Seat Ibiza

Seat Ibiza

Average. High marks for style and space in the all-new Ibiza, but it's a shame that the drive doesn't quite live up to the promise of those sleek and sporty looks.

There were bold words greeting the arrival of the new Seat Ibiza. This is the first Seat to be developed with the Spanish arm of the VW Group under President Erich Schmitt and the first car to be totally overseen by Luke Donckerwolke, Seat's Design Director whose CV already includes the likes of the Lamborghini Gallardo. As such, it is heralded as "the start of a new era".

For all that, though, what the company thinks will set the car apart from its rivals are some familiar Seat buzz-words: style and dynamics. And, true enough, the new car certainly has the kind of looks that will cut a dash on any city street.

To start with, though, we get what is probably the plainest version of the car, the five-door hatchback. A three-door version - dubbed the Sport Coupe - follows in due course, and company insiders suggest that this may well not be the last model to be spun off this platform (which will also underpin the new VW Polo).

Likewise, the engine range starts off with a relatively limited choice of just three petrol engines, a 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6. In 2009, diesel engines will join the range, as will a super-frugal Ecomotive model and hot FR and Cupra versions.

For now, the 1.2 probably makes the most sense: as you would only expect, it's both the cheapest and the most economical model in the range. And, with the next model up (the 1.4) rather a disappointment in terms of performance, you're best off saving your money.

Besides, the 1.2 is perfectly adequate most of the time. It has more than enough power to hold its own in town traffic - you could even call it nippy at city speeds - and a motorway cruise presents no problems. The only time the 1.4 feels significantly faster is when you want the extra bit of oomph that will make an overtaking manoeuvre just that little bit quicker.

The 1.6, on the other hand, makes even the 1.4 seem positively lethargic. It feels stronger throughout the rev range, and particularly so in the lower reaches, where the 1.4 can feel frustratingly slow to respond.

The only trouble is that, when you do rev the 1.6 hard - as you need to to get the very best from it - it soon loses its refinement. At mid- to high revs, it verges on the coarse, which is a shame because the performance on tap - 0-60mph in 10.5 seconds - makes this version a credible warm hatch.

But - and, as so often in the Ibiza, there is a but - this version is also the one that suffers most from a weakness that afflicts every model in the range: a disappointing ride. Even though you expect the warmer versions of any car to have a firm ride, the 1.6 is just that little bit too firm. Even on the motorway, it seems to be fidgeting nervously all the time, and down a typical British B road, there were times when it was genuinely uncomfortable. And, don't think that you can solve the problems by opting for a smaller-engined version. Even the basic 1.2 S model suffers from some similar traits.

Worse still, it's not as if you get particularly sharp handling as a compromise. Don't get us wrong, there's nothing bad about the Ibiza, and it will flow reasonably well through a series of corners in complete control and without any great drama. No, the trouble is that it does all that without any great sense of involvement for the driver. It doesn't have the same sense of sharpness that you would find in, say, a Mini.

The steering, likewise, is reasonably accurate - and nice and light in town - but offers nothing in the way of feedback to the driver. Overall, the Ibiza is certainly safe, solid and dependable, but it comes across as altogether more German than Spanish. If you're looking for the VW Group's answer to Alfa Romeo, this isn't really it.

Refinement, too, is something of a let-down. As well as the engine noise we've described above, there's also a lot of noise from the suspension as it goes about its work, and the suppression of general wind and road noise could be better at speed.

On the other hand, though, where the Ibiza is impressive is in how much room it provides. The driving position is very good, and even drivers a little over six feet tall will be able to get comfortable behind the wheel - much helped by the reach- and rake-adjustment steering wheel and the height adjustment on the driver's seat. The dashboard is also impressive, marrying a sense of sporty style with decent ergonomics.

In the back, too, there's enough room for a couple of adults. True, you might struggle to get four six-footers in an Ibiza and three abreast across the back seat will be a squeeze, but this is certainly one of the most spacious superminis, and it's all topped off by a big 292-litre boot that is easily extended by folding down the rear seats (split on all but the basic S models).