Last year, SEAT gave its best-selling Ibiza supermini a mid-life facelift with subtly
revised styling and a range of interior updates.
New for this model are LED daytime running lights as standard, plus a redesigned cabin,
new three-cylinder engines and the addition of a brand new colour touchscreen infotainment
system.
As before you can have the Ibiza as a three-door sport coupe, five-door hatch or as an estate,
but we’ve got our hands on the five-door to see how the new Ibiza compares against
its predecessor.
The interior is very Volkswagen in that it does the job but it’s just ever so slightly
uninspiring to look at.
It’s a vast improvement over the pre-facelift version, but the plastics are still just a
bit drab and while the seats are supportive and comfortable, they’re not really anything
to write home about.
If you’re not too bothered about luxury though then it’s absolutely fine; this car
is meant to be inexpensive after all, the sort of vehicle your kids can vomit all over
and you won’t be that annoyed.
The centre console sports this tiddly five-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which despite
its small size is actually very good to use.
Quick to respond, easy to pair your phone with and unlike so many other systems, it’s
not so cluttered that you need a degree just to operate it.
It’s also got this really neat feature where you can aim where the sound goes, so if you’re
not a fan of your teenage daughter’s Nicki Minaj songs at least you don’t have to have
them blasted at your face.
Sat-nav would be a handy addition, but overall it comes well equipped with Bluetooth and
DAB radio, plus USB and 12v connections, plus SEAT’s £230 convenience pack, which adds
auto wipers, auto headlights and more.
Round the back, the seats are okay but if you’re a bigger person than me you might
find them a little too much on the snug side.
Likewise, taller passengers may find themselves without much head or legroom to spare, but
it’s okay for short journeys or for children.
Boot space is a decent size at 292 litres, while there’s also an optional spare wheel
for £100 under the floor.
Fold the rear seats down and maximum cargo space clocks in at 847 litres, enough for
a decent weekly shop but about 100 less than rivals like the Ford Fiesta and Mazda 2.
Performance?
Well it’s okay; it hasn’t got a patch on the Fiesta in terms of dynamics – it’s
just a bit soft, light and squishy, but it is comfortable.
The suspension’s nice and supple, ironing out the road surface rather nicely while the
steering’s easy, light and reasonably direct.
This car comes with the new entry-level three-pot 75 horsepower 1.0-litre petrol engine, while
there’s also more powerful 1.0-litre, 1.2-litre and 1.4-litre petrol engines available, plus
a single 1.4-litre diesel.
Obviously it’s not the fastest thing in the world – 0-62mph takes just under 15
seconds – but it is pleasant enough and has returned an average of around 46mpg for
us.
Be warned though, at motorway speeds the lack of a 6th gear means it’ll sit pretty high
in the rev range, so if you do long trips often you’re probably better off with one
of the other options.
If you want something hotter there’s also a Cupra version with more power and sportier
suspension, but if you’re just looking for something that’ll get you from A to B with
minimal fuss then the standard Ibiza does a pretty fine job.
It’s cost-effective too, with prices for the Ibiza starting from just £10,000, while
as tested this model is £14,305 including all the extra options making it attractively
priced against its rivals.
Easily the Ibiza’s most attractive feature is its pricing, but just because it’s inexpensive
doesn’t make it cheap.
No, it won’t set your world on fire, but it is good looking, good to drive and extremely
easy to live with.
But could you see yourself with a SEAT Ibiza as your next car?
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