The new Insignias are much better than they used to be, a buddy at work has one.

It drives just fine and I'm sure it's very capable but you get out after driving it feeling strangely unmoved by the experience. Having driven both (and I would be honest regardless of my current steed) I think that the Octy feels tighter, more eager, a more rewarding drive.

I've only done 8k in my Octy but I still smile every time I drive it, I really don't think the Insignia would deliver that feeling.

I must admit, I think the Octy has the best diesel engine in the business. Unfortunately having been badly let down by my car and the supporting network, I'm not sure I'd want another VW product.

Pointless question on a Skoda enthusiast website.

Nobody going to reccomend a ******* Vauxhall insignia. I'd take the Koreans over anything Vauxhall have to offer.

I don't agree given the problems I've had! However point taken on the Vauxhall.

I looked at this exact model when I considered it. The main reason being that my Parents have an Insignia which I have driven reasonably extensively and I like it for the following reasons over my Octavia 2.0 TDI

- Looks - it's quite a nice car to look at, well proportioned and so on, especially when compared to the octavia.

- Spec - For a mid range brand it's fairly well specified when I compared the models at like for like price ranges

- Slightly more power - not that it will really matter

 

Reasons against the O3

- It's plain - But as others here have said in the past it's also an advantage because it's an unassuming car when you pull up beside someone at the lights and you zip off into the distance leaving them standing expecting you to have been in some 1.2litre fart box they could blitz past. I think someone used the term "sleeper" and I like that idea.

- Handbrake - I'm sorry but this is irritating and probably my biggest peeve with the car if you have to pick up passengers and more so if they are of the larger size as I don't want to have to apologise all the time because skoda couldn't be bothered to swap it's side or design a more central position for the handbrake.

 

What I prefer and why I went to the O3 over the Vauxhall

- Space, the boot is so much more suitable to lug loads about, the cabin is roomier, back seats especially. Even in the dark trim colour of my car it feels much lighter. The Vauxhall in Cream leather that I've experienced just feels a more miserable space

- Build quality, there are some areas in the O3 that lack (eg the rear ash tray) and ruin the quality feel in the car but the car just feels more tightly put together than any Insignia.

- I actually think the car looks very nice, understated but imposing when it needs to be.

- Little features, the simply clever type stuff they hype on about is actually quite nice. Some design features in the Vauxhall are in my mind shouting 'seriously did we not notice that issue before we signed off the design'

- Engine noise - The Vauxhall engines and dampening are improving on the CDTi models but the skoda is miles ahead. It's smoother too, I find it less juddery to drive.

- Gear ratios - The O3 is just better assigned ratios in my experience of the 6 speed varieties in both. The 5 speed Octavia I found worse than both the 6speed options from the Octavia and Vauxhall.

- Price - The O3 has such higher residuals compared to the Insignia that it was a no brainer winner by a large margin.

 

Where I would be biased to say it's better either way but know it's entirely personal preference

- Driving experience - The Octavia I find is more comfortable to drive, the mirrors on the Insignia are poor, it's hard to see out the rear window (the O3 isn't much better here I'll admit). The A pillar feels more in the way (likely due to it being closer to your face). I just felt the O3 feels more naturally right to drive.

- The O3 I like the more open feel to the cabin. It's easier to move about. But then the Vauxhall has a more cockpit-esque feel to the cabin in the front, you feel surrounded by the car and in my experience more comfortable to push the car a bit more than I would with my O3 (remember that my Insignia experience is not even my car). It's as if it feels more of a race car than the O3 (I know neither really are racy).

 

P.S. I'm comparing hatchback with hatchback in both cases. I can't comment on Estate versions of either other than bored looks into both models in the show rooms while waiting to start my test drives. I also will add that the Vauxhall I've tried was privately owned and mainly used by my mother so well cared for and not a ragged to death demo/courtesy/taxi/hire car.

Thanks, that's a great comparison.

I must admit, I think the Octy has the best diesel engine in the business. Unfortunately having been badly let down by my car and the supporting network, I'm not sure I'd want another VW product.

Your car was a lemon, it happens unfortunately.

I don't know who your dealer was, but if you are from St Helens at a guess it is either Alex Lawrie in Liverpool, Lightcliffe in Warrington or Mitchells at Cheshire Oaks.

It seems you didn't get the necessary support from your dealer, and the fact that the independent inspections you had backed up the dealer left you in a very weak position until it eventually went horribly wrong.

Have you tried asking SUK what level of support they would give you towards another Octy? You may be pleasantly surprised!

