SEAT Ibiza 1.4 SE Five-Door review
by David Finlay (11 November 2008)
Until the diesels arrive next year, the SEAT Ibiza is being sold with a choice of three petrol engines - a 1.2 which we covered in a previous road test, a 1.6 mentioned briefly in our launch report and the 1.4 being considered here.
The 1.4 is unique in the range in that it's the only one with a choice of trim levels. The test car was an SE, so it came with air-conditioning, a trip computer, cruise control, small-ish alloy wheels, all-round electric windows, front foglights (with a cornering function), a height-adjustable front passenger seat and a split-folding rear seat.
For an extra £300 you can have the 1.4 Sport, which gets more supportive seats, firmer suspension, larger wheels with low-profile tyres and leather trim for the steering wheel and gearknob. Ibiza Sports feel sharper than the SE, though only to the extent that the small extra charge would lead you to believe.
Of the three engines in the range, the 1.4 is my least favourite, though there's nothing specifically wrong with it. The 1.6 is more relaxing, and the 1.2 has so little power that you soon get used to driving it flat-out if you want to get anywhere in a hurry. The 1.4 takes a bit of work too, and for some reason I objected more to having to plant the accelerator in the carpet, even though the need arises a lot less than it does in the 1.2.
Perhaps because I was urging the engine on, I found that the fuel warning light came on after 280 miles, which came as a bit of a shock. Officially the 1.4 is nearly as economical as the 1.2, though the 2.3mpg discrepancy in the combined figure is probably less than you'd find in real-world conditions.
Anyone who drives alone or with at most one other person on board would be well advised to save £400 and buy the equivalent SC three-door, which has the added advantage of better visibility since the rear side window design is a great deal more sensible.
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