SEAT Ibiza hatchback

Drive

The steering is quick and accurate and the driving position is low set and comfortable. The gearboxes feel firm and slick to use. That applies to eco-friendly Ecomotive versions as much as to the range-topping high-performance FR and Cupra models. However, the Ibiza has a variety of suspension setups, which are all firm to a greater or lesser extent. It means that around town the cabin can become unsettled or shaky, thumping into potholes and generally feeling a little harsh. It gets more apparent the further up the range you go; the SC version, which is supposed to be sportier, is less capable of smoothing roads. Still, the Ibiza is a fun car with excellent, secure road holding. Some of the lesser diesel engines lack urgency and are quite noisy, but the FR and Cupra models - whether petrol or diesel powered - are rapid.

Comfort

The Ibiza fidgets at low speed and tends to bounce about a little on the motorway, but it's never uncomfortable. However, the fact is the car doesn’t quite have the grown-up feel of the Volkswagen Polo on which it's based. All Ibizas are good at suppressing wind and road noise at all speeds, although not quite as impressive at keeping the engines quiet. The diesels in particular are loud at idle and get more intrusive at speed. Those in the front will find plenty of space, but back seat passengers will feel they’ve drawn the short straw - especially in three-door models. Neither version has much rear legroom, but there's enough space for a couple of child seats.

Reliability

The dash top is made of nice, spongy plastic, although the majority of the cabin is of hard, scratchy plastic. But because the Ibiza uses plenty of VW Group parts, reliability shouldn’t be an issue. And neither will be safety - the Ibiza has a five-star Euro NCAP rating, a host of front and side airbags, and anti-lock brakes and electronic stability control as standard.

Practicality

The three-door SC's boot is slightly smaller than the five-door's 292-litre space, but both will comfortably swallow a week's worth of shopping or the average pushchair. The cabin designers, however, haven’t focused much attention on storage. There's a small space behind the gearlever and an average sized glovebox and door pockets, but that's about it.

Value for money

The Ibiza is designed to appeal to younger buyers, so prices start quite low and it's well-equipped, including the option of a clever dock on the dashboard top in which to integrate an aftermarket sat-nav unit. However, SEAT chooses to put a hefty premium on the eco-friendly Ecomotive version.

Running costs

The 1.2-litre TDI diesel Ecomotive boasts astonishing 80.7mpg fuel economy, but even the non-Ecomotive version with the same engine returns 72.4mpg. The highest performing 1.4-litre turbo petrol Cupra's 44.1mpg rating is impressive too. Couple that to fairly low insurance rates - and good residual values - and the Ibiza is an inexpensive car to run across the range.