Once again, thanks for all your responses quite an emotive bunch aren't we  . I think you have confirmed what I'd thought myself. Insignia is more style over substance. I'll look elsewhere. Shall I start a new thread "Mazda 6 vs Octavia"? Only joking.. 

Your car was a lemon, it happens unfortunately.

I don't know who your dealer was, but if you are from St Helens at a guess it is either Alex Lawrie in Liverpool, Lightcliffe in Warrington or Mitchells at Cheshire Oaks.

It seems you didn't get the necessary support from your dealer, and the fact that the independent inspections you had backed up the dealer left you in a very weak position until it eventually went horribly wrong.

Have you tried asking SUK what level of support they would give you towards another Octy? You may be pleasantly surprised!

Actually all three of those dealers were involved at some point!

Once again, thanks for all your responses quite an emotive bunch aren't we  . I think you have confirmed what I'd thought myself. Insignia is more style over substance. I'll look elsewhere. Shall I start a new thread "Mazda 6 vs Octavia"? Only joking.. 

 

 

The Mazda 6 is a nice looking car, although I couldn't tell you anything about it I have heard the waiting times are almost as bad as the Octy.

Work mate was thinking about buying an insignia earlier this year, apparently he sat in it with his missus for all of two seconds. Soulless, bland and uninspiring, but looks good from the outside, was his verdict. Went and ordered a black Audi A3 petrol saloon instead.

Actually all three of those dealers were involved at some point!

Alex Lawrie - Useless. Lightcliffes - Really Useless. Mitchells - better, but ultimately were also useless!

I had the Insignia model you mention as a courtesy car for two weeks. When I first drove it I thought it was pretty good, it looked great in white with 19 inch rims. The 8 inch screen on the sat nav media looked great, but it was so badly resolved i was glad to get back to my Amundsen. The touchpad on the system was truly woeful and utterly unusable. Then I began to hate the stupid electronic handbrake. Listening to the servo releasing and applying the brake seemed to take an age. Cr@pp and a gimmick. Then we get to the driving dynamics, I think the car weighs summat like 1.6 tons, but it somehow managed to feel closer to 70. The steering was numb and far too happy to centre, it was also far too thick at the bottom which added to the slightly disconnected feel. Push the car into a corner and it scared the **** out of me, the wheel just wanted to come back, which required constant opposite effort. Compared to my vRS the brakes were pathetic, hit them hard and the car squirmed.

 

No match for my tsi Octy, which felt like a go cart, lighter and much more pleasurable to drive the the Vauxhall.

 

Oh one last thing they have a weird smell, faintly like baby sick. The father in law has one and it has the same odd parfum.

I had the Insignia model you mention as a courtesy car for two weeks. When I first drove it I thought it was pretty good, it looked great in white with 19 inch rims. The 8 inch screen on the sat nav media looked great, but it was so badly resolved i was glad to get back to my Amundsen. The touchpad on the system was truly woeful and utterly unusable. Then I began to hate the stupid electronic handbrake. Listening to the servo releasing and applying the brake seemed to take an age. Cr@pp and a gimmick. Then we get to the driving dynamics, I think the car weighs summat like 1.6 tons, but it somehow managed to feel closer to 70. The steering was numb and far too happy to centre, it was also far too thick at the bottom which added to the slightly disconnected feel. Push the car into a corner and it scared the **** out of me, the wheel just wanted to come back, which required constant opposite effort. Compared to my vRS the brakes were pathetic, hit them hard and the car squirmed.

 

No match for my tsi Octy, which felt like a go cart, lighter and much more pleasurable to drive the the Vauxhall.

 

Oh one last thing they have a weird smell, faintly like baby sick. The father in law has one and it has the same odd parfum.

Nice!

Once again, thanks for all your responses quite an emotive bunch aren't we  . I think you have confirmed what I'd thought myself. Insignia is more style over substance. I'll look elsewhere. Shall I start a new thread "Mazda 6 vs Octavia"? Only joking.. 

The Mazda 6 is a nice car to drive. The auto especially was very smooth, and Mazda seem to have some very good engines. But so do Skoda. 

Im not a fan of the interior though.

Probably not a lot in it really. But the interior was something i couldnt live with.

 

So, just in case you werent joking!

Now, how about an XF vs Octy?.........................

