Opel Premium Class - Opel Insignia | Autokult.pl

Compared to the previous generation, the new Insignia has an increased turning circle. What is the reason for this? It seems to me that it is mainly due to the longer wheelbase. However, I have not encountered customers complaining about the maneuverability of the new Insignia, especially since the 360-degree camera supports us during parking maneuvers. The car, however, is praised for its much greater ease of driving than its predecessor. When driving, you simply feel that the car weighs less, has a more precise steering and better tuned suspension.

Have any new safety systems been used in the second generation Insignia? I would say that the main focus was on developing and refining the systems that appeared after the facelift of the previous version of the model. Many of them are based on the Opel Eye camera located by the interior mirror and monitoring the area in front of the car. In addition, radars were installed both in the front and rear of the car. Every Insignia comes standard with Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection. It's actually two systems in one. Both can be disabled by the driver from the menu. The first is the LSCMB, or automatic low-speed braking system, which operates in the range of 8 to 80 km/h and works in conjunction with the camera. The second is CIB, which is simply an automatic braking system that works from 4 km / h and uses radars. The cooperation of these systems consists in the fact that if the driver does not react to the warnings and the vehicle is still moving at a speed below 40 km/h, it is automatically braked until it comes to a complete stop. In turn, if such a situation occurs at a speed above 40 km/h, the system assists the driver in braking. I will add that if the adaptive cruise control is turned on, only the radar-based system works. A novelty is certainly the color Head-Up Display, which presents information (speed, engine rpm, navigation directions and road signs that we pass) directly on the windscreen, not on a small glass protruding from the dashboard above the clocks. It is worth noting that we can regulate where on the windshield (higher — lower) this information will be shown. Thanks to this, everyone, regardless of height, sees them in the optimal place, exactly at eye level.

Except that such a display requires PLN 4,000 extra. Well, these are not cheap things, but it seems to me that it is still a competitive price. The more so that in the package along with the Head-Up Display we also get an 8-inch display between the clocks and tinted windows.

The Insignia is equipped with a lane keeping system. Is it active or passive? Active. In the event of unintentional lane crossing, the steering stiffens minimally and the system makes a gentle steering movement to bring the car back on track. Of course, in an emergency, we can pull the steering wheel harder and break its resistance. However, it must be remembered that this is not an absolute autonomous driving system. Its task is only to support the driver, not to do it for him. This system always gives the operator time to react appropriately and intervenes only when there is no response.

The next piece of equipment worth taking a look at is the driver's 24/7 personal assistant, i.e. OnStar. What is it?First of all, it is a safety feature that is standard on all versions of the Insignia. The OnStar system operators are able to detect whether a road incident has occurred and react accordingly. If they notice something disturbing, they contact us first. If there is no response, they call for help. The first year of using this system is free, and then the fee for using it is slightly over PLN 300 per year.

Is usage restricted? No, we rely on users' common sense.

Do I need any additional device, e.g. a telephone, to communicate with the supervisor? No, everything is integrated in the OnStar module, which has its own SIM card. It is built into the headliner and has three buttons. The first one, with the word SOS, allows us to call for help on our own. The second allows you to connect with a consultant in order to, for example, ask for directions or request a hotel reservation. The third one allows you to deactivate the tracking of our current location. However, we must remember that we will then be invisible to the system, because it is completely turned off.

What could be the consequences of this? In the event of a dangerous situation on the road, the consultants will not be able to react, because they will not receive any information from the car. The problem also arises when the system is turned off and the car is stolen from us. It will then be impossible to track him down. You must then report the theft to the police and present a document confirming that the car belongs to you. Only then can OnStar be started remotely and try to find the car.

Will OnStar turn on automatically the next time you start the car? No, we have to activate it ourselves.

An interesting technical solution in the Insignia are matrix headlights. For the record, let's add that they cost PLN 6,450. Yes, but we are able to reduce this amount by buying them in a package. However, it must be clearly stated that compared to the competition, it is quite an attractive price. These are Full LED headlights, i.e. those in which all types of lights are operated by LEDs. Compared to bi-xenon lamps, they provide a much better beam of light. These headlights were made in matrix technology, which means that we have two rows of LEDs here, with 16 LEDs in each of them (so there are 32 LEDs in one headlight in total). The biggest advantage of this technology is that we can almost always drive at high beam without worrying about dazzling other road users. All thanks to the fact that, if necessary, individual LED segments are automatically extinguished in such a way as not to dazzle the eyes of drivers coming from the opposite direction or in front of us. Ordinary LED or bi-xenon headlights cannot do this.

Do we also have a cornering function here? Of course. At very low speeds, when turning at an intersection, an additional lamp in the main headlight turns on, while when driving at higher speeds, cornering is provided by LED segments.

Another interesting thing is the AGR seats, which require an additional payment of PLN 1,500 and up. These are seats that, due to their construction, have been certified by a German institute for healthy backs. As standard, they are equipped with adjustable lumbar support. Thanks to the use of three pillows, they can perfectly adapt to the specific shape of the back. In addition, they have a retractable seat for better thigh support.

Are the AGR seats visually different from the standard ones? Definitely yes. They are more developed, have longer seats and higher sides, which can also be adjusted.

So the AGR seats come in different versions.Yes. We basically have two varieties of AGR adapted to basic upholstery. In the first case, part of the seat is adjusted manually, and partly electrically. In the second case, we are dealing with a fully electrically adjustable seat, which can be equipped with ventilation (only in combination with perforated leather), backrest width adjustment and a lumbar massage function.

We're still only talking about the front seats here. Can we also order the AGR rear seat? No, there is no such option.

I would also like to ask about the roof window. Does it open? Yes, except that in the Grand Sport version we have a classic sunroof, while a typical sunroof is available in the Sports Tourer version. It opens partially, i.e. its front part, which is about 1/3 of the entire pane, rises and moves back.

Standard on every Insignia is Grade Start Assist. Does it prevent rolling both when going uphill and backwards? Yes, it works in both cases.

The new Insignia was built by Opel alone or together with PSA? It is a 100% Opel construction, without the participation of the French.

Where is this model produced? In Germany, specifically in Rüsselsheim.

Have customers gotten used to the fact that in such a large car the basic engine has only 1.5 liters of capacity? Contrary to appearances, yes. However, it all depends on the preferences of a particular client. If someone needs a car with a power not exceeding 200 hp, they will easily be able to accept a 1.5-liter drive unit.

Which engine version sells best? Definitely the petrol version with a 1.5-liter engine and 165 hp. When it comes to diesel, the one with a capacity of 2 liters and 170 hp is the most popular. However, I was personally quite surprised by the popularity of the 2-liter gasoline engine developing 260 hp, used in the top version with 4×4 drive. At first, it was probably the one that aroused the greatest interest, especially in the case of individual customers. So I think our plan to “chew” premium brands is working quite well.