The new Insignia Grand Sport already takes many cues from the athletic Monza Concept, but this is taken even further in the new -eneration Insignia Sports Tourer. Although the exterior dimensions have grown slightly to 4986mm, the newcomer looks much more athletic and agile.
The Insignia Sports Tourer’s kinship with the Monza Concept is especially apparent at the rear, where the shape looks much lighter than before, with the newcomer defined by clear lines. Together with the slim, slightly protruding LED tail-lights in double-wing design, they help the rear end of the Opel flagship to make a strong impression.
Opel’s latest Sports Tourer not only looks more elegant and sporty, it is also more practical. The overhang between bumper and trunk is reduced, thanks to the neatly designed tailgate, which also makes loading easier. In addition, the width between the wheel-arches has increased, which makes it easier to install bulky items such as a dog kennel.
The same applies to the length of the trunk, which has grown by 97mm to 2005mm with the backs of the rear seats folded. The new Insignia Sports Tourer thus offers a maximum trunk volume of 1640 litres, over 100 litres more than its predecessor.
In order to make loading as easy as possible, the tailgate can be opened with a kick, without touching the car. In combination with “Keyless Open” a simple small kicking motion under the rear bumper is enough to open the tailgate (a vehicle silhouette projected onto the ground shows the correct area). A further kicking motion under the bumper will close the tailgate. The clever system can detect any obstruction and stops the mechanism in case of emergency.
In addition, for practicability, the height of the opening can be programmed, in case the car is in a garage. Furthermore, the tailgate can still be opened by a switch on the driver’s side of the car, a button at the rear or via the key’s remote control.
In order to increase loading space, the new Insignia Sports Tourer comes with optional 40/20/40 foldable rear seats enabling even more flexible loading space configurations. The rear seat bank can be folded down by simply pushing a button located in the luggage compartment.
Furthermore, the FlexOrganiser Pack with side rails, dividing nets and various fastening options is available as an option so that all loaded materials can be stored safely and tidily. The upward-opening trunk cover makes for even easier access to the trunk.
The attention to detail is also recognisable in the passenger compartment. Headroom has increased by 31mm, shoulder-room by 25mm and space for the hips by 27mm. Additional luxury is provided by the optional 1400 x 860mm panorama sunroof that stretches back over the heads of the rear-seat passengers.
The cockpit is adapted to the person sitting behind the steering wheel. The driver of the new Insignia Sports Tourer sits lower in the car than before and is surrounded by the instruments and centre console, as if sitting in a command center.
Clear lines and sculptural surfaces true to the Opel design philosophy contribute further to the elegant appearance. The frameless touchscreen of the IntelliLink system, which is oriented towards the driver, displays a high-class character. In addition to the touchscreen, the controls can be operated intuitively by three rows of buttons. The top row is reserved for the infotainment system, the middle row for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, and the bottom row is for driver assistance systems.
Driving pleasure and safety, no matter what the conditions, are guaranteed thanks to the Insignia’s new intelligent all-wheel-drive system with torque vectoring – the most sophisticated in its class.
In addition, the further improved FlexRide chassis provides the basis for excellent, situation-based driving behavior. FlexRide adapts the dampers, steering, throttle response and shift points (on automatics) independently or based on the modes Standard, Sport or Tour, which can be selected by the driver. The new central Drive Mode Control software is the heart and soul of the adaptive chassis. It continuously analyzes the information provided by the sensors and settings and recognises the individual driving style. 
Read our review of the Opel Astra Sports Tourer.
We interview Opel’s director of international operations, Joachim Sell.