I had the Insignia model you mention as a courtesy car for two weeks. When I first drove it I thought it was pretty good, it looked great in white with 19 inch rims. The 8 inch screen on the sat nav media looked great, but it was so badly resolved i was glad to get back to my Amundsen. The touchpad on the system was truly woeful and utterly unusable. Then I began to hate the stupid electronic handbrake. Listening to the servo releasing and applying the brake seemed to take an age. Cr@pp and a gimmick. Then we get to the driving dynamics, I think the car weighs summat like 1.6 tons, but it somehow managed to feel closer to 70. The steering was numb and far too happy to centre, it was also far too thick at the bottom which added to the slightly disconnected feel. Push the car into a corner and it scared the **** out of me, the wheel just wanted to come back, which required constant opposite effort. Compared to my vRS the brakes were pathetic, hit them hard and the car squirmed.

 

No match for my tsi Octy, which felt like a go cart, lighter and much more pleasurable to drive the the Vauxhall.

 

Oh one last thing they have a weird smell, faintly like baby sick. The father in law has one and it has the same odd parfum.

So just to some this thread up. Vauxhalls are c**p

 

Feel for you though LeonBlue. Hope you find something you are happy with soon, and I think most on here fully understand why you are very hesitant to consider Skoda again.

The Mazda 6 is a nice car to drive. The auto especially was very smooth, and Mazda seem to have some very good engines. But so do Skoda. 

Im not a fan of the interior though.

Probably not a lot in it really. But the interior was something i couldnt live with.

 

So, just in case you werent joking!

Now, how about an XF vs Octy?.........................

Not seen one in the flesh, but I must admit, I didn't like the interior photos, that touchscreen placement just looks so wrong. It's a shame because I am really struggling to find a replacement. The Octy would've been the right car for me had it worked properly etc.

Edited 5 October, 201411 yr by Leonblue

 

Now, how about an XF vs Octy?

Now I have been looking at those! Premium Luxury 3.0 V6 hmmm!

Now I have been looking at those! Premium Luxury 3.0 V6 hmmm!

Driven both the 2.2 and 3.0 V6. :love:

Only car to make me feel special whilst driving

Driven both the 2.2 and 3.0 V6. :love:

Only car to make me feel special whilst driving

Perhaps I should let my heart decide! My head says... The only fly in the ointment (that relates to all these premium rear wheel drive cars) is that they are virtually undriveable in the snow and ice.

Perhaps I should let my heart decide! My head says... The only fly in the ointment (that relates to all these premium rear wheel drive cars) is that they are virtually undriveable in the snow and ice.

That's mad though because I have really been looking at these on 12 - 13 plates. But then thought that an Insignia would be safer to park in St Helens. If you get my meaning

Ditch the Insignia as an option.... if you have really soured against the VAG built cars (it can happen) then look at either the mondeo (Only thing wrong with it is the badge) or see if you can still find one of the previous-gen C-class' in a warehouse somewhere unsold that they were selling off earlier in the year (Needle, Haystack )

Octavia looks cheap (outside and inside), even vrs, say what you say, compared to good specced insignia, mazda 6, passat, some others as well. That of course doesnt make it not worth it :p

By that I mean before mentioned cars look like they are at least one class above.

Edited 6 October, 201411 yr by toni8b

When I felt disenchanted by the long vrs weight I test drove a Mazda 6 and it nearly swayed me. Pretty cars in my view, lovely colours, well speced but more expensive, harsh ride on 19" rims (fiancée in the rear really noticed that) and the ultimate no-no for me, no spare, not even a space saver and no where to even put one!  I still considered it hard though. I was told the weight was short... Errrr 6 weeks iirc.

When I felt disenchanted by the long vrs weight I test drove a Mazda 6 and it nearly swayed me. Pretty cars in my view, lovely colours, well speced but more expensive, harsh ride on 19" rims (fiancée in the rear really noticed that) and the ultimate no-no for me, no spare, not even a space saver and no where to even put one!  I still considered it hard though. I was told the weight was short... Errrr 6 weeks iirc.

 

Wait, not weight.

 

And the reason you don't have to wait long for Mazdas or other Asian cars is because they don't have options - so they basically churn them out in the different specs and colours, and ship them over by the boat-load.  There's no such thing as a custom build, so chances are you're only going to have to wait until the next boat arrives, which will be in a matter of weeks... and that's if there's not one sat at a port / holding facility in this country already.

Oops.  :peek:

Wait, not weight.

 

And the reason you don't have to wait long for Mazdas or other Asian cars is because they don't have options - so they basically churn them out in the different specs and colours, and ship them over by the boat-load.  There's no such thing as a custom build, so chances are you're only going to have to wait until the next boat arrives, which will be in a matter of weeks... and that's if there's not one sat at a port / holding facility in this country already.

You learn something new.. as they say.

Probably explains why I got my Octy in a fortnight, standard car with no factory options.