The Opel Insignia Sport Tourer on offer: 4+1 reasons to forget about SUVs

With a discount of over €8,000, the Opel Insignia is one of the best saloons on the market right now, and a magnificent alternative to SUVs in its family Sport Tourer version.

Opel has already announced an update for the Opel Insignia, due between January and February. Basically, slight aesthetic changes and some equipment details while awaiting, already in 2021, what will be the future successor to one of the best saloons in its category.

And for this reason, the current Opel Insignia range gains even more appeal, as it comes with significant offers that improve its already favourable value-for-money ratio.

These are the reasons why we consider a Opel Insignia, especially with the Sport Tourer estate body, a good purchase for those looking for a large family estate with good interior space, and therefore also a magnificent alternative to SUVs, especially for travelling.

1. Offer: more than €8,000 discount on the Insignia range

To be exact, €8,340 is the official discount that Opel announces on most versions of the Insignia. It requires financing the purchase, with a minimum amount of €8,500 and a 36-month retention period. The discounts may be even higher, depending on stock and the dealership.

We recommend that you go and ask. Already with the official discount, an Insignia Sports Tourer with a 1.6 CDTi 136 CV engine and Selective trim, which has a list price of €35,050, drops to €26,710, which is not bad at all.

2. Engines: five options to choose from

You have up to five options, two petrol and three turbodiesel. In petrol, the 1.5 Turbo comes in 140 and 165 CV versions. In diesel, the 1.6 CDTI is offered in 110 and 136 CV versions, while the 2.0 CDTI produces 170 CV.

We have driven several versions, and the one we like best is the most powerful diesel, which is paired with the excellent AT8 eight-speed automatic gearbox. The engine may lack some refinement but, without doubt, we are talking about a car that can be an option even against premium-brand saloons. The “problem” is that now it can only be ordered with the top-of-the-range trim, called Ultimate. This puts the price at over €46,000… which drops to around €36,600 with the more than €9,000 discount this version has.

Without reaching an investment of this amount, the most recommended option is the 1.6 CDTi 136 CV, which comes down to just over €26,000, and which can also be combined with an automatic gearbox, although in this case not with the modern AT8, but with the six-speed AT6.

The 136 CV CDTi costs about €1,000 more than the 140 CV 1.5 Turbo petrol, which is not bad at all. But in a car like this, which we recommend if you are thinking of long road journeys, you will save quickly with the diesel, which on average consumes about 2.5 l/100 km less than the petrol, with very similar performance.

3. Cabin and boot of the Opel Insignia

With its imposing length of 4.99 metres, 10 more than the saloon, the Insignia Sports Tourer is the largest family estate in its category, even surpassing some mid-size premium family saloons.

The interior is no less impressive, with rear seats that are very good in terms of width and legroom. Without doubt, one of the cars in this segment for travelling with adults in the rear seats… or at the wheel. Both in terms of seat comfort and adjustments, build quality, ergonomics and handling, the driver of the Insignia feels very well looked after.

As for the boot, there are smaller cars that exceed the 560-litre capacity offered by the Insignia Sports Tourer, which can reach 1,640 with the seats folded down. Even so, the cargo space is very usable, with a low loading lip and very regular shapes.

4. First-class dynamic behaviour

No matter how much you look, you will not find an SUV at the price of the Insignia, even without taking into account the current offer, that offers such agile and precise handling. And this means it may be preferable to an SUV, especially if the driver values dynamic qualities above other practical aspects where a taller car may be preferable.

For the higher versions you can even opt for a variable damping suspension, which works wonderfully at filtering out any road irregularities. Very recommendable, if you are not content with 17-inch alloy wheels and you are also one of those who wants to show off low-profile tyres.

5. Equipment: complete despite the price

You have four versions to choose from, Selective, 120 Aniversario, Innovation and Ultimate. But configure your option and you will see that in this case, even with what the basic Selective version offers, you have everything you need… and more.

The Opel Insignia includes here, among other things, the 4.0 multimedia system with 7-inch screen compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cruise control with speed limiter and air conditioning.

If you want a bit more equipment and exclusivity, the 120 Aniversario version is worth considering, which for about €1,500 more adds alloy wheels, parking assist front and rear, rain and light sensor and tinted rear windows, among other items. The options list gives access to the most modern driver assistance systems, and to equipment such as the head-up display on the windscreen, or heating even for the rear seats.

Opel Insignia Sports Tourer image gallery