Seat Ibiza SC FR 1.4 TSI DSG 3dr Car Review - May 2013

The 1.4 litre turbocharged engine is competitive rather than outstanding when compared with some of its rivals, delivering brisk acceleration from 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds, while the top speed of 132mph is also comparable with its rivals. The body is tightly under control while cornering and the car offers plenty of grip, while the ride is firm and takes the majority of bumps in its stride. The car deals with the power very well, although one slight weakness is that the automatic DSG gearbox doesn't always deliver the changes as smoothly as you'd like.

The sports seats offer plenty of support for the driver, while it is also fully adjustable along with the steering wheel so it is simple to find the right height and reach combination to suit you. One weakness when it comes to parking the car or changing lanes on the motorway is that the large frames and small rear window means visibility to the back is not as good as it should be.

This version of the Ibiza does come with a good level of equipment, with classy touches such as the folding heated wing mirrors, air conditioning, electric windows and cruise control. The inclusion of the Seat Portable System is one of the technological highlights in the car, as it combines the interface for the CD stereo, Bluetooth connectivity and the satellite navigation, which has a touch screen as well as voice recognition.

Space in the front of the car is plentiful including plenty of headroom and legroom, but the back of the car is not quite so generous with the lines of the car meaning that headroom is particularly reduced. The folding seats help to expand the boot space for carrying larger loads, although the boot itself is already spacious enough to carry plenty of luggage.

Safety is one of the plus points on this model with a good range of safety equipment such as airbags included to look after the driver and passengers in case of an accident. The car also enjoys an emergency brake assistance system and stability control, which have all helped to contribute to the five stars awarded to the car in the Euro NCAP safety tests. Reliability is also strong across the Ibiza range.

With a list price of £16,250, the Ibiza FR 1.4 TSI DSG comes in at the top end of the Ibiza range, but is certainly fairly competitive when compared with some of the other hot hatches on the market. Fuel efficiency is quite reasonable, with the 1.4-litre engine able to achieve an average 47.9mpg, although pushing the engine can significantly reduce that figure.

The high insurance group will put it out of reach of many younger drivers but its desirability means that well looked-after examples will hold their value well when it comes to selling. The on the road package for the car is reasonable, with a three year or sixty thousand mile warranty and two years' roadside breakdown assistance.