Ahead of its Geneva Motor Show unveiling, a hefty dose of information on the latest Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer has been released. Read on for details of what is new, the boot size, connectivity options and practicality.
Baton down the hatches, there is a new Vauxhall in town that is worthy of your attention. Say hello to the Insignia Sports Tourer, which has been revealed ahead of the 2017 Geneva Motor Show in March. We decided to delve into the details to see exactly what’s what.
1) You can go even crazier with the shopping
For those who want a lot of boot space, the 2017 Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer could be a winner. It offers 1,638 litres of space, an increase of more than 100 litres over its competitor. This is partly because the boot has grown 97mm in length to 2,005mm. For even greater practicality, 40:20:40 foldable seats are available, as well as an automatic tailgate that can be operated with a kick of the foot so you can open it while your hands are full.
2) It has grown in size
The all-new Insignia Sports Tourer is now 4,986mm in length, while the wheelbase has been extended to 2,829mm and the front overhang reduced by 30mm. These adjustments have helped free-up 27mm of extra space for your hips, 25mm for your shoulders and 31mm for your head. To further enhance the feeling of space, a panoramic roof is now available.
3) The FlexiRide chassis is said to be better
Switch between Standard, Sport and Tour modes of the FlexiRide chassis, which is said to have been improved, and the characteristics of the 2017 Vauxhall Insignia change, with the dampers, steering, throttle response and gear-shift points all able to adjust to suit your preferences.
4) You can spec a head-up display
The 2017 Vauxhall Insignia can be made into a much smarter machine, thanks to the addition of a highly useful head-up display that puts useful information right in your line of sight, including your current speed. Lane Keep Assist and LED headlights can also be had for even greater levels of safety.
5) All-wheel drive is optional…
By adding what Vauxhall calls ‘intelligent all-wheel drive’, the 2017 Insignia Sports Tourer should be more capable in adverse conditions. By swapping the rear axle differential for two electrically controlled multi-plate clutches, power can be sent to individual wheels more precisely. Less slipping around, basically.
6) …And so is torque vectoring
Torque vectoring seems an unlikely addition for a family car, but then it could come in handy for that emergency dash to the shop when you forget the milk. The way the system works is simple; more torque is applied to the outside wheel than the inside one to help turn the car and counteract understeer.
7) It should a lot safer
In addition to that handy head-up display, you can also choose Adaptive Cruise Control for keeping a safe distance from the car in front without you having to touch the brake, Lane Keep Assist for keeping the car in lane and Lane Departure Warning to tell you if you veer out of it. Then there is Rear Cross Traffic Alert, which detects anything behind the rear bumper from up to 20 metres in a 180-degree arc.
8) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are supported
Hooking up your Android or iOS smartphone will be possible in the 2017 Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer, which has support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on top of the IntelliLink system. Another addition is OnStar, which offers an Automatic Crash Response system, and it will be possible to pay for a Personal Assistant service that has advisors help you out with the likes of booking a hotel.
9) Passengers can stay connected to the interwebs
Another new feature is a WiFi hotspot, which comes as part of OnStar and can connect up to seven devices to the internet at the same time, sparing you the constant “are we there yet?” question from younger (or just annoying older) passengers.
10) Expect to find out the UK price soon
Until the Geneva Motor Show unveiling in March 2017, we can only hazard a guess at the price. Owing to currency fluctuations and Brexit, we expect there to be a slight premium on the current Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer, which can be had from £20,229. A range of turbocharged petrol and diesel engines will be available in addition to a new eight-speed automatic gearbox.
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