New Opel Insignia Criticized for Rubbery Manual Gearbox, Not Being Sporty

We saw such compromises with the problematic door buttons of Renault Talisman or the lack of features in a base Passat. Opel's second-generation Insignia sedan isn't different either.

The honeymoon has ended, and the romance is over. Right after the Geneva Motor Show, Opel started offering the Insignia to be reviewed. However, that was a top-spec car with an automatic gearbox and one of the more powerful engines.

Even then, it wasn't perfect, as some noted it doesn't have a fundamental sense of refinement or fluidity on the road. However, they said, it was good enough for the money. But Marek from Poland just reviewed an Insignia that regular people might buy, with a manual gearbox and a 1.5-liter liter engine.

And surprise surprise, he pointed out a lot of flaws. Despite growing in size, the new Insignia still doesn't have that much cargo room, and that sexy sloping roofline means most people can't sit perfectly upright in the back.

He also points out that the 260 horsepower 2.0-liter turbo costs about €10,000 more than the 1.5-liter he's driving. Won't people who can afford to spend that kind of money go to the premium brands instead? That's especially true when you consider that the Insignia doesn't make the best use of its available power. This 165 horsepower 1.5T model takes almost 9 seconds to reach 100 km/h (62 mph).

The biggest problem of all is engaging even gears - 2,4 and 6. It's so bad that you have to see it to believe it! Marek jokes that Opel did this as a good-will gesture towards Peugeot, who now own them and have been making vague, rubbery long-throw manuals for many years.

So the Insignia Grand Sport is indeed "grand," as it's longer than the Skoda Superb. But it's certainly not "sport."