The all-new Ibiza five-door hatchback models herald the start of a new product offensive by SEAT.

Their overall range of models is set to double to 16 by 2012 and their worldwide sales are forecast to more or less double to 800,000 cars by 2015.
Ibiza UK sales will receive a further boost in October this year when the Ibiza three-door SportCoupe versions are introduced and again in 2009 when diesel, Cupra and FR variants are added. 

This market segment is now the largest in the UK as customers continue to down-size looking for affordable family and business cars with lower running costs and less penal CO2 based road tax charges.

The new five-door Ibiza models with 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrol engine options have prices ranging from £8,995 to £11,295. Diesel engine options for three and five-door Ibiza’s, 1.4 and 1.9-litre, and Cupra and FR derivatives will be added to the line up in 2009.

SEAT UK expect the three-door models to remain the most popular, accounting for around 60 per cent of sales, although the growth in this sector is being driven by five-door variants which appeal to family customers down-sizing. Retail customers should account for 70 per cent of Ibiza UK sales and the majority of buyers choose petrol engines with the 1.4-litre unit being the most popular. Of the three specification levels initially available, S, SE and Sport, SE is predicted to be the most popular.

Driven by their motorsport activities, namely the World and British Touring Car Championships and the Cupra one-make championship, SEAT has seen its sales grow with 34,790 UK registrations last year and 431,024 worldwide.

The new Ibiza is the first SEAT designed under the direction of Luc Donckerwolke, formerly of Lamborghini, and the Ibiza is the first use of the Volkswagen Group’s new ‘supermini’ platform ahead of fellow VW family members, VW, Audi and Skoda.

This week, the all new Ibiza five-door models with 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrol engines go on sale in the UK with prices starting at £8,995.

With S, SE and Sport specifications currently available the likely best selling version will be the 1.4 SE priced at £10,395. With the 85PS (83bhp) four-cylinder petrol engine returning officially 45.5mpg for the combined fuel cycle and emitting 149g/km of CO2 giving it a Vehicle Excise Duty Band C rating costing £120 a year, this will be the most sensible choice for most people.

Although SEAT gains first use of the excellent new Volkswagen family ‘supermini’ platform, generally the Ibiza has to make do with older tried and trusted power units and five-speed manual gearboxes for now.

Thankfully there is a new 1.6-litre petrol engine available at the launch of the new Ibiza. This 105PS (103bhp) unit with 153Nm of torque returns 42.8mpg with CO2 emissions of 157g/km meaning a road tax bill of £145 this year and £150 from next April. Having driven both the 1.4-litre and new 1.6-litre units at the press introduction of the new Ibiza models, the new 1.6-litre engine is by far the best one to go for. The downside is that this engine is only available with Sport specification so the five-door model costs £11,295, £900 more than the 1.4 SE and £600 more than the 1.4 Sport.

But it is money well spent because the new 1.6-litre petrol unit is smoother, quieter, more responsive and only marginally worse for real life fuel economy when driven over a variety of roads from motorways to country lanes. 

The 1.2-litre 70PS petrol engine is going to be too dull for most people unless the car is used just for pottering to and from the shops.

The new Ibiza has an excellent platform, it handles really well, the steering responds sharply and accurately, the suspension absorbs potholes well and road and tyre noise transmission into the car is minimal. In truth it feels like a slightly smaller version of the highly rated VW Golf and it handles with the same perfection and refinement. Praise indeed.

The latest five-door Ibiza is larger than its predecessor, as most new generation ‘superminis’ are, but it is importantly 50kg lighter and generally than means improved fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions.

The passenger space is better, even though the wheelbase has only been extended by 7mm, but the front track has been increased by 30mm and the rear by 33mm giving the car a ‘planted’ look. 

The boot is larger too by 25-litres giving a 292-litre capacity with the rear seats in use. Fold them down and the load spaces increases to a maximum 847-litres.

The equipment levels are also higher for the new models over the old but strangely the safety related Electronic Stability Programme is a £280 extra cost option when it should be fitted as standard. 

However the car scores well for the Euro NCAP safety ratings with five-stars, four stars for child protection and three stars for pedestrian safety. A wider use of airbags, including thorax units, plus a softer bonnet and front end design has helped to achieve these results.

All models have improved levels of standard equipment and a wider choice of options including the facility to connect a portable satnav system direct to the dash, currently TomTom One V3 units.

The most popular SE model specification includes air conditioning, trip computer, electronically adjustable and heated door mirrors, front and rear electric windows, cruise control and 15-inch alloy wheels.   Sport models gain sports suspension, sports seats, leather clad steering wheel and gear lever knob and low profile tyres on 16-inch alloy wheels.

All models gain sharper and angular styling lines blended with sculptured panels and the sporty rising waistline but retain the family SEAT family face. Inside the dashboard is well laid out and simple to use.

The textured plastic coatings for the interior panels are clean and modern but the shiny silver cowl to the instrument panel causes reflections in the field of vision for the driver. The interior is a bit of a mixture of fortunes, some good points, and some utilitarian and bland.

Overall the new Ibiza is a sharper looking, sharper handling and roomier car with lots of extra equipment but it needs some more uprated and modern engines and the new 1.6-litre petrol unit is the pick of the bunch for now.

SEAT Ibiza 5-Door 1.4 SE (best selling specification).

Engine: 1.4-litre, four-cylinder petrol, 85PS, 97lb ft (132Nm) of torque from 3,800rpm.

Performance: 108mph, 0-62mph 12.2 seconds, 45.5mpg, (39.4mpg actual), CO2 149g/km, VED Band C £120.  Benefit in kind tax: 17pc.

For: Smart modern and interesting styling, roomy enough, generally well equipped, great handling new platform.

Against: Too few new engines, no ESP as standard, odd interior trim combinations - some good, some not.

©DAVID MILES & Miles Better News Agency