• Opel and its magic mirrors

    by  • April 4, 2012 • Car Reviews, Test Drives

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    2011 Opel Insignia Exterior

    The Opel Insignia is a head turner

    If I could only use one word to recommend the Opel Insignia it would be mirrors – wing mirrors to be exact.

    It may seem an odd feature to hang a car review on, but these are magic wing mirrors – they adjust their view when you put the car in reverse and return to the original setting otherwise.

    But the Insignia has more going for it than that, in fact, there’s very very little to find fault with.

    The head-turning Brilliant White six speed manual ecoFlex model I was driving was large, elegant and sleek on the outside and equally striking looking inside, with its leather interior and beautiful curved wood surround, which stretched from the door to the dash.

    2011 Opel Insignia interior

    The Insignia offers a nice, comfortable driving position

    The Insignia didn’t disappoint in driveability either. With smooth gear changes and great acceleration, the 2litre diesel Elite model I had was a pleasure to drive.

    Fitted with Stop/Start technology, it had two drive modes, normal and Eco. Both were impressive, with normal a tad faster at the lights.

    The Insignia is a large car, with great leg room in all seats and a massive, massive boot, with a ski hatch into the back seat.

    The driving position was very comfortable and the driver’s seat had memory setting buttons.

    The model I was driving included cruise control, steering wheel mounted audio controls, CD/radio/USB/aux, leather trim with heated front seats and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

    The Navi 600 SatNav was good, but knowledge of which postcode you were looking for seemed to be a requirement.

    It also had an electric parking brake, which regular readers will know I’m not a fan of, but at least it stayed illuminated long enough to know it was engaged.

    Overall, the Insignia is a beautifully elegant car both inside and out and would be great for executives or families alike.

    The Opel Insignia is available now with Irish prices starting from €25,495. The Elite model I was driving costs from €34,380.

    Tech Spec.
    Engine: 2.0CDTi 160PS with Start/Stop
    Acceleration: 0-100km/h in 9.5seconds
    Top speed: 221km/h
    Combined Fuel Consumption: 4.3l/100km
    CO2 Emissions: 115g/km
    Annual road tax: €160 (Band A)
    Transmission: 6-speed manual

    Visit opel.ie for further information.

    A version of this article first appeared in Metro Herald