Vauxhall has revealed the first look at its facelifted Insignia, which is now only available in a liftback body style.
With a refreshed look and a host of added technologies, Vauxhall hopes that its revised flagship saloon can regain some popularity in a dwindling market.
While 1.2 million Insignias have been sold in the UK since the nameplate was first introduced ten years ago to replace the unloved Vauxhall Vectra, numbers have been tumbling in recent years as buyer flock towards SUVs rather than traditional saloons and estates. In fact, Vauxhall has quietly dropped the estate versions (Sports Tourer and Country Tourer) as part of the model’s facelift.
The current generation Vauxhall Insignia was launched in 2017, and currently holds a score of 72% according to The Car Expert’s unique Expert Rating system, which has aggregated more than 40 UK media reviews. That score is identical to its traditional rival, the Ford Mondeo, but significantly behind the class-leading Volkswagen Passat.
Exterior changes to the Insignia are subtle. A redesigned front bumper and some extra chrome detailing on the grille make up the revisions to the front, along with reshaped headlights incorporating new LED Matrix technology. At the rear, there are silver exhaust trims at the lower side of the bumper.
Those new headlights use 84 individual LED bulbs within each unit, and, when combined with a forward-facing camera, can adjust their beams to avoid dazzling oncoming road users. The LED daytime running lights have been placed in a new location, too.
Vauxhall has updated the amount of driver assistance technology on the Insignia. It now gets a rear-view camera to improve rearward visibility, while rear cross-traffic alert elevates safety when reversing out of spaces. The Insignia was awarded a five-star safety rating by Euro NCAP when it was launched in 2017.
Inside, the Insignia will be available with either a seven- or eight-inch touchscreen system housing Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration systems.
Details surrounding engine and gearbox choices for the new Vauxhall Insignia have yet to be revealed and are likely to be announced in full in January when it is set to make its debut at the Brussels Motor Show.
