Is a 2016 Insignia Elite Estate reliable?

[dave48]

Sorry if the title sounds a bit dumb, but having had 2 Omegas and currently a Vectra Estate, I am now looking seriously at a 2016 1.6 diesel Insignia Elite Estate, thats done 23,000 miles, with a 12 month Network Q warranty.
The enhanced Elite equipment sounds awesome, but my question is whether all the extra equipment will need expensive maintenance as it ages? We tend to keep cars a long time.

I had got very close to buying a slightly newer basic Insignia, but the non electric tailgate was too heavy for my wife and - silly as it sounds - we struggled with the drivers seat adjustment. We have one car, so the seat is being adjusted almost every journey, which is not normally a problem, but the basic Insignia seat adjustment seems very clunky compared to other cars, mostly on the rake adjustment. The Elite has both the elec tailgate and memory controlled electric seat adjustment, which is ideal, but I don’t really need all the other enhancements.

In addition, is the electric handbrake and ‘hill start Assist ’ reliable? I’ve tried a couple of Insignias and there’s a bit of a thump as the handbrake releases.

Thanks very much for reading and owner opinions & experiences are welcome.

[Jordaninsignia14]

Hill start is what it is. Sometimes annoying sometimes a god send. Never had an issue with elec handbrake at all. Always works spot on


14 Insignia 2.0 VX line 190 Nav

[Witty]

I have the elite but in a hatchback. Never had a problem with the hill start assist or the electronic handbrake.
Have heard some people struggle to get used to the handbrake, but mine is an automatic, so just engage drive and pull away no problem.

[dave48]

Thanks - any issues with the Elite electronics and additional equipment?

[Dave1419]

Dave--what you and the better half need to do is to go and test the car out ---you won't know if you like the car or not until you do so---as for your other worries--you can get these with any make and model these days,so try not to worry to much about it--go and test drive the car--think both of you will enjoy it------Dave

[Witty]

Thanks - any issues with the Elite electronics and additional equipment?

Not had any issues myself, but that doesn’t mean that nobody will.

As Dave1419 has said, you need to test drive one for yourself to be sure that you are happy.

[Witty]

I moved up to the Insignia having previously owned a Vectra Elite myself for a number of years. Was impressed when I went to test drive the Insignia how comfortable it was. Still no regrets to this day. Love the car.

[dave48]

Dave--what you and the better half need to do is to go and test the car out ---you won't know if you like the car or not until you do so---as for your other worries--you can get these with any make and model these days,so try not to worry to much about it--go and test drive the car--think both of you will enjoy it------Dave

Yes, we will be test driving it in the next day or so and have driven two other Insignias. What I’m trying to find out is how reliable all the extra Elite equipment is.

[Plym Ian]

My elite albeit an earlier model has been ok. Never had a problem with the handbrake or hill assist although sometimes if the hill looks steep but in reality the car doesn’t deem so it can catch you out.
As for the tailgate i only had one problem when rain got into the tailgate ecu it stopped it from working but all sorted now as it turned out it was a plastic bung that had gone a bit brittle and let the rain in.

[MattG]

No issues with my hatchback elite. Electric handbrake easy to get used to. Hill start works well when on a hill, but unlike my old Sri Astra it doesn't work on slight inclines.

Everything else working OK.

[marko301]

The facelift Insignias in general have been pretty reliable cars. The electronic brake is rock solid with very few issues reported. It can take a bit of getting used to but once you do its better than a standard handbrake. Take some time to learn the little tricks and tips for a smooth pull away.

The most common fault we get on the forum is from cars that have AFL (Adaptive forward lighting). Sometimes its just a bulb out but if it is something more serious it can be a costly fix.

[dave48]

Thanks very much - that’s the sort of information I was after.

[bransoj]

I had a 10 plate pre facelift elite Tourer which I was the second owner. Previous owner had it from new and I owned it from March 2013 to March 2018 when I swapped to a grand sport Sri Tourer.

The toys on my old elite were great especially the afl lights which never caused me an issue in the 5 years I had it. Hill start always worked for me with the odd occasion where you think it’d come on but it doesn’t as it’s not quite steep enough. Handbrake was fine until near the time I got rid and was possibly down to the faulty abs sensor that needed doing bit I got rid before I got round to sorting it. I did have an issue with the drivers seat which at some point leading up to me getting rid stopped moving but as it was only really me that drove the car we never realised until after I got rid and was checking king the mot status of the car and saw it as a fault. Was probably a fuse or something. Also the heated seat packed up but that was a known issue that was rectified on later cars. Electric boot never failed at all and was great. That and the lights are probably the things I miss on the new one. Parking sensors always worked fine as well.

The issues were when the car got to 8+ years old when you possibly expect the odd gripe.

The only thing I’d check if possible is the dpf...that was my biggest issue. I’m not sure the owner did lots of miles as it was 23000 miles when I bought it at 3 years old then I didn’t do lots of miles so it wasn’t being used like a diesel should.

[dave48]

Thanks very much, bransoj. The Elite I’m looking at is also 3 years old and about 23,00 miles, so a similar scenario. Selling it on at 8 years old sounds like a wise move!

[Dave71]

No issues with My Elite 163 Auto Electronic hand brake is fine, did take a little getting use too.. The hill assist is brilliant, especially when I have my van in tow. Take that test drive you will be impressed.