New Ibiza is one you'll see coming!

Totally new from the ground up, the new SEAT Ibiza is extremely stylish and attractive, reminiscent of recent SEAT concept cars.

Now on sale in 3 and 5-door hatchback versions, with three specification levels - Stella, Sport and Signo, the new Ibiza is expected to become SEAT’s big volume seller here.

Competing in the extremely competitive B-Segment it will be in competition with marques such as Ford with its new Fiesta, VW with its Polo, and the Citroen C3.

Prices start at 13,990 euro for the 1.2-litre Stella 3-door, rising to 22,840 for the top of the range, the Ibiza TDi 130 bhp Sport.

Longer, wider and higher than its predecessor, it is one of the largest cars in its class and offers more front and rear passenger legroom, shoulder room and a bigger boot.

And in the warm red and sporty yellow colours available, it will definitely turn heads!

Buyers can chose from five engines, three petrol and two diesel, ranging from a new 1.2-litre 3-cylinder 65 bhp petrol engine to the most powerful diesel engine available in any supermini, the 130 bhp 1.9 TDi linked to a 6-speed gearbox which can do the 0-62 mph in a mere 9.4 seconds! It is the first time in an Ibiza, that real sports performance is possible with diesel economy.

The new model is very well specced offering many items on more expensive cars as standard - a point other marque’s will note with interest and the public will appreciate.

Standard equipment for the starter ‘Stella’ spec includes twin airbags, radio-CD player with 8 speakers, electric front windows, remote central locking, are just some of the items standard across the entire range.

(Options include air conditioning, climate control and ABS with TCS. Air conditioning is standard in the Sport specification).

Add an on-board computer, electric rear windows, electric mirrors, alarm, front fog lights to the Stella spec for the higher specced Signo.

The Sport has all the advantages mentioned plus sports seats, air conditioning, ABS + EDS and alarm with movement sensor.

The new SEAT Ibiza has a more sporty and aggressive front design than before. Not to be outdone, the rear has also been given a makeover dominated by high mounted, stylised light clusters with a horizontal design that lowers and widens the look of the body.

Inside, the cockpit is extremely stylish, adding to the sporty feeling with a set of tubular dials on the instrument panel that somehow match the design of the headlamps and indicator lights.

It’s also better priced than the older model, especially when you take in all the fittings supplied as standard. The 1.2-litre Stella 3-door model starts at 13,990 euros, with the 5-door version at 14,440. The 1.4-litre 75 bhp 5-door in the Signo spec starts at 15,940 euros while the 1.4-litre bhp Sport 3-door is 17,990.

You’ll pay 16,440 for the 1.9-litre SDi 64 bhp Stella spec. The powerful 5-door 130 bhp 1.9-litre TDi Sport costs 22,840

Having taken the new SEAT Ibiza 1.2-litre basic Stella model for a short test drive on the hilly roads around Enniskerry, we can say the car feels very strong, suspension was firm even on those bumpy side roads.

It handled very well on those narrow twisty back roads and back out on the motorway. Such was the extra space in the back seat, it easily accommodated a 6’2” man, even with a tall person in the driver’s seat! Visibility was good too, despite the car’s high waistline.

George Wallace, General Manager for SEAT in Ireland, has forecast they will sell 1,800 new Ibiza’s in the first full year contributing 1% plus to their SEAT overall market share.

It’s certainly a car you’ll see coming!

May 2002

by Trish Whelan