Opel’s range transformation is almost complete and the new Insignia gets the benefits of an engine upgrade. This new 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine is smooth, quiet and powerful, and totally changes the driving dynamic of the car. But is it enough to make the Insignia competitive?

Taking a drive in the new Insignia diesel is a very pleasant experience. Out on the road, the feeling of strength is obvious. There is a smoothness not experienced in an Opel diesel for decades and you can feel that very quickly from behind the wheel.

I had the SRi version so there were lots of extras, the newest of which is the Opel OnStar system, which offers real-time support from the OnStar command centre to cater for driver’s needs. I used the system to set my route on the car’s satnav system and was impressed. However, I was able to set my destination equally quickly with the car’s navigation system.

What OnStar does in terms of safety is more useful. It can locate your car in the event of a crash and automatically lets the emergency services know where you are and the type of crash that you’ve been in, preparing them for the best approach to deal with serious casualties. Let’s hope that it doesn’t get too much use on Irish roads in 2016. There’s also an app associated with the car that lets you access the car’s information. The Opel OnStar is standard on all models other than the basic S grade, so that’s impressive.

Back behind the wheel, I found the driving position very good, with good seat adjustment and support. The headroom in the rear is a little tighter than I would like, while legroom is adequate.

Back to practical stuff and this new Opel turbo-diesel engine has answers in terms of power. It has a high level of engine torque, more than a match for the similar size engine Audi A4 and ahead of the Ford and Volkswagen offers in the Mondeo and Passat respectively. The 170bhp engine is the best of the four.

Delve a bit deeper and there’s little difference in the economy figures with the new engine. Opel is quoting a figure of 22.2km/litre (4.5/100km or 62.8mpg), and that’s at least a match for the Ford Mondeo, but not any better than the previous Insignia. The CO2 figures are not much better than in the past with an A4 rating, which gives annual road tax of €200.

My test drive that came close to a distance 1,300km and delivered a fuel economy figure that was close to 40% higher than the rated figure. That didn’t surprise me too much and in practice that’s competitive.

The fuel tank is reasonably large at 70 litres, so stops were not that frequent. This is an AdBlue car, meaning that there is a second filler cap in the refuelling area. Opel claims that it needs a refill after about 10,000km but so much of this depends on your driving style. The heavier the right foot, the more AdBlue is used.

Opel has boosted the towing power of the new Insignia with its higher torque to 1,800kg. That’s a match for the new Mondeo, but below the towing rating of the Passat. It has impressive torque so towing should take less effort and allow moving off with ease.

This car has lots of safety gear, including a good EuroNCAP crash test result. The boot is spacious, especially as this was a hatchback model, but with no spare wheel involved.

In motoring, as in life, there are always swings and roundabouts. The three-year running cost figures are competitive with the likes of the Ford Mondeo, Volkswagen Passat and Toyota Avensis, except that the Insignia appears to have a slightly higher than average depreciation cost, based on secondhand prices available online.

That means that you have to do a better deal with your Insignia to keep a lid on ownership costs. With a list price of €33,850 or £22,375, in Northern Ireland, Opel/Vauxhall are doing good deals. There are attractive finance offers for Insignia models, so work hard to get the best result, because this car can be worth it, as long at it’s value on day one.

Opel Insignia 2.0 CTDi – specifications

Engine 2.0 litre

Engine power 170hp

0 – 100km/hr 9.9 seconds

Economy 22.2km/litre (4.5/100km or 62.8mpg)

Fuel Tank Capacity 93 litres/12 litres AdBlue

CO2 emissions 119g/km

Road Tax Band A4 €200

Main Service 30,000km/12 months

Euro NCAP Rating 5 star (2009)

Towing rating 1800kgs

Warranty 2 years unlimited

Entry Price €33,850

NI Price £22,374