Seat Ibiza Review 2022
Asdrubal Dagreat
The cabin is large enough to fit four adults and the seats provide excellent levels of back and upper leg support. Storage is also plentiful, with deep door bins and a useful scattering of cup holders. The 355-litre boot is huge for a car of this size and far superior to anything you'll find in either the Fiesta or even Focus hatch. The only area of slight annoyance is the ventilation. Air con is standard but the system is cumbersome and slow to react, which means you'll be waiting a good 10 minutes for warm air on a chilly morning.
The engine range initially encompassed three- and four-cylinder petrols, with the sweet spot being the 1.0-litre TSI. The turbocharged three-cylinder petrol is one of the very best and can be specified with 95PS or 115PS, and both will return around 50mpg. A 150PS 1.5 TSI and a 1.6 TDI with 80PS or 95PS were also offered, as well as a first-time-driver-friendly 75PS 1.0 MPI petrol engine.
When the SEAT Ibiza was given a mid-life refresh late in 2021, the slow-selling 1.5 TSI and 1.6 diesels were dropped from the range. The brilliant 1.0-litre TSI remains, now available with 95PS or 115PS and a choice of manual or DSG automatic gearboxes.
If you prioritise refinement and practicality over out and out cornering dynamics then this will very much be the small car for you. Given the demands of most small hatch buyers, SEAT has made the right call on this, too. The ride quality is first rate and the soft suspension irons out the roughest of roads with ease. Even potholes are dealt with a satisfying, suppressed thump.
The only area that lets the side down is the spec. Indeed, standard equipment levels on early models were meagre, with buyers having to pay extra to get essentials like DAB audio, touchscreen navigation and cruise control. Like-for-like, the Ford Fiesta and Suzuki Swift represent better value for equipment, though the SEAT does balance this with low running costs.
In a bid to keep the SEAT Ibiza competitive against recent new models like the Toyota Yaris and Hyundai i20, the range was updated in 2021 with a new infotainment system and more generous kit levels (including DAB radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard across the range).
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You cannot discuss rivals to the SEAT Ibiza without mentioning the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa or Volkswagen Polo. The Ibiza shares much of its base with the Polo but has more affordable prices, while the Fiesta is sharper to drive and the Corsa very much on a par with the SEAT for comfort. However, you must also bear in mind the Ford is only available now as a used car.
There is no shortage of storage: the door pockets in the front are deep enough to hold maps and small water bottles. There are also two cup holders and a useful pocket for a mobile phone in the centre console. All cars get a Bluetooth handsfree system, which can be paired up within a matter of seconds.
The clean and minimalist dashboard has just a few dials for the ventilation, while all cars now get a touchscreen for the radio and in-car settings. Air con is standard across the range, but we've noticed (particularly on early models) the heating takes quite a while to get going, which means you'll be waiting a good 10 minutes for hot air to appear in the winter. Brrr...
Perceived quality was clearly a key consideration for SEAT's designers when the Ibiza was refreshed in 2021. There are now more soft-touch finishes bringing it in line with newer rivals, while features like LED interior lighting add to the upmarket vibe.
On the latest examples of the SEAT Ibiza, all models come with a new infotainment system positioned high up on the dashboard. This is perfectly placed for glancing at while on the move, with an 8.25-inch display as standard on the SEAT Ibiza SE, and a 9.2-inch system on pricier models. With relatively rapid responses and sharp graphics, it's good to use, and there are shortcut buttons on hand to make things easier. You'll still find some physical buttons for the climate control, too.
All trim levels come with Full Link smartphone integration, which includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. SEAT Connect, including a 12-month subscription to things like online map updates and traffic information, is included on the SEAT Ibiza SE Technology and above, while FR Sport and XCellence Lux models feature a smart Digital Cockpit with 10-inch display.
The high roof line of the SEAT Ibiza means everyone in the car is blessed with good headroom, even adults sitting in the back seats of the car. A wide bench makes the most of the extra width of this Ibiza over its predecessor, so a pair of adults can sit next to each other in here without feeling too intimate or hemmed in.
