Seat Ibiza review

In the UK, prices for the Ibiza kick off at £21,350 and rise all the way up to just over £27k for the toppiest trim and more powerful engine.

Assuming its new position as the entry point to the VW Group, that sees the Seat undercut its familial rivals including the Polo (from £22k) and Audi A1 (from £24k). Our favourite in the sector, the Skoda Fabia, actually starts from a couple of hundred quid less than the Ibiza. D'oh!

That entry price also makes the Ibiza more expensive than many of its rivals elsewhere: a Citroen C3, Renault Clio and Vauxhall Corsa can all be had for under £20k, while the Peugeot 208 and Hyundai i20 start at less than £21k.

What are the trims like?

Opening the batting is SE trim, which gets 16in silver wheels, LED lights, dual 8in digital dial and touchscreen displays, wireless smartphone pairing, cruise control and rear parking sensors. Pretty generous in our books, although if you want the more powerful motor you can only pair it with the auto gearbox. Strange. 

Next up is SE Tech which introduces the larger 9.2in infotainment screen with inbuilt satnav, plus keyless entry and go. Again you can only have the lesser engine and five-speed manual (£22,345) or the punchier engine and an auto (£24,040).

Above that is the slightly sporty FR. It gets 17in wheels, schporty styling and suspension, auto headlights, four drive modes, front bucket seats (that are also heated), red ambient lighting, front parking sensors and dual-zone climate control. It also unlocks the more powerful engine with the six-speed manual for £24,910.

Top of the tree is the FR Sport. That adds 18in machined alloys, dark tinted windows, a 10in digital dial display and wireless phone charger.

What's the best spec?

Given the relatively small jump in price between the trims and the amount of extra kit that FR adds, we'd probably plump for that and the more powerful 1.0-litre turbo 3cyl and a six-speed manual 'box. Just don't expect this to be a baby hot hatch, even with the FR badging and sportier styling.

Oh, and final thing to mention – you get a three-year/60,000-mile warranty as standard, which can be extended if you ask Seat nicely and hand over some extra cash. The fixed price servicing plans might be worth a look too if you’re organised.