Seat’s new fifth-generation Ibiza supermini has a lot of things going for it. For starters, it’s the very first car to get the VW Group’s all-new lightweight MQB A0 small car platform that introduces new tech. It also has a roomier interior and more kit than before.
But it has a very difficult task ahead of it, as it competes in Europe’s heavily packed sub-compact category.
This segment may have only grown by 3% in 2016, but it was still Europe’s largest last year, and by a considerable margin. In terms of sales, the top 5 most popular models were the Renault Clio, VW Polo, Ford Fiesta, Opel/Vauxhall Corsa and the Peugeot 208.
The Ibiza? Nowhere near the top. According to Carsalesbase, it was just the 10th best-selling model in its class through 2016, which might very well change with the arrival of this new-generation model.
Reviewed here by Carwow’s Mat Watson, the 2017 Seat Ibiza sounds like a solid purchase right off the bat. According to the review, it has its good looks, a plethora of tech, comfort and performance on its side – and that’s pretty much all you can ask for in a car this size. Well, that and a really good price.
Watson argues that the 2017 Ibiza not only looks great, but is surprisingly spacious in the back and that its trunk is bigger than what you get in a Ford Focus, let alone a Fiesta.
He also suggests you go with 4-cylinder engines over the new 3-cylinder unit (due to vibrations and noise), and argues that the all-new VW Polo will definitely have a better built interior than the Ibiza.