SEAT Ibiza 1.6 Sport 16v Range : SPORTY BUT SENSIBLE

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How does a 1.6-litre engine fit in SEAT's latest Ibiza? Steve Walker finds out.

SEAT's 1.6-litre Ibiza isn't particularly sporty or economical but it's a nice balance between the two. There's enough power to extract some thrills from the Ibiza's impressive chassis and the running costs wouldn't be too exorbitant. It's a sound mainstream choice for buyers seeking a solid all-rounder.

On the one hand, a supermini with a 1.6-litre petrol engine might look like neither one thing nor the other. It's probably not quick enough to appease those with their gimlet eyes set on something small and sporty but its just as unlikely to wow economy conscious buyers with its mediocre fuel consumption. On the other hand, you could take the view that 1.6-litres is a nice compromise between the two stools of the supermini sector. It's with this more positive frame of mind that we're going to examine SEAT's latest Ibiza 1.6. The latest Ibiza is a massively important car for SEAT. This is a manufacturer with big ambitions but they all have those don't they? Well, SEAT's ambitions stem not only from within but from parent company Volkswagen which is pushing for massive increase in SEAT's annual sales to 800,000 by 2015. It's a big ask but the top brass at the Spanish marque are convinced that convinced that the Ibiza is a stride in the right direction. The 1.6-litre engine offered in the Ibiza is a fairly unremarkable 1.6-litre 16v unit producing 104bhp. The on paper performance doesn't lead one to expect too much although a 0-60mph acceleration time of 10.5 seconds is far from shabby and the 126mph top speed will be adequate for all but those with a runway for a driveway. Turbocharging is a key trend in lower powered petrol engines at the moment but SEAT's 1.6 doesn't bother with any of that. As a result, its power is fed on smoothly and you need to venture into the upper reaches of the rev range to get the best out of it. This is no great hardship when you feel like pressing on because the engine sounds agreeably purposeful at higher revs and the Ibiza's good sound proofing takes the edge off the volume anyway. When you're not wringing its neck, refinement is first class and the Ibiza 1.6 would make a good compact companion for motorway journeys.

"For some, this halfway house Ibiza could make extremely good senseâ€¦."

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. Sport models like the one we're looking at here 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 Ibiza runs on the Volkswagen Group's latest small car platform dubbed the `agile chassis'. It comes in the basic five-door bodystyle and as a three-door `Sports Coupe' which looks lower leaner and meaner with design cues more obviously lifted from the Bocanegra concept car. The interior of the Ibiza is an upmarket affair with some nice trim finishes a good amount 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 five-door Ibiza is 80mm longer than the old Ibiza's 3,970m and much bigger inside while the 292-litres of boot space is very impressive for a supermini. The car also features a wider front and rear tracks to give it a foursquare, planted stance on the road while the body structure is extremely rigid to enhance the driving dynamics. The 1.6-litre engine is available in only Sport trim as a five-door or a three-door SportsCoupe. This means that, on top of the Ibiza basics like remote central locking and an MP3 compatible stereo, it has racey extras like sports suspension, sports seats and 16" alloys as well as some leather trim for the steering wheel and gear knob. All Ibizas have a five-speed manual gearbox as standard but an exciting option is the seven-speed DSG twin clutch gearbox, a bit of high technology of the type that's not routinely seem on a supermini. As well as the option of the seven-speed DSG transmission, the Ibiza features a number of other features more normally found in more upmarket vehicles. There's a Hill Hold Assist feature to prevent rollback during hill starts, front fog lights with a side illumination function to light the verge when cornering and combined auxiliary and USB connectivity so that you can plug in an iPod, a Zune, a Walkman or whatever kind of music player or data storage facility you own. Safety equipment includes front and side airbags and ABS brakes while ESP stability control with brake assist is an option. The 1.6-litre engine's performance from an environmental standpoint is average but given the lively performance on offer, Ibiza buyers may well view the 42.8mpg and 157g/km emissions as not too much of a hardship. The Ibiza's smaller petrol engines aren't particularly outstanding when it comes to costs either, so it's easy to see how an upgrade could be deemed worthwhile. The 1.6-litre petrol engine won't be the SEAT Ibiza's biggest seller but it's a competent unit in a highly impressive car. The small cars that grab the public's attention these days tend to be either very fast or very economical but in the real world, many buyers end up making a compromise. The 1.6 delivers performance to make the most of the Ibiza's fine driving dynamics and won't render you destitute with monstrous running costs. For some, this halfway house Ibiza could make extremely good sense. Whichever engine buyers choose, they'll be getting a good-looking supermini with a quality feel throughout. SEAT has high hopes for the Ibiza and rightly so. It certainly has the wherewithal to give the sector's big guns something to think about.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: SEAT Ibiza 1.6 Sport
PRICE: £10,865 - £11,255- on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 5
CO2 EMISSIONS: 160g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 10.5s/ Max Speed 116mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 42.8mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags and side, seatbelt pre-tensioners, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length 4,050mm