Introduction

Ok, so you want a small car. You aren’t short of choice. Good value, sharp looks, and keen handling are amongst your top priorities. Many cars claim to offer all of this in the glossy brochure, but truth be told, there are a lot of pretenders out there. However, this Seat Ibiza looks spot on. Its eye-catching design is amongst the best in its class and its range of perky petrol engines should deliver something for everyone. Have a small family to consider? The Ibiza has you covered with pleasing practicality.

Did you know? The Ibiza is Seat’s best-selling car – since 1984 over 5.4 million have been built.

Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing 

Verdict: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8/10)

From a model that has lived in the shadow of its classmates, to quite possibly the best car in its class, the Ibiza has undergone a metamorphosis. As an all-rounder this supermini is a star player.

SE trim comes with all of the equipment you realistically need and can be had on very competitive monthly PCP finance. Sporty FR models are the most visually appealing, while top spec Excellence models add a more premium touch.

The interior boasts plenty of space and is a comfy place to spend time, both in town and on the motorway. It’s only let down by some poor material choices.

Good levels of safety kit and impressive optional active safety technology mean that the Ibiza’s five-star Euro NCAP safety rating comes as no surprise.

The turbocharged 1.0-litres do a fine job, too; this car’s appeal will be even broader when a more powerful petrol and new diesel engines arrive later this year.

We Like

We Don't Like

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Interior & Comfort: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7/10)

The design revolution is invited inside as the cabin continues the modern theme. A contrasting dashboard element runs across the width, finished in a gloss black on FR cars, and adds to the design. FR models also enjoy a red-stitched sports steering wheel.

All cars get a touchscreen which keeps the console free of clutter. Thankfully, the aircon controls are still physical dials, which we prefer to having them in the touchscreen, as virtual controls – like those on the Citroen C3 – are difficult to use on the go.

What lets the cabin down is a vast amount of hard, scratchy plastics. Most of the dashboard, door inserts and handles use it, and it cheapens an otherwise well built and nicely styled cabin – even in the most expensive Excellence trim.

Practicality

The new Ibiza is only available as a five-door. This might disappoint people wanting a sportier look, but it is great in terms of practicality. Nice wide-opening doors should make life easier when strapping in wriggling toddlers. There is also a pair of ISOFIX points for baby seats. Good head and leg room means that the rear bench happily houses adults as well as children.

Plenty of storage around the car makes room for all of life's gubbins. A decent glove box and large door bins are ideal for family life, as is the 355-litre boot, which is notably bigger than that of the Ford Fiesta. S cars do without split-folding back seats, but SE and above get a 60/40 split; ideal for when you have something bulky to transport as well as passengers.

Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing 

Technology & Connectivity: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7/10)

Unlike many rivals, every Seat Ibiza comes with a touchscreen display as standard. A 5-inch black and white screen is standard on the S, while SE and above get a colour 5-inch display but that can be upgraded to an 8-incher. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay comes on FR and Excellence trims, but it can also be had as a £150 optional extra on SE and below. The only big disappointment is that DAB isn’t standard across the range – you have to pay extra to get it on S and SE.

The larger screen makes life easier on the move, but the system itself is generally straightforward to use. A nice touch is the colour-coded shortcuts in the corners, which take you to things such as navigation or audio regardless of what menu you are currently in. There are some niggles though; working out where to type a postcode is like solving the Da Vinci Code.

You can also have your Ibiza fitted with Beats audio. The premium sound system costs a few hundred quid, but is well worth the extra cash. Seven speakers make the most of 300W, and audio quality is amongst the best in this class. Goes without saying that you can connect your phone via USB or Bluetooth on any Ibiza.

Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing 

Performance & Handling: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8/10)

The majority of engines for the Ibiza are derivatives of a 1.0-litre. Arriving in the not too distant future will be a 148bhp 1.5-litre 'warm hatch' FR. For those who would rather a diesel, they are coming soon in the form of a 79bhp and 94bhp 1.6-litre.

The 1.0 MPI unit serves up 74bhp which is fine if the car is going to spend most of its life around town.

From then on each engine gets a turbo to boost power. The 94bhp 1.0 TSI engine is the one that does it all. Around town it’s punchy enough to take advantage of gaps in the traffic, yet it’ll hold its own on the motorway, too. It’s quiet on the move and the five-speed manual gearbox has a broad set of ratios. This would be our pick of the bunch.

