2014 Vauxhall Insignia ecoFLEX Design 2.0 CDTi from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Very comfortable and economical

Faults:

Not much beyond wear and tear expected of age and miles.

A/C is useless.

DPF light came on, but a re-gen sorted it, no need for an expensive replacement yet.

I had all the brake discs and pads changed last year at MOT time. I haven't had many issues, but I do look after it (all services and any belt changes it gets on time) and it is lower mileage for its age.

General Comments:

My updated late 2013 / early 2014 Insignia is the car to have, it is a much more sorted car than earlier Insignia's that had been plagued with electronic issues and the famous gearbox issues. Mine has had none of that. Though if buying used - do keep a look out for the usual diesel faults that can happen to any diesel car.

This Design model is rather basic, but still has plenty of electric kit for me, in a nicely designed interior. Very comfortable seats, excellent layout and design. The car is quiet and refined to travel in, especially on motorways.

Very nice to drive, just as good as my previous Audi A4. Yes it is that good. Really great looking car, they are nice in darker colors and big alloy wheels.

2.0 CDTi has plenty of power and regularly does 55 - 65 mpg or more! Bit noisy though at lower speeds.

A fine family car that is very comfortable and economical to run. Shame they stopped making them.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 27th June, 2023

2014 Vauxhall Insignia SRi Nav 2.0 CDTi from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Well worth a look

Faults:

Basically nothing serious. New tyres and brake pads at last service. Creaking noise from front suspension - will get it looked at soon.

There is a pad used for scrolling the touch screen in the center console and it is a bit unresponsive, not sure if a fault or if it is just like this, have read reviews criticizing its user friendliness.

Service indicator needed reset a couple of times, despite being serviced and reset correctly, seems to have finally registered!

General Comments:

I have had this stunning bright white Insignia for a couple of years now and put nearly 10K mileage on it, it has been a great car. 160 bhp SRi model with sat nav, a very well equipped and fast enough car, economical as well.

2.0 CDTi pulls very nicely. Clutch and gears are smooth to use. Does between 50 - 60 mpg. Never quite had the 65 average Vauxhall claim, but then I do drive a little faster nowadays, I like to enjoy driving. You might think an Insignia is not a drivers car, and you would be right - it is not. But get the right spec and the more powerful diesel and you can certainly have a good time.

Ride is a bit firm but not uncomfortably so. I believe the reviews criticizing the ride come from the later "Vx Line" SRi models with the bigger 19 inch alloys - so of course this is going to effect the ride. But the standard cars with 17 inch wheels feel just fine. Cabin is also quiet enough, looks great also in grey/black with comfy seats. Engine noise can be a bit intrusive but is quiet cruising on the motorway.

Rear privacy glass stands out with the white colour of the car. I think it is a really good looking car in just about any color. I bought used, but buying new I reckon I would have had a hard time picking the right colour and trim, there are so many to choose from with the Insignia. Ideally you want to avoid the base "Design" or "Exclusiv" models in duller colours with very small alloy wheels or wheel trims. Otherwise all are well equipped cars that look great. SRi and Elite are the ones to go for.

A common sight on the road, this car can be had for a very nice price used. You want the updated face-lift 2013 onwards car - the older generation 2009 - 2012 cars are getting on a bit now. But the last of this generation Insignia made up to 2016/17 are great cars and still very modern. Most likely I will buy the newer 2017 onwards model next - looks an even better looking car in my opinion and if it is any improvement on this model I know it will be a good car.

To summarize the good - The Insignia is not quite as nice to drive as a Ford Mondeo or as nice to be in as a Honda Accord, but it is a great all round car. Probably the ideal middle ground in the family/executive segment. Really hard to find a better all round car for the money.

To summarize the bad - Reliability has been OK for me, but with diesels you need to watch for the usual common issues as the miles rise - DPF, injectors, EGR valve, and so on. But keep the car serviced and give a firm long drive every now and then, and use quality fuel and oil, and you should be OK. Petrol models might also be worth looking at if you do less mileage. Oh and residual values aren't very strong, so aim not to pay too much for an Insignia in the first place.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 31st January, 2023

1st Feb 2023, 15:01

SRi models should have 18 inch alloys as standard, not 17.

Anyways, drove a Vx Line model a while back, yes it does have even bigger wheels again. Didn't think the handling improved much over the standard SRi - it was much the same, and only the ride quality suffered a bit. Think of the Vx Line as more a styling pack rather than anything else.

Still, the Insignia is a good car, only problem is it still does not drive as good as a Ford Mondeo, but is otherwise just as capable. Nice review, well written.

1st Feb 2023, 23:21

Drove a lower spec "Design" model once, had 15 or 16 inch alloys (tiny by todays standards) but was really smooth, petrol as well so was also quiet. Refinement seems to really depend on which trim level you have, so choose carefully if you want sportiness or comfort.

21st Dec 2023, 17:10

They are good cars, but I am surprised you got over 90K miles without serious issues on the CDTi unit - my diesel Insignia needed a DPF filter, and the famous oil pick up seal renewed (low oil pressure and engine can seize if you do not attend to this); otherwise I agree with review, the Insignia is a fine car to drive. Just be aware of a couple of expensive common faults.