2009 VAUXHALL Insignia Sports Tourer 1.6L Turbo ECOTEC 6MT (180 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Vauxhall introduced the Insignia range in 2008 at the London Motor Show in two shapes: sedan and liftback, with the station wagon version following in 2009.

While the automotive world crumbled under the world financial crisis, GM’s European arm was weakened even more by strikes. It even considered selling the Opel to a Russian holding led by Sberbank, but it changed its mind and rescued the plant. Thus, it also saved the Vauxhall, which couldn’t survive alone. Therefore, Opel built the Insignia for both sides of the English Channel.

The car kept the same front fascia with its unique boomerang-shaped daytime running lights inside the headlights. From its sides, the more extended, slightly sloped roof made the vehicle looked sportier. The car was longer than its siblings due to the extended rear overhang. In the back, the liftgate featured a particular detail. When it was opened, an additional set of lights mounted on the D-pillars remained in place so the car could have been seen from a distance, even in a pitch-black night, with the liftgate opened.

Inside, the Insignia gathered more innovations. Its front seat seatbacks were thicker by 2 cm (0.8″), offering softer support for their occupants. The rear knee room was bigger by 3 cm (1.2″) than the outgoing Vectra. A new infotainment generation included a seven-inch color monitor with a 3-D map view, digital travel guide, and improved scroll and zoom functions. In the back, the split-folding bench increased the trunk size from 540 liters (19 cu-ft) to 1,530 liters (54 cu-ft).

Vauxhall didn’t take all the Opel’s engines and started with a 1.6-liter turbocharged unit, while a 2.8-liter turbocharged V-6 powered the most potent version. The Insignia Sports Tourer was available with either front or all-wheel-drive.