A fizzy 113bhp is the most spritely option, and with it comes the option of a DSG automatic. We would stick with the snappy 6-speed manual, though, and save the cash. After a momentary lag, the turbo is ready to deliver. Its three cylinders thrum characterfully as the car accelerates with enthusiasm. Settle down and engine noise fades into the background, becoming barely noticeable.

For years the Ford Fiesta has been the undisputed handling king, but the new Seat Ibiza aims to upset the apple cart. Its new platform is the key to this car’s agility and stability.

Driven enthusiastically, its sensibly-weighted steering and high grip levels let you put the car exactly where you want it. There is a little bit of roll, but nothing to write home about. It feels engaging when driven at a pace and if you go for an FR car you can enhance this further. Selecting Sport Mode the steering gains more weight for added accuracy, and the throttle sharpens up. This is a car that you can really enjoy on British B-roads.

As pleasing as it is driven quickly, its refinement deserves equal praise. While cars sporting larger alloy wheels give away some comfort over ruts and bumps, generally the ride is well balanced.

Recommended engine: 1.0 TSI 95

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Safety Features: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8/10)

Every new Seat Ibiza comes with good levels of safety equipment. Front and side curtain airbags, automatic emergency braking, active front headrests, and hill hold assist are all included.

Optional safety kit brings technology that you would usually expect to see on larger cars. Pedestrian detection keeps track of those around you and can apply the brakes in an emergency. Adaptive cruise control and a tiredness recognition system are also impressive things in this segment.

Euro NCAP recently gave the new Ibiza the full five stars for safety.

Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing 

Specs and Trim Levels: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7/10)

Colours

Mediterranean Blue is the only non-cost paint with white demanding £250. £530 will get you your choice of a few more dark colours. The handsome Desire Red will set you back £650 but we reckon it’s the best shade for the Ibiza.

Top-spec Excellence cars gain the option of Magenta but lose that handsome red. Why? Your guess is as good as ours.

Trim Levels

There are four to choose from. It all kicks off with S, which makes do with 15-inch wheels with plastic covers, but Bluetooth, air conditioning and automatic headlights add a few luxuries.

SE adds 15-inch alloy wheels, a colour 5-inch touchscreen (over the monochrome version in S trim) and LED daytime running lights.

FR is the best looking as it brings sporty bodywork and 17-inch alloy wheels. Inside you also get a flat-bottomed steering wheel with racy red stitching. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto features here and on the range topping trim.

Excellence puts more of an emphasis on looking sophisticated. Additional chrome and machined 16-inch alloy wheels make the look more premium. A rear-view camera, DAB radio and keyless entry are among the highlights.

The trims are easy to understand, but there is still an extensive list of options that can be added to each. They’re not necessarily cheap either.

Size and Dimensions

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Running Costs & Fuel Economy: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8/10)

From launch there are only three engine options, all 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrols. The most fuel efficient is also, oddly, the most powerful. The 113bhp TSI claims a combined 60.1mpg and emissions of 108g/km CO2.

The 94bhp model returns identical economy but is cleaner, emitting 106g/km CO2.

The cheapest and least powerful 1.0-litre is actually the most polluting and least efficient, although that is all relative. It will still do a good 57.6mpg and emit 112g/km CO2.

Watch this space for reviews of the diesel Ibiza later in 2017.

Reliability and Servicing

According to surveys, Seat has been a mixed bag of late when it comes to reliability. However, this is an all-new car and so we will keep you posted if issues arise.

All new cars come with two years' worth of Seat roadside assistance at no cost and a 60,000 mile, three-year warranty.

Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing 

Pricing: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8/10)

Just over £13k will get you into a new Ibiza in the most basic S trim, and the cost rises to £17k for an Excellence car. These prices are competitive with the new Ford Fiesta, but are undercut by the Citroen C3.

Currently Seat is doing some tempting finance deals. For the highly recommended SE trim you can pay a £1,250 deposit and drive away paying just £179 a month. Some rivals are offered with slightly lower monthly payments, but much greater initial deposits.

The cherry on top is that as long as you are over 19 years old, Seat will give you a year’s free insurance.

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