Car: SEAT Ibiza SportsCoupe range
Prices: £9,560-£17,720 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 2-14
Emissions: 98-160g/km
Performance: [1.6] 0-60mph 10.5s/ Max Speed 116mph
Fuel Consumption: [1.6] (combined) 42.8mpg
Safety: Twin front airbags and side, seatbelt pre-tensioners, ABS
Dimensions: Length/width/heightmm 4034/1693/1428
SPORTING CHANCE
Our Rating: 7.9 / 10
SEAT’s Ibiza SportsCoupe might not be a sports car but by supermini standards, it certainly looks sporty. Steve Walker reports…
SEAT’s Ibiza SportsCoupe is a great-looking three-door supermini with bags of potential. The design flair of the exterior isn’t really carried over inside and the engine range doesn’t quite fit the sporty remit but otherwise it’s a thumbs up.
The term ‘Sports Coupe’ evokes a certain kind of car and to be honest, the SEAT Ibiza SportsCoupe isn’t it. This is the three-door version of the Spanish marque’s latest Ibiza supermini and not some rakish sports car. The naming policy isn’t entirely misleading though. The Ibiza does have a strong sporting flavour to its styling and SEAT is eager to highlight the corresponding dynamic element to its behaviour on the road. Calling the five-door version the Ibiza ExecutiveEstate would have raised serious questions but at a time when dizzying degrees of marketing spin accompany every new car launch, SEAT should probably be allowed its artistic licence here. SportsCoupe, SC or plain old Ibiza three-door - call it what you will, this car is a massively important one for the brand.
As you may be aware, SEAT is part of the Volkswagen group of companies which includes, amongst others, mainstream marques Volkswagen and Skoda. Product overlap is the sworn enemy of any well-run manufacturing group and to maintain the differentiation that’s needed to avoid these three brands pinching each other’s sales, Volkswagen is pitched up market, Skoda prioritises value and SEAT goes sporty. SEAT’s younger, more fashion-conscious buyer profile is a perfect fit for the Ibiza SportsCoupe and how well this car is received will be crucial to the marque’s fortunes.
The Ibiza’s mainstream engine range doesn’t quite have the same buzz about it as the SportsCoupe branding might lead you to expect. By and large, these are tried and trusted powerplants with low running costs but where’s the sporty intent? The line-up gets under way with the 1.2-litre 12v engine which produces 69bhp. Then there’s the 84bhp 1.4-litre 16-valve unit and the 1.6-litre engine tops the petrol range. The Ibiza SportsCoupe models that are worthier of the name are the FR and Cupra. These get the 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine which uses a supercharger and turbocharger to extract fireworks to the tune of 148bhp in the FR or 17
The previous Ibiza’s driving experience won praise from all quarters and this car continues that approach. It remains impressively composed in corners and the sharp steering makes it easy to spirit about the place. The Sport models feature firmer suspension but even here, the ride isn’t harsh and the things that shine through after a stint in an Ibiza are its comfort, refinement and the overriding big car feel. These are qualities we’d more readily associate with Volkswagen’s Polo than SEAT’s Ibiza but they’re highly desirable ones none the less. The FR and Cupra models are firmer still, adopting a more hardcore approach.
The Ibiza SportsCoupe certainly isn’t a 2+2. Rear leg and head room are very generous for a three-door supermini and positively luxurious by sports coupe standards. This is despite the fact that while having the same wheelbase as the five-door model, the SportsCoupe is 18mm shorter and 17mm lower. The front end of the two cars is identical but from the windscreen pillars backward, the SportsCoupe’s curvy roofline takes over to visually lower the car and give it a more purposeful stance. The Ibiza SportsCoupe is definitely one of the most attractive superminis out there at the moment.
The interior of the Ibiza is an upmarket affair with some nice trim finishes and good amounts of space front and rear. The sparky design of the outside isn’t really carried over internally and the dash follows a more conservative feel that veers towards style rather than fashion. The colour scheme might be a little grey for some tastes but the Ibiza always feels a quality product when you spend time sat in it.
The mainstream trim levels are a familiar S, SE and Sport arrangement and the entry-level SportsCoupe models come reasonably well-appointed. There’s a height and reach adjustable steering wheel, a height adjustable driver’s seat, speed sensitive power steering, electric front windows, remote central locking and an MP3-compatible CD stereo with controls on the
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