Vauxhall Insignia

Large family car - available as a five-door hatchback (Grand Sport) and estate (Sports Tourer), with early models also offered as a four-door saloon · 2008 to 2022

The Vauxhall Insignia is a large family car that replaced the Vectra in 2008, competing with the Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat in the UK fleet and private markets. The first generation ran until 2017, offered as a saloon, hatchback and Sports Tourer estate, with a wide range of petrol and diesel engines. A second generation arrived in 2017, badged Grand Sport and Sports Tourer, with a lighter platform, sharper styling and improved efficiency. A plug-in hybrid GSi version joined the range in 2020, pairing petrol power with an electric motor. The Insignia was popular with company car drivers thanks to generous equipment, spacious cabins and strong motorway comfort. Production ended in 2022 as Vauxhall moved away from this segment, making used examples from both generations common on UK forecourts, with saloon, hatchback and estate body styles still widely available secondhand.

Body type

Large family car - available as a five-door hatchback (Grand Sport) and estate (Sports Tourer), with early models also offered as a four-door saloon

Years (UK)

2008 to 2022

Typical engine

1.5 or 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol, and 1.6 or 2.0-litre turbodiesel

Fuels available

3 options

Fuel and powertrain options

The Vauxhall Insignia is sold in the UK with the following powertrain options across its current and recent model years:

Petrol Diesel Plug-in hybrid

Things to check at MOT

Below are common inspection items that owners and technicians often pay attention to on the Vauxhall Insignia. These align with standard DVSA MOT criteria. Every individual vehicle is different, and the MOT history of a specific car can be checked on gov.uk using its registration plate.

Check for play or clonking in the front suspension links and anti-roll bar bushes, a known wear point on higher-mileage cars
Inspect the rear light clusters and number plate lamp for condition, as corrosion can cause bulb failures
Test the handbrake operation and rear brake caliper condition, particularly on diesel models used for longer journeys
Look for oil seepage around the turbocharger and intercooler hoses on turbo diesel and petrol variants
Check tyre wear patterns on the front axle, as alignment issues can cause uneven inner-edge wear over time

Frequently asked questions

Is the Vauxhall Insignia a reliable used car buy?

Reliability varies by age, mileage and how well a car has been maintained. Rather than relying on general claims, check the vehicle's official DVSA MOT history on gov.uk, which shows past advisories and failures for that exact car.

What common MOT problems affect the Insignia?

Owners often see advisories relating to suspension bushes, brake wear and minor corrosion on light units. Always check the individual car's MOT history on the government website for its specific record rather than assuming general patterns apply.

Which body styles were available on the Insignia?

The first generation offered a saloon, five-door hatchback and Sports Tourer estate. The second generation, launched in 2017, dropped the saloon and was sold as the Grand Sport hatchback and Sports Tourer estate.

Was there a hybrid or electric Insignia?

Yes, a plug-in hybrid version called the Insignia GSi PHEV was introduced in 2020, combining a turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor. No fully electric Insignia was offered in the UK.

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