COUNTRY FILE (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_insigniacountrytourer_2018

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 89

The second generation Vauxhall Insignia Country Tourer, sold between 2017 and 2020, was launched to swell the ranks of mid-sized, rugged-ised all-wheel drive estates. In this MK2 model guise, this car gained a much more up-market demeanour, with greater class, refinement and sophistication. Most significantly, there was the option of a torque vectoring all-wheel-drive system that gave this car impressive on-road cornering prowess, especially in slippery conditions. This'll be a rare find on the used market but for the right kind of buyer, it might be worth seeking out.

Modelsword count: 9

Models Covered: (5-door Estate) 2.0 CDTi diesel [170PS, 210PS])

Historyword count: 267

You can probably see at a glance what this is: a medium-sized estate car with a few SUV styling cues. A bit like, say, a Volkswagen Passat Alltrack. Does the market really need another car of that sort? Well possibly yes, when the end product's as well executed as this one. At launch in 2017, this MK2 model Insignia Country Tourer's four wheel drive system was far more sophisticated than its Passat Alltrack rival (or most comparable mid-sized SUVs) when it came to maximising on-tarmac traction. And, should you ever venture onto something like a light forest track, a 20mm ride height increase over the ordinary Sports Tourer estate model means that this car should be able to cope just as well as most lifestyle SUVs. The result of all of this was a considerable step up from the first generation version of this model, launched back at the beginning of 2014 - as you'd expect it would be. The Insignia had, after all, become a much more sophisticated product by 2017. It was launched in its more ordinary guises in the Spring of 2017 and was well received by buyers who found the MK2 model to be larger, quieter, better looking and better connected in comparison to its predecessor. Given the availability of such a stronger starting point: and Vauxhall's need to be able to offer crossover customers something more larger and more luxurious than its Grandland X mid-sized SUV, you can see why the brand tried again with the Country Tourer concept. But this model only sold until the end of 2019 and wasn't replaced.

What You Getword count: 348

Naturally, you expect a few design cues to distinguish your Country Tourer from a Sport Tourer and Vauxhall delivers them. At the front for example, the bumper is unique and incorporates a lower, silvered skid plate. The differences over the standard model are most evident in profile, where extended dark anthracite wheel arches and side sill extensions play the crossover card and attempt to emphasise this variant's 20mm increase in ride height. There are smart 18-inch wheels and silvered roof rails provide a finishing touch while offering a carrying capacity of 100kg. But this is an estate car and you're going to want to know just how practical it's going to be for your family needs. The tailgate rises to reveal 560-litres of carriage space. If you want to carry longer items but still need to take rear seat passengers, then the provided 40:20:40 split-rear bench will be a boon, allowing you to easily push through lengthier things like skis. Dropping the rear bench can be done easily using switches on either side of the cargo area side wall, a process that frees up 1,665-litres of fresh air. Up front, there's an enormous improvement over what was served up by the previous Insignia. Fit and finish is almost a match for the premium brands from this period and in the instrument binnacle, there's a smart and configurable centre colour screen that's 8-inches in size. Anything that can't tell you will almost certainly be found on the centre-dash Intellilink infotainment monitor. This monitor is 8-inches in size, includes navigation and as you'd expect, is compatible with the 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' 'phone connectivity systems, activated via a 'Projection' screen option. More familiar infotainment inclusions run to the usual Bluetooth, DAB stereo and informational features. Once inside at the rear, you really notice the benefits of this second generation Insignia model's extra 92mm of wheelbase. As you'd expect from a car that's nearly 5-metres in length (so nearly as long as an enormous Audi Q7 SUV), there's plenty of room for one really tall adult to sit behind another.

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