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SEAT is part of the all-conquering Volkswagen Audi Group and with its Spanish routes it’s supposed to be the more adventurous and sporty affordable brand. We have to say that much of the SEAT range doesn’t currently convey the emotion of the brand in the way that the marketing men would like you to think, but does the Ibiza estate still offer something worth considering?
The Ibiza ST is arguably better looking than some of the brand’s hatches, but you do get the sense that the accountants took over when it came to designing the interior. The dashboard is very bland and there is far too much black plastic on show, something that is only accentuated by the sharp exterior, leading to a sense of disappoint when you first get inside.
More bad news is that the exterior styling has impacted on boot space. With 430 litres on offer, it’s smaller than rivals. However the good news is the excellent official fuel economy, which is enabled by the high tech 1.0-litre turbocharged engine and an admirably light kerb weight.
On the move the Ibiza ST offers some entertainment. With 94 bhp on tap, straight-line performance is reasonable and is more than capable of coping with a fully loaded boot. The clever bit is that this performance can be balanced with excellent official fuel economy which is down to the inherently efficient 3 cylinder engine which utilises turbocharing and direct injection to boost driveability.
The Ibiza ST is a reasonably good-looking estate with excellent official fuel economy and an equally attractive price. If you’re happy to drive sensibly TSI will save fuel, however if you work it too hard fuel consumption will increase markedly. And don’t forget to check that you can fit everything in the boot first before you buy.
