Ask Honest John

Honest John Ask Honest John » Buying a used car - Insignia or Passat?

Buying a used car - Insignia or Passat?

I have a 75 mile round trip commute so I'm looking for a large cruiser with a decent boot. I'm looking at used cars with 20-30k on the clock. The Vauxhall Insignia has caught my eye, mainly because it seems to be such good value used. However, reviews talk about spongy handling and problems with road noise.

Is the Insignia a good buy despite this? My alternative is a Volkswagen Passat, which is more expensive and not as sleek.

Asked on 4 August 2014 by Simon

Answered by Honest John
Good looking car. The handling is okay. Diesel engine so-so. A Mondeo is better, and a lot better than a 2005-2011 Passat that has the longest list of faults I have ever recorded.
Similar questions
I'm thinking of buying a 2013 Volkswagen Passat Estate 1.8 TSI that's apparently been standing for 18 months. The owner (one from new) has passed away, but the car was garaged whilst he was not well enough...
If you had the choice between a Volvo V60 T3, Volkswagen Passat 1.4 TSI or a SEAT Leon ST 1.4 TSI (all 2013 models) which would you buy?
I am interested in a 2014 Insignia SRi CDTi 140 at a local dealer (20k miles, ex-rental plus one owner). Looking at your Car-by-Car Reviews, it would be easy to assume that Insignias have numerous reliability...
Related models
Superb ride comfort, excellent efficiency from the diesel engines, practical and spacious.
Incredibly spacious as a saloon or estate, excellent range of engines and trim levels, comfortable and refined on the move.