Opel Insignia 2012 review

The GM Opel brand will be here next week. We get an exclusive first ride in the top-end Insignia sedan. The city has a new badge and plans to set the law in the mid-sized segment.

The Opel logo may be unfamiliar, but the cars are familiar with local roads. They have worn Holden emblems in the past and have earned a large following. The Astra we all know. Some may not know that Barina used to be an Opel Corsa.

Everything is about to change with the launch of the German brand here. Carsguide tried an exclusive pre-production version of the company's top-of-the-line sedan - and we love it.

Unlike small cars, price is not the main buying factor in the midsize segment. Opel was aiming for the top spot, listing the Insignia sedan and station wagon with enough standard equipment to put most of its competitors to shame.

Value

Opel's claim to fame in Australia will be German build quality, in line with Asian automakers' performance levels. Opel does not claim to be a prestigious brand, therefore it opposes itself to the best mass market European competitors.

This means the Volkswagen Passat and Ford Mondeo are right in the beam of the Insignia xenon headlights. The Accord Euro is also on the list - age has not tired the midsize Honda, and its dynamics are still one of the best in the class.

Pricing hasn't been set, but Carsguide expects the base sedan to cost around $39,000 - or straight out of the Passat's money. The higher spec Select variant will likely cost around $45,000. They share a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine – a turbodiesel of the same displacement is likely to cost $2000 more – and the station wagon is expected to cost $2000 more than the sedan.

Standard equipment on the top model tested by Carsguide includes 19-inch alloy wheels, a seven-speaker audio system, dual-zone climate control, a seven-inch infotainment display, satellite navigation, automatic lighting and wipers.

The seats are heated and cooled and are the only mass-produced car benches officially approved by the German Chiropractic Association to assist your back, although only electric assistance is provided for lumbar support and vertical adjustment.

Technologies

This is the 2009 European Car of the Year, and for good reason. The engine is crisp, the transmission is smooth, and the software tweaks are just enough to satisfy technophile trailblazers. European cars have the option of all-wheel drive, and it's expected to arrive here in the high-spec OPC model - if and when Opel Australia announces, we'll get a halo variant.

An adaptive FlexRide damping system will be available as an option. The system can be switched manually from sport mode to touring mode or left in automatic mode to set its own settings depending on driver and vehicle behavior. It's not that there's something wrong with the base package.

Design

The Insignia sedan's wide roofline almost gives it four-door coupe status, but rear headroom is better than those cars. A trunk lip spoiler will be standard on Australian models but was missing from our pre-production version, and the cluttered center console on our test car will be simplified with an infotainment controller between the front seats.

The rounded look that extends to the doors is sleek, unlike the steering column controls, which suffer from being shared with the much-loved Holden Epica. But it's one of the few areas where Opel is showing its age as a 2008 model, along with a lack of storage options for the junk that most people put in a car these days.

On a positive note, the 500-litre boot should meet most owners' hauling needs, and there's always a wagon available for those who need more cargo capacity.

safety

Euro NCAP says the Insignia is a five-star car in terms of safety. All variants have six airbags, an ABS-linked electronic stability and traction control system and four-way active head restraints, as well as seat belt reminders for both front passengers.

The car's biggest criticism from the crash test team was related to its safety for pedestrians - sheep that cause trouble by ignoring traffic rules by walking with headphones in their ears may want to take a walk before something else. Like a bike.

Driving

The Insignia's TV camera date meant Carsguide couldn't push its dynamics to the limit. Something about chipped paint that doesn't look good in a commercial. As it turned out, there was no need for this - the chassis and suspension are in no way inferior to the Passat and Mondeo at any speed approaching the highway.

The ride is in line with European-made cars in that the initial damping of small bumps is replaced with more flexibility as the speed or severity of the impact increases. There is slight play in the straight-line steering, but feel and weight improve as more lock is applied. The brakes are great - repeated crashes don't bother them - and acceleration is best in class - 7.8 seconds from zero to 100 km/h.

Verdict

The Insignia fits most midsize buyers, with the exception of non-electric front seats. It rides better than most cars in its class, looks good and has a prestigious interior. Let the battle begin.