Seat Ibiza STAn Ibiza estate? You have to look twice to realise it. SEAT’s thrust to a sporty image with youthful appeal for their smaller cars has produced an Ibiza that is exactly the same to the rear pillar and then has 18 centimetres stretched into the boot bit. The styling (by former Lamborghini man Luc Donckerwolke) has cleverly disguised the car so that it has none of the purely utilitarian look of many other estate cars.Two petrol engines and two diesel engines are available in the ST, with power ratings from 75PS to 105PS and on certain models a choice of the excellent DSG automatic gearbox with manual sequential paddles or the usual 5-speed manual box. Perhaps the most significant new Ibiza ST is the 1.2 TDI. This has a 3-cylinder diesel engine that claims a combined fuel consumption figure of 91.1 mpg and has an emission rating of 92g/km, thereby allowing the owner to avoid paying any road tax.What’s this car like on the road?Practically every car introduced these days is highly competent, reliable, comfortable, safe, and easy to drive in an instant. Of course the Ibiza ST is no exception and, without already knowing that the engine has only three cylinders, you’d be hard pressed to work it out just by driving the car. In other words, it is smooth and refined enough to pass for a 4-cylinder engine. Given that diesel cars have all that torque or pulling power, it’s only the low-rev flexibility that is ever any sort of issue for a driver. In the 1.2TDI’s case, just don’t expect to accelerate smoothly away from roundabouts or corners in third gear… if you try, the impression is that there is only one small slug under the bonnet. So: flick the slick and sure five-speed gearbox and any lack of enthusiasm is eliminated.In fact, although this version is no sprinter, it really is perfectly adequate on the busy roads of today, and capable of hustling briskly along quieter back routes and of cruising at 70 mph on motorways with the little engine lazing along at around 2200rpm. Handling is excellent, too and the ride is comfortable.My drive recorded an indicated 57 mpg on the trip computer. Not particularly impressive, but a) I was new to the car and how best to use the gears (I admit) and, b) there were few miles on the clock and a more run-in car would ease up on the consumption.SEAT’s boast is that their cars are not budget-priced but that they are very good value for money. Potential buyers need to look at the standard features on offer within the purchase price and compare them with rivals. This can be a subjective process, so, suffice to say here that, with green-ness and economy prevalent in the second decade of the 21st century, SEAT are well up to the mark. At the same time, all the technology that owners can expect in today’s new cars is there. As such, the price tag for this model of £14,910 is reasonable and certainly competitive, as are the warranties and service included.Whether or not the Ibiza ST is the right family car for you depends on further consideration of who might be regularly occupying the rear seats, where leg-room is limited according to how far back the front seats are, and to how much boot space is needed. The Ibiza hatchback has a pretty good luggage capacity; the ST has a lot more and is really quite capacious. Furthermore, there is a proper spare wheel under the boot floor.Tom Scanlan - Nov 2010
Seat Ibiza ST
An Ibiza estate? You have to look twice to realise it.
SEAT’s thrust to a sporty image with youthful appeal
for their smaller cars has produced an Ibiza that is
exactly the same to the rear pillar and then has 18
centimetres stretched into the boot bit. The styling
(by former Lamborghini
man Luc
Donckerwolke) has
cleverly disguised the
car so that it has none
of the purely utilitarian
look of many other
estate cars.
Two petrol engines and
two diesel engines are
available in the ST,
with power ratings from
75PS to 105PS and on
certain models a
choice of the excellent
DSG automatic
gearbox with manual
sequential paddles or
the usual 5-speed
manual box.
Perhaps the most significant new Ibiza ST is the 1.2
TDI. This has a 3-cylinder diesel engine that claims a
combined fuel consumption figure of 91.1 mpg and
has an emission rating of 92g/km, thereby allowing
the owner to avoid paying any road tax.
What’s this car like on the road?
Practically every car introduced these days is highly
competent, reliable, comfortable, safe, and easy to
drive in an instant. Of course the Ibiza ST is no
exception and, without already knowing that the
engine has only three cylinders, you’d be hard
pressed to work it out just by driving the car. In other
words, it is smooth and refined enough to pass for a
4-cylinder engine.
Given that diesel cars have all that torque or pulling
power, it’s only the low-rev flexibility that is ever any
sort of issue for a driver. In the 1.2TDI’s case, just
don’t expect to accelerate smoothly away from
roundabouts or corners in third gear… if you try, the
impression is that there is only one small slug under
the bonnet. So: flick the slick and sure five-speed
gearbox and any lack of enthusiasm is eliminated.
In fact, although this version is no sprinter, it really is
perfectly adequate on the busy roads of today, and
capable of hustling briskly along quieter back routes
and of cruising at 70 mph on motorways with the little
engine lazing along at around 2200rpm. Handling is
excellent, too and the ride is comfortable.
My drive recorded an indicated 57 mpg on the trip
computer. Not particularly impressive, but a) I was new
to the car and how best to
use the gears (I admit)
and, b) there were few
miles on the clock and a
more run-in car would
ease up on the
consumption.
SEAT’s boast is that their
cars are not budget-priced
but that they are very good
value for money. Potential
buyers need to look at the
standard features on offer
within the purchase price
and compare them with
rivals. This can be a
subjective process, so,
suffice to say here that,
with green-ness and
economy prevalent in the second decade of the 21st
century, SEAT are well up to the mark. At the same
time, all the technology that owners can expect in
today’s new cars is there. As such, the price tag for this
model of £14,910 is reasonable and certainly
competitive, as are the warranties and service
included.
Whether or not the Ibiza ST is the right family car for
you depends on further consideration of who might be
regularly occupying the rear seats, where leg-room is
limited according to how far back the front seats are,
and to how much boot space is needed. The Ibiza
hatchback has a pretty good luggage capacity; the ST
has a lot more and is really quite capacious.
Furthermore, there is a proper spare wheel under the
boot floor.
Tom Scanlan - Nov 2010
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