Seat Ibiza FR car review

The Ibiza-based Bocanegra concept car on show at the Geneva motor show was simply stunning – the Lamborghini of hot hatches.

So much so that demand for the concept car with its ‘black mouth’ and razor-sharp bodykit was so great Seat decided it had to build it for real.

The Bocanegra is mechanically identical to the Seat Ibiza Cupra - its heart is a 1.4-litre TSI engine with a supercharger and turbocharger.

This small motor packs the punch of a 2-litre engine despite its small size, producing 178bhp and 184lb/ft of pulling power.

Press the aluminium accelerator and there is a throbbing engine roar as the motor is force fed air first by the supercharger and then by the turbo.

And boy does it take off down the road, scampering from 0-62mph in 7.2 seconds and hitting a 140mph top speed.

If anything it feels faster than even these figures suggest, thanks to its sizeable dollop of torque and the grease lightning up shifts from its special gearbox.

Amazingly for a supermini costing way under £20k it features the latest generation seven-speed DSG gearbox as standard.

Racing shifts

It can be left in automatic mode to juggle gears on your behalf (a godsend in traffic jams and town centres) or switched into manual, giving you control of the steering wheel mounted paddles.

Pull the left shifter to drop down a gear, and the right to change up; just like in a racing car – or on a Playstation for that matter.

It’s a great system which is so efficient it actually improves economy (44.1mpg) and reduces emissions (148g/km) compared with a manual.

Very occasionally there is a slight delay between a pull of the paddle and the gearshift taking place, but most of the time it’s satisfyingly instantaneous – with a rude parp from the exhaust on downshifts.

The chassis is standard Cupra fare too, with the same sports suspension and low ride height. Turn into a corner and grip is impressive while body roll is almost non existent.

It doesn’t feel quite as superglued to the road as a Renaultsport Clio, but only the most enthusiastic drivers will be let down by the capable handling of the Bocanegra.

XDS fitted as standard

The tech-savvy will be interested to know it features the XDS system recently seen on the Mk.6 Volkwagen Golf GTi – an electronic gizmo which mimics a limited slip differential.

By braking a front wheel when it loses traction and starts to spin, it actually increases safety and performance.

Ride quality is perfectly acceptable too. There’s some up and down jossle courtesy off the stiff suspension, but it doesn’t become uncomfortable.

The brakes certainly aren’t lacking in power, hauling the supermini to a halt in no time. Track addicts can even invest in a racing brake upgrade, but it costs over a grand.

So far so good, but what do you get over the Cupra model? Apart from the obvious visual differences there are diamond-stitched front bucket seats embossed with a ‘B’ logo which also finds its way onto the leather steering wheel, instrument panel and the Bocanegra name is found in black lettering on the boot.

Carbon

The instrument binnacle, steering wheel spokes, stereo and gearbox surround all feature carbon trim.

‘Sira’ 17-inch alloy wheels with a smoke-effect finish and black door mirrors finish the cool exterior treatment from the designer of the Lamborghini Gallardo – Luc Donckerwolke.

It’s a shame the Bocanegra is only available in two colours – Dakota Red and Candy White – but they both look great.

Tempted by the Bocanegra? It certainly makes a statement, both in its looks and technological wizardry. The fitment of a seven-speed DSG gearbox as standard in a supermini is incredible.

The fact it actually helps give the interesting and pokey engine the lowest emissions of any hot hatch and great fuel economy helps put the Bocanegra in reach of more potential customers too.

Seat Ibiza FR car review

Specifications
Model tested: Seat Ibiza FR
Price as tested: £14,995
(Buy new | buy used)
Insurance group as tested: 11E
CO2 emissions as tested: 146g/km
Company car tax %: 17%
EuroNCAP result: TBC
Date and place tested: October 2009, Farnborough
On sale date: Out now
Road tester: Dom Sacco

Going head-to-head with the popular Vauxhall Corsa SRi and Ford Fiesta Zetec S Mountune was never going to be easy, but the Seat Ibiza FR isn’t a traditional hot supermini.

Filling the gap between the standard Seat Ibiza Sportcoupe and the fast Cupra and Bocanegra models, can the FR find the perfect middle ground?

We tested the warm hatch on a Seat 'sport route' around Farnborough to find out.

The first thing that strikes us about the Seat Ibiza FR is the seven-speed direct-shift gearbox (DSG).

It's not the kind of thing a younger driver with a penchant for thrills may expect from a new premium-priced supermini, and that's exactly what really sets this model apart from its competitors.

As a semi-auto box, it allows you to shift between 'D' mode with lower revs - perfect for town driving - and sportier 'S'  mode, which extends the length of time spent in each gear.

It's a phenomenal piece of kit for a sub-£15k supermini and works very well indeed. But the Ibiza FR really comes alive when you switch to ‘sequential’ mode and take control of the gears yourself.

Turning it up a notch

This also allows you to open up the FR's engine by staying in each gear for longer. While not quite as impressive as the 180bhp the Bocanegra and Cupra Ibizas produce, the 150bhp here is still plenty to play with.

The FR's 1.4-litre TSI engine is built by Volkswagen and combines a turbocharger and supercharger to increase power output.

This can accelerate the FR from 0-62mph in 7.7 seconds - 0.7 seconds faster than the previous model and only 0.5 seconds slower than the Cupra Bocanegra models.

Speed is limited to 132mph, which is only 8mph less than the hotter versions.

There is a short delay from the moment you flick a paddle to the change in gear and it does feel awkward while turning the wheel, but these are minor niggles. Plus, you can always switch back to the lazier 'D' mode if facing difficulty.

The only downside to driving in automatic 'D' mode is it can feel slightly sluggish at low speeds. You need to push the accelerator down to the floor to really get the car going in first gear, but this is an issue which owners will easily adapt to.

The Ibiza FR is a delight to drive, the car feels light and the ride is comfortable, while there is little understeer from the front-wheel drive system.

The brakes are powerful and the suspension is firm, which can feel a little shaky at times but ensures there's minimum body roll.

Best of both worlds?

For a warm hatch the Seat Ibiza FR is also pretty frugal and affordable. It emits 146g/km of CO2, placing it into a low tax band for a warm hatch.

What's more, the combined average fuel economy is a respectable 44.8mpg - that's 0.7mpg better than the hot Bocanegra model and almost as efficient as a new petrol Ford Fiesta (which takes six seconds longer to 62mph).

But it's the £14,995 price tag which could sway buyers away from the additional power of the Cupra and Bocanegra. The FR doesn't sound as gruff when you put your foot down - but that's the point - the FR is more refined.

And it's a great price for entry-level ownership of a 150bhp and seven-gear supermini.

If speed really is an issue you could pay a few hundred pounds to get the engine remapped to just under 200bhp, however you won't get the unique dark styling of the Bocanegra. But when the FR looks this great anyway, paying an extra £1,000 for the Cupra or £1,700 for the Bocanegra will come down to a matter of personal taste.

This sporty Seat Ibiza FR supermini is a nice bridge between the standard Ibiza and Cupra Bocanegra models. It doesn't need the extra power to impress, it knows what it can do - and it does that very well indeed.