Seat Ibiza Tested 2010-05-16

Rating

Quick Summary

Average. The Ibiza is a competent and agreeable supermini even if it doesn't quite live up to those sleek and sporty looks on the road.

Full Road Test

Heralded as the start of a new era when it was launched, Seat claims that the Ibiza's style and dynamics set the car apart from its direct rivals.

The Ibiza is certainly good-looking enough to cut a dash in the city streets it was intended for, and is available either as a five-door hatchback, a Sports Coupe - Seat's ostentatious title for a standard three-door version or a Sports Tourer estate.

The base models are dominated by petrol engines with the pick being the turbocharged 1.2-litre TSI. It offers a mix of entertainment and frugality, with the potential for 55mpg combined. However, the environmental champion is the Ecomotive variant, which emits under 100g/km in all bodystyles and should be capable of fuel economy in the mid seventies if you drive with the patient determination of a VW technician.

The Ibiza range is topped by several different versions of what Seat feels a modern performance hatchback should be. Directly above the Sport models sit the FR-badged cars, which are available with either the 150bhp version of VW's 1.4-litre TSI engine or the 143bhp 2.0 TDI.

As with the previous generation, the flagship Ibiza wears the Cupra badge and gets the more powerful 180bhp 1.4 TSI. This shrill engine gives the supermini a sharp turn of pace through a frustratingly dim-witted seven-speed DSG gearbox, but the Cupra's ultra-firm suspension can make progress on UK roads an uncomfortable experience. The payoff is very little body roll and safe, predictable handling on the limit.

Ultimately, Seat's Ibiza Cupra hot hatch lacks the engaging sparkle of the Renaultsport Clio Cup, but it's affordability and relative economy means it is worthy of consideration nevertheless. Only the Bocanegra model is more expensive than the Cupra, but it's little more than an exclusive trim level and probably not worth the money.

Unfortunately for Seat, the Cupra's lack of satisfying involvement is a criticism that can just as easily be levelled at the cheaper models in the Ibiza range, too. There's no question of the car's overall competence, but compared to the best of the breed - namely, the Fiesta, Polo and Mini - the Ibiza is short on poise and pizzazz.

Seat's trump card is value. The Ibiza, in all guises, offers strong value for money over its admittedly more polished competitors. The interior is comfortable and reasonably well finished, and most variants get a generous amount of kit. There's also a decent amount of space considering the car's compact dimensions, as well as an unexpectedly big boot. This is even truer for the ST, which not only boasts an impressive amount of carrying capacity, but also offers an almost lip-free entry point to aid easy loading.

The Ibiza's distinctly Germanic attributes make it a safe, solid and dependable choice if you're in the market for a supermini - just don't expect too much Latin flair from the little Seat.

Breakdown

Styling

Even in a class where style is crucial, the Ibiza has what it takes to stand out from the crowd. The five-door hatch is a very smart little thing, but buyers who value looks above all else also have the option of the sharper still three-door Sport Coupe. The estate is less attractive, but still avoids the boxy image of equally practical rivals.

Handling

There's nothing fundamentally wrong with the way the Ibiza drives or goes round corners - it's grippy, stable and very safe. Trouble is that's probably not what people want from a company that has been billed as the VW Group's equivalent of Alfa Romeo. You can't help feeling there's a bit too much VW in this Seat, because it doesn't feel sharp or provide much in the way of feedback to the driver. Even the FR and Cupra models lack sparkle.

Comfort

One side effect of trying to make a car feel sporty can be compromised ride quality. Even the base version seems to fidget nervously on the motorway, while the Cupra's stiff suspension struggles to keep up with changing conditions of the average British B road.

Quality + reliability

In this respect, there is some obvious benefit from the VW Group's influence. The Ibiza is a really well built car that uses good-quality materials, and everything resonates with the usual VW real world resilience.

Performance

We have no complaints at base of the Ibiza range: the 1.2 does a perfectly good job for an entry-level car, and the 1.6 makes a decent stab at being a warm hatch. The one disappointment is the 1.4, which in our experience felt rather lacklustre, and not worth the extra money over the 1.2. The FR model gets the most powerful diesel engine in its class, but is not as exciting as it might have been. The Cupra model benefits from VW's 180bhp 1.4 TSI engine, but the DSG gearbox isn't great.

Roominess

The Ibiza goes straight to the top of the supermini charts for accommodation. It has plenty of space in the front for a couple of six-footers in the front, and while you might struggle to get another two in the back, you could certainly get four adults in this car. The boot, too, is an excellent size, particularly on the estate version, which has a low lip on the entry for ease of loading.

Running costs

The first three petrol models are reasonably fuel-efficient. All return more than 40mpg, with the 1.2 seeing 47.8mpg on the combined cycle. The entry model is also the cheapest to insure. Seat claims the FR 2.0 TDI is capable of 47mpg and will squeeze into Group 8. Even the range-topping Cupra should return over 40mpg thanks to its small capacity engine.

Value for money

The Ibiza range starts off at a competitive price, although you do need to spend a bit more to get air-conditioning. However, across the range the Ibiza rates well against its opposition and even the more expensive models are very competitive.

Stereo / Sat nav

Every model has a six-speaker radio/CD player that gives a decent sound, and you can specify a combined optional USB/iPod connection for less than £100. One of the neatest bits of design in the Ibiza is the optional cradle that you can specify to hold a Tom Tom sat-nav unit. This allows the portable unit to be mounted directly into the dash without leaving wires trailing all over the cabin.

Need to know

JD Power stars

We like:

1. Stylish good looks
2. Big-car features in a small car
3. Spacious accommodation

We don't like:

1. Disappointing ride comfort
2. Refinement could be better
3. Estate looks not as inspiring as rest of the range

Best and worst:

Most fun: Cupra
Most sensible: Ecomotive
Worst: 1.6 petrol