OPEL HAS REALLY upped its game with the new Insignia Grand Sport. Not only does the car sound posher, it looks it and feels it too.
Compared to its predecessor, this new model is 55mm longer, 7mm wider and 29mm lower with its wheelbase extended by 92mm. This translates to a more athletic stance on the road and more rear legroom, although the boot has shrunk from 530 to 490 litres. This means luggage capacity is now pretty small compared to its rivals, although with the rear seats tumbled the boot swells to 1,450 litres.
Hat tip to Opel, it has done a great job with the coupe-like design. The Insignia Grand Sport is a handsome looking thing with a strong, distinctive front end, long, low bonnet and clever swage lines linking the door handles. However, that sloping roofline does eat into rear headroom.
Once inside, the cabin looks and feels well made with some high-quality materials. Everything feels very driver-centred. The only things I don’t like are the indicator stalks, which look and feel a bit cheap and the gear selector, which is too big to sit comfortably in your hand, unless you are a giant.
Source: Dave Humphreys
Even the entry level models get DAB digital radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Siri/Google voice command, Bluetooth, USB port and a front camera system. In fact, the Opel Insignia Grand Sport is very well kitted out as standard and this is a real plus point for the car. Standard features include 17-inch wheels, automatic lights, keyless entry and start, air con, a leather-covered multifunction steering wheel, cruise control with speed limiter, ESP, ABS, TPMS and ISOFIX points on all three rear seats.
The entry level models start from €27,350. That's a lot of kit for a competitive price when compared to rivals like the Ford Mondeo, Kia Optima and Skoda Superb.
Hitting the tarmac, the cabin is well insulated from outside noise. The steering feels accurate with a nice amount of feedback. It is nicely weighted too as are the pedals. The chassis is agile and handling is good, with the longer wheelbase adding more cornering stability. It's a very easy car to drive and control and that's exactly what you want when undertaking long motorway journeys.
One of the car's main strengths is its comfort. It is perfectly sprung for motorway cruising and the suspension does a great job of absorbing the bigger lumps and bumps without feeling too soft unless you have it in 'Tour' mode.
With Opel's FlexRide (Adaptive Stability Technology) system, you can choose between 'Normal', 'Tour' and 'Sport' driving modes, which alter the suspension setup, steering and throttle response. Choosing 'Tour' mode softens everything off but I found it far too floaty and bouncy, even on the motorway. I much preferred the stiffer 'Sport' mode, but then it didn't make the car sporty in any way.
My test car was powered by the 136hp 1.6-litre turbo diesel. I found this engine to be refined with decent enough performance - 320Nm of torque from 2,000 - 2,250rpm. However, the long-throw six-speed manual gearbox is geared towards economy not performance and I found myself once or twice dropping down gears to pick up the pace when attempting to overtake on the motorway. On the plus side, the tall sixth gear adds to the car's motorway cruising credentials.
Overall, Opel has done a commendable job with the new Insignia Grand Sport. It is a handsome car with decent handling and a very comfortable and refined ride.
Minus points would be that rear headroom is a little tight, boot space isn't as big compared to that of its rivals and the cabin lacks a bit of pizzaz - but it does come well kitted out as standard and it is very competitively priced, making this a compelling proposition for families and those who do a lot of motorway driving.
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