The Seat Ibiza has long been one of the most youthful small hatchbacks.
Its sharp looks and keen pricing attracted younger buyers.
The Seat Ibiza has been updated for 2021. Not a whole heap of beans has been changed outside, but that’s okay. The Ibiza was already a fine looking car.
Inside is where you’ll notice a big difference. The interior has been quite dramatically overhauled. There’s a snazzy new touchscreen, more soft-touch materials in place of old hard plastic, and lots of new technology.
The Ibiza is based on the same underpinnings as fellow small hatches in the Volkswagen group, including the VW Polo and the Audi A1.
As such, it has some of the best driving dynamics in its class.
I took the updated Ibiza for a spin on some backroads near Edinburgh.
Ride quality is good and the Ibiza is refined at 60mph. It doesn’t handle with quite the aplomb of a Fiesta but it’s still pretty good in that regard.
One of the few bugbears was my test model only had a five-speed gearbox. If you frequently do long journeys it’s worth going for one of the six-speed models, which will improve refinement and fuel economy. Buyers can also opt for the VW group’s excellent seven-speed DSG automatic transmission.
Peppy engines
Under the bonnet there’s a 1.0 litre, three cylinder petrol engine. It’s available in a non-turbocharged entry level model with 80hp, or turbo versions that have 95 or 110hp.
I spent some time with the 95hp version. It gets from 0-62mph in a perfectly adequate 10.9 seconds and should have no trouble hauling around a family of four and a boot full of shopping.
Speaking of which, the Ibiza is one of the more roomy superminis.
Four average sized adults can fit inside, or two adults and three children. The boot is 355 litres, which is bigger than you’ll find in a Fiesta or Clio.
Prices start at a little over £17,000 and it’s available in six trim levels – SE, SE Technology, FR, FR Sport, Xcellence and Xcellence Lux.
Like for like, it’s cheaper than its sister car the Volkswagen Polo.
There’s very little not to like about the Seat Ibiza. It’s smart looking, fun to drive, good value for money and now comes with a much better interior. The updated model is one of the best superminis.
