First UK drive: Seat Ibiza car review

How many superminis can claim they've been designed by the man responsible for styling the stunning Lamborghini Gallardo supercar?

The all-new Seat Ibiza has former Lamborghini design chief, Luc Donckerwolke to thank for its pretty styling – and a design which signals the way all future Seats will look.

View our 2008 Seat Ibiza slide show

We sent Stuart Milne to Morecambe to put the all-new 2008 Seat Ibiza through its paces.

There's a lot to get excited about with the new Seat Ibiza. It's been designed by an ex-Lamborghini man and features the Volkswagen Group's all-new supermini chassis, which Seat has dubbed Active Chassis.

But most of all, it’s the car Seat hopes will catapult it to the top of the supermini tree. After all, the Ibiza is Seat's biggest selling car both in the UK and across Europe.

That's a big ask, considering the amount of very talented opposition it faces, such as the excellent Mazda 2 and forthcoming Ford Fiesta.

But with a combination of motorways and winding rural roads ahead, we chose the Seat Ibiza 1.4 SE – the car which will be the biggest seller – and the entry-level 1.2 S to see how they match up.

Seat Ibiza - European launch car review

It's obvious a lot of care has been taken with the interior; particularly the build quality. It's almost up to Audi standards of construction, but unlike sober German interiors, it has some real flair.

So it comes as no surprise to learn the Ibiza has been built under the stewardship former Audi executive Eric Schmitt, who takes a special interest in the quality and fit and finish of materials used.

Top quality cabin

The dash is angled towards the driver, and surfaces such as the shiny black of the stereo lend a real 'premium' feel to the cabin. The dials are clear to read, although it can initially be easy to confuse the rev counter and speedo when making steady progress as the numbering is very similar.

It's easy to get a good seating position, with a fully adjustable steering wheel, and exceptionally comfortable seats, particularly with the larger side bolsters on the SE and Sport models.

There's a good amount of space in the front and rear, thanks to a slightly longer wheelbase and a wider track than its predecessor, and the boot measures a generous 292 litres; 25 litres more than the last model and among the biggest in its class.

That wider track (width between the wheels) and a longer wheelbase helps to keep the Seat Ibiza feel planted on the bends. This is the first implementation of Active Chassis, and it shows real promise with an excellent combination of sharp handling and an excellent ride quality.

Throw the Ibiza into a bend, and the Ibiza remains composed; even when trying to provoke it, the Seat is controllable. It's just a shame the steering lacks as much feedback as the best in class though.

The slick five-speed gearboxes are nice to use, and the car's noise levels are low enough not to have left us wanting an extra sixth gear.

View our 2008 Seat Ibiza slide show

The Seat Ibiza is initially available with a choice of three petrol engines; 1.2, 1.4 and 1.5 developing 69bhp, 79bhp and 103bhp respectively. Seat will offer a range of diesel engines in 2009; but the details of these are yet to be revealed.

Three engines available; no diesels yet

We've driven all three engines, in both the five door and three door SportCoupe version of the Seat Ibiza. The 1.2-litre three cylinder powerplant is the most frugal of the three, returning an average of 47.8mpg, while emitting 139g/km of CO2. The engine feels eager to rev, although it needs frequent gear changes to maintain performance. Some will love its typical three-cylinder growl, but others will find it sounds rather diesel-like under acceleration. Headline figures for this engine are a 0-62mph time of 15 seconds and a top speed of 101mph.

2008 Seat Ibiza SportCoupe car review

The 1.4-litre engine is likely to form the basis of the most popular Seat Ibizas. It is remarkably smooth, even at motorway speeds and noise is minimal. The 1.4 returns an average of 45.5mpg and emits 149g/km, but performance is noticeably improved, with a 12.2 second 0-62mph time and a 108mph top speed.

Topping the range is an all-new 1.6-litre engine, which emits a higher-than-expected 157g/km, but can still cover an average of almost 43mpg. The all-new engine isn't the impressive performer we'd hoped for, despatching 0-62mph in 10.8 seconds before reaching a top speed of 116mph.

Insurance groups are competitive, even if those seeking low tax bills will have to wait until 2009 for a new green Ecomotive version, although the previous generation Seat Ibiza Ecomotive will still be available.

The 2008 Seat Ibiza has an all-new look, which has been styled by Luc Donckerwolke, the designer responsible for the Lamborghini Gallardo. The design cues are part of Seat's Arrow Design 'language', which sees sharp allow-like angles, particularly around the headlamps, and extra creases along the flanks.

In fact, about the only traditional Seat design marks which remain are the side mirrors, mounted on the shoulders of the doors, rather than around the windows.

Safe and well-equipped

Seat says the new Ibiza is one of the safest superminis on sale, scoring five, four and three stars for adult, child and pedestrian protection in the EuroNCAP crash test programme. It features head/thorax airbags, which do the job of side and curtain airbags, in addition to driver and passenger 'bags as standard across the range. A package including ESP, traction control, brake assist and a tyre pressure warning system is likely to be a popular option, priced at £280.

The Seat Ibiza range consists of four trim levels: S, S A/C, SE and Sport. The entry-level S features tinted windows, height and reach-adjustable steering wheel, height adjustable front seats, a six-speaker CD player with MP3 compatibility, remote central locking and an auxiliary and USB input for additional audio devices. The S A/C adds air-con.

Step up to the SE, which is likely to be the most popular, and air-con, a trip computer, alloy wheels, electrically-adjustable and heated mirrors, front fog lights with cornering function, cruise control and 15-inch alloy wheels come as standard.

The range-topping Sport model adds sports suspension, sports seats, leather steering wheel and 16-inch alloys.

Video: Watch the Seat Ibiza in action