Vauxhall Insignia gets new diesel and Apple CarPlay

Vauxhall has updated its Insignia family saloon and estate range with a new 1.6-litre 'Whisper' diesel engine ready to order now. At the same time, it has added GM's new 'OnStar' concierge and connectivity service, while Apple CarPlay is also available for the first time.

Replacing the current 118, 128 and 138bhp versions of the 2.0-litre diesel engines, the downsized 1.6-litre 'Whisper' diesel sits underneath the new 161bhp 2.0-litre whisper unit in the Ford Mondeo rival. Starting at £19,534 and top spec models reaching £26,114, the 134 bhp 1.6 CDTi ecoFLEX model will achieve 0-60 mph in 10.9 seconds, going on to a top speed of 130 mph.

Fuel consumption is claimed at up to 74.3 mpg, with CO2 emissions of 99g/km when specced with 17-inch alloy wheels and ultra-low rolling resistance tyres (available on Design, SE, Tech Line and SRi models only). The new 1.6-litre unit has recently been added to the Mokka crossover, and the 'Whisper' name is to designate claimed improvements in refinement over the old diesels.

Also new to the range is the firm's OnStar system, launched a few days ago. It allows owners to connect with a live call centre 24/7, with an operator able to check the vehicle's status and health, find and enter destinations into the satnav and even make hotel reservations. It also provides a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to seven devices, emergency response notification if an airbag is deployed and stolen vehicle recovery.

The OnStar tech is available as a £395 option across the Insignia range, but is standard on top-spec Elite, Limited Edition and VXR models. The Insignia is also the first car in Vauxhall's range to come with Apple's CarPlay smartphone integration, part of the second-generation IntelliLink 900 navigation system.