Fitting child seats is no problem thanks the wide-opening rear doors and good-sized aperture, while a pair of Isofix mounts mean child seats are securely positioned. A trio of three-point seat belts keep all of the rear occupants safe and the Ibiza is able to hold a trio of children where most of its rivals will struggle to carry more than two without the risk of a mid-journey argument.
While the Ibiza may not have the polished driving precision of the Ford Fiesta, it has light steering that makes it easy to perform tight turns or guide the Ibiza into a narrow parking space. The small door mirrors do hinder visibility a little at the sides, but overall vision is generally fine thanks to the large windscreen and side windows.
Ride comfort is excellent, even on the larger wheels that come with some trim levels, with the suspension ironing out speed bumps and potholes into a soft yet composed thud. However, the over-assisted steering which is ideal in town begins to limit the Ibiza's ability to hustle its way through a series of challenging corners on faster roads. For sure, the wheel is accurate enough to provide safe handling at 50-60mph on country roads, but the lack of feel can make it difficult to judge grip.
The engine line-up initially spanned three petrols and one diesel, with the entry-level three-cylinder 1.0 MPI engine being the weakest link in the chain. With just 75PS, the non-turbocharged petrol is painfully slow, propelling the Ibiza from 0-62mph in a lumbering 14.7 seconds. While this might not seem a big problem for town driving, it is a constant irritation when trying to keep up with the ebb of traffic.
SEAT dropped the 150PS 1.5 TSI Evo petrol engine in 2021, which was used in various other Volkswagen Group cars. The four-cylinder petrol offered a significant power boost, with more low-rev shove available from earlier in the rev range, and was limited to FR models only with claimed economy of 57.6mpg.
Depending on which engine and trim level you choose, the Ibiza gets a five-speed or six-speed manual transmission. A seven-speed dual-clutch DSG-auto gearbox is available as an option for the more powerful 1.0 TSI engine. The smooth manual 'boxes do a sufficient job, which means we'd recommend sticking with the manuals unless your preference or driving licence demands otherwise.
On top of all this, the major controls of the Ibiza all work in a harmonious fashion. The pedals have well thought-through weighting to underline the sense of the Ibiza being a bigger, more comfortable car than most of its opposition.
This is an area where the SEAT Ibiza impresses greatly as every model in the range comes with autonomous emergency braking as standard. This Emergency Brake Assist and Front Assist system can spot hazards in the road and perform a full-on stop if the driver does not react quickly enough to avoid a collision or limit the impact.
Further helping with keeping clear of an accident are ABS anti-lock brakes and ESP traction and stability control. SEAT goes further with a Multi-collision braking system that helps slow the car to a safe halt after hitting another vehicle or obstacle, and there's a driver fatigue alert. A tyre pressure monitoring set-up is included, too, and will warn the driver if one or more of the tyres is under- or over-inflated.
All of the Ibiza range get twin front, side and full-length curtain airbags, as well as anti-whiplash headrests and three-point belts for all five occupants. As well as this, there are two Isofix child seat mounting points in the two outer rear seats.
Out of the petrol range, the 1.0-litre non-turbo motor claims the best economy, but most drivers will pick the 1.0 TSI turbocharged engine that has an official score of 55.4mpg in 95PS guise and 51.4mpg if you choose the 115PS version - that's with manual or auto 'boxes. Those numbers translate to 49.9mpg and 44.1mpg respectively with HonestJohn Real MPG figures.
The SEAT Ibiza is proving itself to be a very reliable little car. We've heard of very few issues with this model, even though it's been on sale since 2017. Some Volkswagen Group cars have been affected by hesitation problems with the 1.5 TSI engine. Fortunately, very few SEAT Ibizas were sold with this motor, and the popular 1.0-litre TSI petrol seems to be very dependable.
The range starts with the SEAT Ibiza SE, which features 15-inch alloy wheels and electrically adjusted door mirrors. Inside, it has a 8.25-inch colour touchscreen, cloth upholstery, air conditioning and electric front windows. Before the 2021 update, the SEAT Ibiza SE had a 6.5-inch media system. Post-2021 cars also have an 8-inch digital dash display in this trim.
Highlights of the SEAT Ibiza Xcellence over the SE Technology include 17-inch alloy wheels, chrome exterior styling, interior ambient lighting, burgundy-coloured air vent surrounds, rear privacy glass, and keyless entry/start.
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