Vauxhall Insignia - Scary?!

[bulldog5046]

while the marea is off the road awaiting repair from the little bump i've been given a 58plate Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 diesel

this is about the most modern car i've driven for awhile other than a little blast in an 08 Audi A4 and i have to say i'm terrified of it!

keeping in mind i usually drive a 250bhp 10 year old fiat, i'm not a nervous driver.

i've had this car for just over a week now and it occured to me today how scary it is that these modern cars make you feel safe and very complacient, the steering is light and has no feedback to it, the vision out of the vehicle is poor at best.

in the week i've had it i have had more close calls that have been my fault than any other cars i have driven, approching a roundabout i entered it to the sound of a horn and a car on my drivers door for the simple reason that the 10inch wide A pillar gave me no visibility of the roundabout atall, that really scared me.

the b pillar is no different, almost impossible to see a thing.

the ride quality is soft and comfortable, the steering is light with no feedback as i mentioned, the seats are....well...awful actually, i get a back ache after about 10 minutes. there is just nothing to keep you alert to the road, it lulls you into a sense of security which a car really shouldnt.

are all modern cars the same?

if this is the car i think i will forget getting a 500abarth, i'm quite happy with being able to see, feel and hear the road in my 10 year old fiat that has next to no driver aids thanks.

cant wait to get the turbo back

Ry

 

[Bushboy]

Just admit it... Your a crap driver

Only joking! I did a bit of driving for Enterprise a year or so ago and have to agree how hard it is to see out of some modern cars with there mahoosive A-pillars and C-pillars.

I also agree with the light steering. Wouldn't say it was scary but it makes cars very boring to drive. No feedback what so ever. I also hate overly light pedals too.

I also found the seats to be very hard in the majority of cars. Admitedly, most were bottom of the range cars but even some of the mercs, saabs and even the new landrover vogue were uncomfortable. The merc just felt horribly clostrophobic. Was a fair bit nippy though

 

[dave]

its a big boys car though isnt it? try a booster seat

 

[bulldog5046]

naww, its got a high adjuster like the marea, makes me look tall!

 

[StevenRB45]

I hate modern pillars....whats the point in ncap stars if your more likely to crash into summat. One of the reasons I don't own a GP not only are they thick but they are slanted at the perfect angle to block bikes at rounderbouts...also what happened to being able to see your own bonnet? not the first 6 inches of it but you know the bit at the pointy end? This one good part about my car it has an upright windscreen and a bonnet you can see.

 

[claymore]

On the subject of light steering why don't we ask fiat to permantly remove the city button that lightens the power steering for parking? The only time I used it was to find out how light it was. The result, even more lighter than it already was. Madness, why in the mk1 punto non-power assissted steering was perfectly weighted but this takes the biscuit.

 

[custard]

while the marea is off the road awaiting repair from the little bump i've been given a 58plate Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 diesel

this is about the most modern car i've driven for awhile other than a little blast in an 08 Audi A4 and i have to say i'm terrified of it!

keeping in mind i usually drive a 250bhp 10 year old fiat, i'm not a nervous driver.

i've had this car for just over a week now and it occured to me today how scary it is that these modern cars make you feel safe and very complacient, the steering is light and has no feedback to it, the vision out of the vehicle is poor at best.

in the week i've had it i have had more close calls that have been my fault than any other cars i have driven, approching a roundabout i entered it to the sound of a horn and a car on my drivers door for the simple reason that the 10inch wide A pillar gave me no visibility of the roundabout atall, that really scared me.

the b pillar is no different, almost impossible to see a thing.

the ride quality is soft and comfortable, the steering is light with no feedback as i mentioned, the seats are....well...awful actually, i get a back ache after about 10 minutes. there is just nothing to keep you alert to the road, it lulls you into a sense of security which a car really shouldnt.

are all modern cars the same?

if this is the car i think i will forget getting a 500abarth, i'm quite happy with being able to see, feel and hear the road in my 10 year old fiat that has next to no driver aids thanks.

cant wait to get the turbo back

Ry

and how do you think your car would feel to somebody who drives a car 10 years older?
cars get more and more remote to drive as time goes on

 

[The Beard]

Haven't driven the Insignia, but would agree with some of the sentiments, especially about visibility. We're getting thicker and thicker A, B and C pillars in order to make a roll-over more survivable, yet, as has already been mentioned make a crash when emerging more likely. I'm not sure how many crashes involve a roll-over, but I'd be surprised if it's more than 10%.

I'm pretty certain that nose to tail collisions are the commonest type, followed by nose to side (emerging) and head-ons are probably third.

 

[Venters]

and how do you think your car would feel to somebody who drives a car 10 years older?
cars get more and more remote to drive as time goes on

:yeahthat:
You forgotten how the 126 felt already?

Also I wouldn't be put off a A500 because of the Insignia. You might aswell a compare battleship grey hospital door to Jasons technicoloured dream coat.

 

[bulldog5046]

:yeahthat:
You forgotten how the 126 felt already?

Also I wouldn't be put off a A500 because of the Insignia. You might aswell a compare battleship grey hospital door to Jasons technicoloured dream coat.

now you mention it, your right, the 126 was a pretty good drive, just a little on the heavy side.

anyway, someones hit and run the insignia so i should get something else tomorrow/tuesday.

Ry

 

[StevenRB45]

now you mention it, your right, the 126 was a pretty good drive, just a little on the heavy side.

anyway, someones hit and run the insignia so i should get something else tomorrow/tuesday.

Ry

Pics? Just feel like seeing a smashed vauxhall really...

 

[volxstu]

On the subject of light steering why don't we ask fiat to permantly remove the city button that lightens the power steering for parking? The only time I used it was to find out how light it was. The result, even more lighter than it already was. Madness, why in the mk1 punto non-power assissted steering was perfectly weighted but this takes the biscuit.

Yeah but it does make very good for Mc Donalds trick driving.

 

[bulldog5046]

just went out to take a photo of it and found a note on the windscreen so i have their contacts dertails which is good, should mean i wont be paying for it!