2.187 kilometres on one fuel tank
OPEL Insignia 2.0 CDTI EcoFLEX

Autonomy... Not exactly the most popular word in Europe these days. Nevertheless, to us who each year fill our cars with children, 7 suitcases, bags full of who-knows-what, and one beach-set per child, heading towards warmer places, autonomy plays an important role. Frankly speaking, you could probably reach Greece on one fuel tank with an average petrol car, but only then the real story begins.

Fuel prices went down significantly lately, so even us regular mortals are now brave enough to plan a trip bit further away than Chalkidiki. But, mind you, even though greek 96 euro cents per litre of diesel might seem low, macedonian 43 is way waaay lower! This is why I wish to fuel up at Gevgelija, drive around sunny Greece for 10 days and think about re-fuel only when I already re-entered Macedonia, relaxed and tanned. So, which car do I choose? Exactly: The one from the title - OPEL Insignia 2.0 CDTI EcoFLEX. It's important emphasizing that Insignia had its problems, mostly electronic ones, but 2013 restyle cleared most of those, making aiming at those latest models a really good idea.



Ok, 2.187 kilometres on one fuel tank doesn't sound too realistic and let's face it - it's absolutely not. Unless you plan to run all those kilometres in an air tunnel on rollers, attached to a laptop of emissions and fuel consumption regulatory agency, which doesn't exactly sound like a perfectly spent summer holiday. Although, if those guys from the agency will take care of my children while I'm having my Mojito, hm... Anyhow, even if you accomplish factory-declared 3.7 litres per 100 kilometres, even then will you use-up your 70 litres fuel tank after unbelievable 1.900 kilometres. In practice this means you don't need to choose between Thasos and Lefkada islands, you could have both without visiting a greek fuel station where your VISA card is accepted the same way magic beans would.

The engine powering this road cruiser is a bit controversial itself. Not because of its, undeniable, quality, but rather because of its disputable origin. Opel states it's their engine, more specifically General Motors one, but the truth is it is actually a modified FIAT MultiJet from the times these two companies were happily married. Happily in sense they were not throwing plates to each other, at least not on regular basis. In any case, even with any potential changes GM introduced to the engine, it is still a well known power-train, relatively cheap to maintain and I dare to recommend it.

To sum it up, if you manage to drive around lovely Greece without making a pit-stop and you fuel up exclusively in Macedonia, you could be easily saving more than 30 euros on fuel only, plus further 50 euros for ridiculous things which, while you're whistling in the toilet fully unaware, your wife will buy to your children in the store of a private never-heard-of-it fuel station held by Mr. Giorgios half way down between cities of Ioannina and Igoumenitsa.

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