Seat Ibiza SC E 1.2 12v 3dr Car Review - March 2012

The Seat Ibiza has a perky, 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder 12v, 1198cc petrol engine that produces 60bhp. Torque figures of 80 lb-ft provide enough pull to make impressive runs around town, but will feel a little lazy on the motorway. It has a 0-62mph time of 15.9 seconds and a top speed of 96mph, both of which are ordinary.

What sets the Ibiza apart though is its handling and ride quality. Stability and grip levels are good, and body roll is controlled. Steering is sharp, accurate and responsive, making the Ibiza lots of fun to drive. Only the suspension is a little firm, and this makes the car jittery over rough surfaces.

The Ibiza is a relatively quiet car. Clever cabin insulation blocks road and wind noise. Only the engine can be heard working hard, and only when revved hard.

Large windows ensure all-round visibility.

The Seat Ibiza is a 3-door 5-seat coupe. The car is sturdily built and looks well-balanced from the outside. It has distinct, eye-catching looks that capture attention wherever you drive. The nose has a distinctively modern design, with its large, curved headlights and medium-sized grille standing out. The rear-end slopes gently to complete the familiar coupe shape.

On the inside, good effort has been made to give the cabin a cosy look. The quality of materials used on the seats and dash is good, but some panels look and feel cheap. The overall outlook is simple but neat.

The Ibiza comes with a limited amount of equipment. Power steering, central locking, electric front windows, driver airbag, passenger airbags, front side curtains, immobiliser and CD player are the only standard equipment.

Cost options are also few. They include stability control, which costs £300, air con £510 and metallic paint going for £420. Things like sat nav and rear-parking sensors are not available, but it is likely that they will be available as aftermarket extras.

Three-door cars do not always provide easy rear access. But the Ibiza is pleasantly easy to hop in and out of. If only it was a little more spacious. Only the cabin front is spacious enough for comfort. Legroom is tight at the rear and although there are three seats at the back, only four adults can get in there. Five will be too squeezed.

The driving position is set low and should be okay for most drivers. The controls are easy to use and with the well-positioned pedals, it should not be hard for you to enjoy driving your Ibiza.

The boot is a good size with its 284-litre capacity. The boot opening is big enough and the load lip low enough for easy loading. In the cabin, storage is limited to a medium-sized glove box and a couple of door pockets.

Ibiza’s engineering is based on the Volkswagen Polo, which is among VW’s most popular and reliable cars. You should therefore have no worries about Ibiza’s performance or reliability. The manufacturer offers a 3-year/60,000 mile warranty, which should take care of any mechanical problems the car develops during this time.

Safety levels are also very high in the car, with the car maker installing all the basic security equipment: six airbags, electronic stability control, engine immobiliser and anti-lock brakes are just some of the features available. It is no surprise then that the car scored an impressive 5-star rating in the Euro NCAP crash test.

Compared to class rivals, the Ibiza is competitively priced. Currently, it sells for only £9,995, which is low when you consider the value you get from the car. Resale values are average. If in the future you decide to sell the car, you should be able to recoup at least 50% of the original price.

Good fuel economy makes the Ibiza a delight to own. You get 52.3mpg in combined cycle and with sensible driving, this figure can even be higher. Carbon emissions are low and average 125g/km to put the car under road tax band D. You will pay an annual tax of £95 and enjoy driving tax free in the first year.

The Ibiza sits in a low insurance group (3), so expect very friendly insurance rates. The service interval is only 10,000 miles but service rates are low and will keep your running costs down.