• Summary
• What's Good
• What's Bad
• On the Road
• In The Cabin
• Prices and Specs
• Owners' Reviews

Latest Update 13-3-2012: Many of 2012 Ibiza range at the same or at lower prices than outgoing range.

Introduction:

 On the face of it, the SEAT Ibiza ST is a small estate in the same mould as the Peugeot 207 SW or the Skoda Fabia Estate. But there's more to it than that.

It's the only estate - of any size - with a version that won't cost you a penny in road tax. The 1.2-litre TDI with 75bhp uses stop/start technology to come in at just 94 g/km CO2 in the EC certification tests. 78.5mpg on the Combined cycle. Other engines in the range also put in good performances, with certified 55mpg from the 1.2 TSI petrol and certifies 67.3mpg from the 1.6-litre TDI diesel.

Inside it actually offers more luggage space than the larger Leon. Plus it's 18cm longer than the five-door Ibiza and that extra length is put to good use with a boot that's easy to access with a wide and low opening, 430 litres with the rear seats up and a whopping 1164 litres with the seats folded.

Prices are very reasonable, from £12,070 to £14,730. Couple this with relatively low depreciation and insurance groups and the SEAT Ibiza ST makes sense a cost-effective small family car.

But it's got more going for it than running costs alone. It's a safe little car with a five-star Euro NCAP crash-test rating (like the hatch), dual front and side airbags, ISOFIX child seat anchor points and optional electronic stability programme.