment system is easier to navigate, too. Vauxhall’s fiddly old system has been replaced with an easy to operate touchscreen that dominates the centre of the dash and offers masses of connectivity, whether you use an Apple or Android smartphone. Clear instruments and plentiful adjustment for the driver makes getting comfortable easy, though the high armrest between the front seats does occasionally meet your elbow when you’re shifting gears.

The weight loss doesn’t just benefit economy, either. With it comes a new-found agility, which makes the Astra an enjoyable drive, though a bit more feel from the light steering would improve things further. The ride is supple, too, even on the larger wheels of more expensive trim levels, while the Astra’s style is more stand-out than it ever was.

Key specs

• Price: £16,995
• Engine: 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo
• Transmission: Five-speed manual, front-wheel drive
• Power/torque: 103bhp/170Nm
• 0-60mph: 10.5sec
• Top speed: 124mph
• Economy/CO2: 65.7mpg/99g/km

Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer

 

The Vauxhall Insignia Sport Tourer is a sleek and stylish rival to family estates like the Ford Mondeo and Skoda Superb.

The Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer was introduced in 2008 to replace the ageing Vectra estate. It was a huge leap forward in terms of the way it drove and the way it looked - although the Insignia didn't quite match the outgoing Vectra's practicality.

In 2013, a thorough facelift inside and out has helped maintain the Insignia's position as one of the best-looking cars in its class, while also adding new interior technology and frugal diesel engines that are great for fleet buyers.

All models come well equipped, too, and there are lots of engines and trim levels to choose from. The facelifted model also allowed Vauxhall to rejig Insignia Sports Tourer, reducing prices and stock levels to help improve the car's rather average residual values.

Our choice: Insignia SRi NAV 2.0CDTi 140PS S/S ecoFLEX.

The Vauxhall Insignia Sport Tourer is sleek and stylish, with a low slung roof and sloping tailgate that makes it one of the best-looking family estates on the market. On the inside, Vauxhall has worked hard to give it an upmarket feel, so build quality is good and there's lots of soft-touch materials. There's a baffling number of trim levels, but every version comes with 17-inch wheels, air-con, electrically-adjustable driver's seat, cruise control and USB connectivity. Elite cars get 18-inch alloys, front and rear parking sensors, leather trim, heated front seats and a colour display with an in-built sat-nav system. The VXR version adds a sporty bodykit, rear spoiler, Recaro sports seats and VXR badging.

Despite the sporty looks, the Insignia ST isn't the best family estate to drive. The steering is light, the CDTi diesels are quite noisy and there's more wind and road noise than you'd expect. It is comfortable, though, thanks to supportive seats an an adjustable driving position, but the ride is a bit firm on higher-spec cars.

There's a large choice of engines to choose from and the option of a four-wheel drive system. Petrols include an entry-level 1.4-litre, a punchy 178bhp 1.6-litre turbocharged unit and a sporty VXR version, which is powered by a 2.8-litre V6 and can go from 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds. If you're a fleet buyer, the 2.0-litre diesel is the best choice and it's available in 138bhp and 168bhp forms. The 138bhp returns a claimed fuel economy of over 70mpg and emits 104g/km of CO2. It's not the quickest car, and the engine is a little noisy in town, but it's quiet on a motorway cruise. There's also a high-performance bi-turbo 2.0 CDTi with 193bhp.

The Vauxhall Insignia has a five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating. Standard safety kit includes ESP, ABS and traction control, as well as driver, front passenger, side, curtain and head airbags. Vauxhall finished ahead of BMW and Audi in the 2012 Driver Power survey, in 13th out of 30. The Insignia finished an impressive 21st in the Top 100, too. As you'd expect, it comes with Vauxhall's warranty deal, which lasts the lifetime of the car or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. 

The Insignia ST has a very spacious cabin and a big boot. It still has one of the biggest boots in the family estate class, at 540 litres. With the rear seats folded, this increases to 1,530 litres - which is 200 litres less than the Ford Mondeo estate, and 335 litres less than the Skoda Superb estate. The rear seats are easy to fold down and there's a wide boot opening, to make loading easy. The Insignia ST will easily take five adults and their luggage and, unlike the Insignia saloon and hatchback, there's plenty of headroom for rear passengers thanks to the longer roofline. There’s plenty of cubbies, too, including a lidded compartment between the front seats and a large glovebox.

The ecoFLEX models are the most efficient versions, and thus the best bet for company car buyers. Thanks to a stop-start system, the 2.0-litre diesel engine with 128bhp and the more powerful 158bhp version both return 62.8mpg and 119g/km of CO2. The 1.4-litre petrol manages 50.0mpg and 134g/km, but 1.8-litre will be significantly more expensive to run, at 37.0mpg and 179g/km respectively. The sporty VXR version manages 27.0mpg and 249g/km. The Insignia ST is a bit more expensive to buy than the saloon or hatchback versions, though, and residual values won't be as strong as those for cars like the Skoda Superb.