Faults:

Not much in the two years I have had it, I have put around 20K miles on it reliably, but looking at the history, a lot of parts have been replaced, and major problems like common diesel issues were taken care of. Looked expensive, but that was one of the reasons I bought the car - the majority of common faults had been addressed.

General Comments:

After my 2005 Mazda 6 diesel died (decent car, just not as reliable as it should have been!) I found this Elite model Insignia in the used car lot locally in 2020, and it has the lot - black leather seats, full electrics. Massive spec on this car. Interior has the electrics you could want in a 2010 car.

Got a great deal on this car - these Insignia's are about as cheap as used cars get, they are not the best car in its class (that award goes to the Mondeo) nor are they the most well built, but if you want a good modern car for as little as possible, they are about the best you can get.

Inside as mentioned is very nice, wood effect, quiet and comfortable. 2.0 CDTi will get you around 50 mpg with reasonable performance. Center console controls are a little fiddly but you get used to it. Boot is massive and can carry 4 adults in comfort plus luggage no problem.

I plan to keep mine long term as despite its age it has performed well. If you find a nice one in the used bargains with history at a reasonable price, go for it. Lots of independent garages have a good knowledge of these car's common faults and can help you out with servicing and repairs for a good price. Even tax and insurance has been cheaper than most cars I have had before. Overall I like it more than I thought I would.

Faults:

DPF warning light.

Various suspension parts and brakes.

Hatch locking motor can be temperamental - probably on its way out.

General maintenance - oil changes, etc.

General Comments:

Got this as a taxi when it was a few years old. Was very impressed with the look of the car. Comfortable, nice quality of materials inside, excellent to drive and ride in. Spacious as well, I'm nearly 6 foot tall and have no problems getting comfortable.

Engine pulled strong while doing well over 50MPG on average; can't say fairer than that. Brakes were tight and it handled much better than my previous Vectra.

Exclusiv model is the basic spec, but it still had plenty of electrics and equipment. If recommending this car to anyone else however I'd say go for the SRi - you get more equipment and even better looking alloy wheels. But if you don't care about that sort of thing, the Exclusiv spec will do just fine. It has all you'll ever need for motorway cruising.

As many other reviews have said about this car and modern cars in general - I hate the electronic parking brake! We were doing fine with a lever. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Vauxhall dealers are as variable as ever - some are good, some are just not interested. As with any car as it gets older and goes out of warranty, find a nice independent to look after your servicing and repairs at reasonable prices. These early Insignias I think were on the road as long ago as 2009, so there should be a good knowledge of them by now at independents.

Overall I think this car is good, and used as a taxi it has stood up well. Feels classier than it is and I think could cut it with German rivals - though it does not hold value anywhere near as well. The faults above are just general wear and tear apart from the DPF (Diesel Particle Filter) - a real pain on all modern diesels, not just this car to be fair. Looking to buy another privately for myself, I'll probably go for a petrol SRi, best option all things considered.