2020 Vauxhall Insignia facelift: prices, specs and release date

• • New Insignia now on sale
• • Both estate versions have been discontinued
• • Subtle styling changes and extra tech for 2020 model

The facelifted Vauxhall Insignia is now on sale. Prices start at £23,120 for the new entry-level SE Nav model and first deliveries of the updated car are currently scheduled for summer.

Vauxhall is aiming to keep the Insignia competitive against the freshly updated Skoda Superb and the striking Peugeot 508. The Insignia remains less expensive than both of these cars despite a price increase for the entry-level model.

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2020 Vauxhall Insignia prices and specifications

Five trim levels are available; the entry-level SE Nav includes all-round parking sensors, cruise control, auto wipers and LED lights (with auto high-beam), and a seven-inch touchscreen with sat nav, DAB radio, Bluetooth and Apple/Android connectivity. SRi Nav starts from £24,620, and includes exterior trim pieces, illuminated interior mirrors and storage pockets in the seatbacks.

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Upgrading to SRi VX-Line Nav costs another £3,000 but there’s plenty of extra kit. It gets a superior eight-inch sat-nav system, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging, a Bose sound system, leather upholstery and keyless entry/start. As the sporty-looking model, it also gets different bumpers, privacy glass, 20-inch alloy wheels, and sports pedals.

Ultimate Nav costs the same and shares much of the same equipment but focuses on luxury rather than sportiness. Topping the range is the fast GSi model, with even sportier looks, red brake calipers, paddle shifters, a rear spoiler and sports suspension. You’ve got to really love fast Vauxhalls to want one, as the GSi costs £38,850, which is £6,000 more than any other model in the range.

Styling

At first glance, nothing much appears to have changed in the styling department. However, look closer and you’ll notice a reprofiled front bumper and a different grille, both with new chrome inserts, and reshaped headlights. The rear end has two chrome pieces designed to look like exhaust tips, but the rest of the car remains unchanged from the outgoing model.

The headlights are similar to those fitted to the new Vauxhall Astra and Vauxhall Corsa, and high-spec cars will get Matrix LED units that can provide full-beam power without dazzling other drivers. They work with the front-facing camera to work out how and when to adjust the beam. Despite the extra brightness, they’re actually more energy-efficient than the standard headlights. Vauxhall has also repositioned the LED daytime running lights to make them more visible in poor weather.

Interior

Inside, the touchscreen has a few new graphics, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the range. A rear-view camera is fitted, and you can have rear cross-traffic alert as an option to make reversing out of parking spaces easier.

Engines

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Three petrols and two diesel engines will be offered. Kicking off the range is a 1.4-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with 143bhp, which officially returns 45.6mpg and CO2 emissions of144g/km.

Above that will be a 2.0-litre engine, available with either 197bhp or 227bhp. The latter is reserved for the range-topping GSi model, but both come exclusively with a nine-speed automatic gearbox and all-wheel drive. The previous GSi was a rare sight in the UK; time will tell if this new model can pose a threat to the fastest versions of the Skoda Superb and Volkswagen Passat. The GSi gets adjustable suspension, adaptive dampers and Brembo brakes.

The cheaper diesel will be a 1.5-litre three-cylinder BlueHDi engine with 120bhp. It’s mated to a six speed manual gearbox - just like the cheapest petrol engine - and you can expect 57.6mpg and 130g/km of CO2. This model will prioritise economy over performance, and is likely to be the slowest in the range.

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A 172bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine is also available on higher-spec models. Both diesels can be had with an eight-speed automatic and both are RDE2 compliant, which means business drivers won’t pay the 4% surcharge on diesel.

A hybrid model is also expected to arrive, especially given four of the Insignia’s main rivals are now available in plug-in hybrid (PHEV) form. It’s likely to use the 197bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine and two electric motors for a combined total of 296bhp, and will post similar performance figures to the Grandland X PHEV. That car manages 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds, a top speed of 136mph and a 30-mile electric-only range.

See why the Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport is on our lists of best diesel cars and Britain’s best cars.