2015 Vauxhall Insignia Limited Edition 1.8 petrol

Summary:

Smart choice

Faults:

Not much, the car came with full service history and has never given me any bother.

General Comments:

Nice large family/executive car from Vauxhall. The Insignia may be nothing special, but it is a good car.

Limited Edition is very similar to the common SRi trim levels you see about, except you get unique alloy wheels and a couple of other extras. It's a very nice looking car inside and out. Comfortable to travel in on long journeys.

1.8 petrol engine is nothing special, mediocre performance and economy. Go for a powerful diesel, I'd avoid this engine if buying again. It's too expensive to tax also for what it is.

But it's a nice handling car and has cheap insurance, and repairs and servicing costs are reasonable.

A smart choice if you find a nice looked after car on the used market, well worth it, cost effective modern transport, cannot fault it really.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 22nd April, 2026

2015 Vauxhall Insignia SRi Vx Line 1.6 CDTi

Summary:

Best for the money

Faults:

Nothing so far. The car has a full service history - a must on this engine.

General Comments:

Late 2015 Insignia - a very good looking car in dark grey with 19 inch alloy wheels.

Vx Line model adds more sporty features on top of the already good SRi specification.

Inside the seats are sporty and comfortable. Ride is not overly firm and gives good cornering ability and comfort at the same time.

Hard to believe it is ten years old, feels very modern. Being a 65 reg it is "ulez" compliant.

Cheap to buy and run. Low tax, insurance, service costs and good mpg, I have managed 55 mpg easily so far.

The only downside of this engine is it has a timing chain which according to Vauxhall lasts the length of the car. Unlikely, but it can last a long time (100K miles +) if taken care of with early oil changes. Well worth it to last the span of time, as the timing chain job on this engine is labor intensive and expensive. Walk away from cars with dodgy history and noisy chains. But I think despite the less power and this fact, the 1.6 diesel is better than the bigger 2.0 diesel engine, as that has the expensive oil seal issues to deal with as well. The 1.6 does not.

Find a looked after car at a nice price and you have the best large family / executive car on the market at the price.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 24th September, 2025

11th Jan 2026, 16:52

The tensioner is worth changing early on the 1.6 CDTi chain driven engine. It's a cheaper job than the full chain, and with regular oil changes, should make the chain last 100K miles + easily.

2015 Vauxhall Insignia VXR Super Sport 2.8T V6 petrol

Summary:

Wow

Faults:

Clutch.

Haldex system.

General Comments:

A couple of years ago, I had a fairly ordinary 2011 Insignia 1.8 SRi. A nice to drive car. Reliable, but too slow. I loved everything about that car except its lack of power. The VXR Insignia was an obvious upgrade choice.

Oh my God. This car is amazing, and an upgrade in every way, not just performance. The looks are insane on this black metallic face-lift 2015 model, inside and out.

So how does it drive? Very smoothly if you want to. Or you can test out the 5.9 seconds to 60 mph and 155 mph to speed. On a private track of course ;) Manual trans is fun to use.

Interior has all the mod cons and the sports seats are just something else. The car rides nicely and stays glued to the road accelerating or cornering. 4WD system works well, but makes sure it gets serviced also! The Haldex system is expensive to repair on cars where someone has neglected it. Look for a Vauxhall specialist, for service and repair, they need to know about this car to look after it well. Avoid neglected / crash damaged cars!

Stupidly expensive to insure and tax. Plus I have only manage 22 mpg so far. But if you worry about that sort of thing, get an ordinary diesel or smaller petrol engine Insignia. The VXR is for hardcore Vauxhall fans only. But believe me, it is worth it! I do not think I have enjoyed a car soo much in a long time!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th February, 2025

18th Feb 2025, 20:09

Unlimited, top speed is closer to 170 mph ;)