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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 an unusually small three-cylinder 1.2-litre turbodiesel engine and an admirably light kerb weight.
On the move as the Ibiza ST offers some entertainment. Whilst the 1.2 TDI CR might not be the pick of the range if you’re after fun, the inherent Ibiza benefits remain. However with 74 bhp on tap, straight-line performance is compromised and if you’re going to load it up regularly it will be downright slow.
The Ibiza ST is a reasonably good-looking estate with excellent official fuel economy and an equally attractive price. If you can live with the leisurely performance and dull interior you’ll benefit from low running costs including group 7 insurance and band A road tax. Don’t forget to check that you can fit everything in the boot first though.
