Vauxhall Insignia Hatchback (2009 - 2017) 2.0 CDTi Elite Nav (160bhp) 5d Owner Review

This car is a budget cruiser, around the streets expect to get around 30-35mpg and on the motorway with cruise control on around 55mpg. Acceleration is not to shabby and the brakes stop the car well, however the steering seems to be very sluggish and not as agile as other similar cars in its price range. The CDTI engines are loud and chattery when idling, especially during cold starts. These cars are plagued with DPF problems and I would not recommend anyone buying this car for city driving because these engines become very choked up with carbon, usually because of short stop start driving, this car would benefit someone who travels up and down the motorway during the week. The problems don’t end there, the oil seal in the pick up pipe in the sump which goes hard over time and therefore not creating a complete seal causing oil starvation to various components across the engine causing a “low oil pressure stop engine now“ warning light to be displayed on your dashboard, by then however chances are your engines bottom end (which are weak and oil sensitive) will have been damaged or worn badly, depending on how fast you stop the engine, the oil pumps on this engine are also weak. The drivetrains on these cars are very soft and very expensive to repair, the dual mass flywheel, which is a common part to fail will cost you around £400-£700 to replace without labour. I would not recommend using this car to pull heavy loads all the time due to that reason. The interior in this car is very spacious and comfortable and everything is easy and to reach. Automatic lights and high beam assist, rain sensors, hill assist etc enhance your comfortability while driving and make the car feel like a mobile lazy boy. Visibility to the front and back is reduced because of the cars wide pillars and you have to really check your cars blind spots. Pros not mentioned: Cheap car that feels premium. Comfortable driving. Good driving assists. Good looking car. Good for constant high speeds. Low road noise. CONS: Soft engines. Weak drivetrain Low cockpit visibility especially while parking. Expensive car parts. DPF issues (owners error) Not for city driving. Carbon build up and deposits common. Oil Feed sensitive. Sluggish steering. Brake parts wear down quick due to weight. Common parts to fail/faults: DMF Clutch master cylinder TBCV DPF Oil pump/Sump pick up pipe seal. Electronic boot release. AFL requiring alignment. AFL Ballast Brake pads premature wear. EGR valve and pipe common to choke. MAP sensor inaccurate readings due to dirt. Acceleration pedal return spring. Turbo veins become choked easily. Boost pipe common to hole. Glow plugs. In summary my opinion of this car as a whole is that it is a glorified replacement for the Vauxhall vectra. I will never buy another one again, in fact as a whole i will stay well clear from Vauxhall full stop, until their build quality has massively improved. Do not buy this car unless your pockets run deep.