SEAT Ibiza Review 2024

The SEAT Ibiza is the sporty, youthful hatchback of the Volkswagen Group line-up, yet the fourth-generation model is more grown up than ever before. Launched in 2017 and pretty comprehensively updated (at least in terms of interior quality) in 2021, the Ibiza represents excellent value for money, boasts best-in-class versatility and is good – if not thrilling – to drive. Read on for our full SEAT Ibiza review for more.

Mechanically speaking, the SEAT Ibiza is almost identical to the Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia. However, this Ibiza is a smidgen shorter than the previous model but, narrow garage owners please note, it is 87mm wider and has a slightly longer wheelbase. This means benefits for ride comfort and interior space.

The Ibiza isn't a particularly compelling car to drive but if you prioritise refinement and practicality over out and out cornering dynamics then this will very much be the small car for you. Given the demands of most small hatch buyers, SEAT has made the right call on this. The ride quality is first rate and the soft suspension irons out the roughest of roads with ease. Even potholes are dealt with a satisfying, suppressed thump.

The cabin is large enough to fit four adults (just) and the seats provide excellent levels of back and upper leg support. Storage is also plentiful, with deep door bins and a useful scattering of cup holders.

The 355-litre boot is huge for a car of this size and far superior to anything you'll find in either the Ford Fiesta or even Ford Focus hatch. There’s no three-door SC version of the Ibiza with this generation, which is no great loss as most buyers opted for the five-door hatch anyway. It also means you get the practicality of the five-door regardless of which trim you choose.

The engine range encompasses three 1.0 litre petrols. The turbocharged three-cylinder TSI petrol is one of the very best and can be specified with 95PS or 110PS, and both will return around 50mpg. The 110PS version is also available with a seven-speed automatic gearbox. The other engine in the range is also a 1.0 litre, but the 80PS MPI motor does without the extra pep of a turbocharger and uses a five-speed manual transmission.

As an overall package, the Ibiza is a very good small car. It's supremely comfortable and practical, while few of its rivals can match its outstanding petrol engines. 

The only area that lets the side down is the spec. Indeed, standard equipment levels are meagre, which means you’ll have to pay extra to get essentials like DAB audio, touchscreen navigation and cruise control. Like-for-like, the Ford Fiesta and Suzuki Swift represent better value for equipment, though the SEAT does balance this with low running costs.

The front seats are supportive and offer day-long comfort. As for heads, legs and shoulders, there’s more than enough room for drivers of all heights.

The clean and minimalist dashboard has just a few dials for the ventilation, while all cars get a touchscreen for the radio and in-car settings. Air con is standard across the range, but the heating takes quite a while to get going, which means you'll be waiting a good 10 minutes for hot air to appear in the winter.

The high roof line of the SEAT Ibiza means everyone in the car is blessed with good headroom, even adults sitting in the back seats of the car. As for the cargo bay, it’s a simple rectangular shape with four hooks to strap down delicate items and offers between 355- and 1165-litres of space.

On first acquaintance, the SEAT Ibiza’s cabin does not have the same initial appeal as some rivals due to the mix of hard-finished plastics. However, this is an issue of style rather than substance as all of the materials are sturdy and put together with close attention to fit, finish and panel gaps.

The plastics are also neatly moulded and finished, so you won’t find any sharp or rough edges even when reaching under the seats. While the appearance of the Ibiza’s plastic is not the classiest, there is some relief with dash trim inserts in different colours to give the interior a lift.

Things improved from 2021, when the Ibiza's interior was pretty comprehensively updated with soft-touch materials aplenty. A silver trim panel running across the dash is similar to that found in the latest SEAT Leon, while new LED interior lighting adds to the upmarket vibe. Curiously, this is spec-dependent – FR and FR Sport models feature Daring Red lighting, while XCellent and XCellence Lux models feature a Burgundy glow.

An 8-inch digital cockpit display is used for the main dials in the SEAT Ibiza, unless you choose the FR Sport or XCellence Lux that gain a 10-inch item.

All models now feature an infotainment screen positioned high up on the dashboard. This is a 9.2-inch display on SE Technology models and above, while the entry-level SEAT Ibiza SE features a smaller 8.25-inch touchscreen display.

This display is competitive with systems used in the Ibiza's main rivals, with fast responses and impressive graphics. Its high positioning means it feels safer than before to glance at while driving and, pleasingly, there are shortcut buttons allowing you to perform simple tasks like adjusting the volume. There are still actual physical buttons for operating the climate control, too.

MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto are all included with the Ibiza's infotainment, so connecting any smartphone should be simple. However, only the XCellence trim comes with wireless charging as standard.

With a starting price for a new SEAT Ibiza of £18,595 for the SE trim with 1.0 litre 80PS MPI engine, it comes in considerably under the cost of a base level Volkswagen Polo. To upgrade to the more appealing 95PS 1.0 TSI engine, you’ll need to spend a further £450 and it’s worth every penny.

The SE Technology model begins at £19,630, while the sportier FR version kicks off with prices from £20,895. The FR Sport gets going at £21,780, and you’ll from £21,640 for the XCellence trim of Ibiza. The top line XCellence Lux has an entry fee of £22,855.

If you’d rather look at a used Ibiza of this generation, a six-year old car with 60,000 miles will cost you around £8500. A three-year old with half that mileage is likely to cost from £12,500.

SEAT offers its own finance deals and you can expect to pay around £265 per month over four years for an FR 1.0 TSI 95PS having paid a deposit of around £3200, plus a £100 contribution from SEAT at the time of writing. This deal will include an annual mileage of 10,000 miles, so it’s not restrictive.

Best for fuel economy in the SEAT Ibiza engine range is the 1.0 TSI 95PS motor, which can offer up to 54.3mpg. Next in line is the 80PS 1.0 MPI with a strongest combined official score of 53.3mpg, while the 110PS with six-speed manual gearbox comes in 1.0mpg adrift of that number. The 110PS motor with seven-speed DSG auto ’box gives an average consumption of 48.7mpg.

When it comes to carbon dioxide emissions, none of the Ibiza range will drag your first-year Vehicle Excise Duty, or road tax, payment into the danger zone. Emissions are rated at between 119- and 133g/km, so road tax varies between £210 and £255 in the first year and then settles to £180 per year.

Insurance is another area where the SEAT won’t give your bank balance a thumping. Cheapest in the range will be the SE 1.0 MPI that sits in Group 3, while the priciest are those versions that fall into Group 13.

The Ibiza isn't a car that likes to be rushed along, but what it lacks in fun it more than makes up for with comfort and refinement. The handling is safe with a bit of lean in the corners, which serves to let you know the car is getting towards the upper limit of its grip well before it’s an issue.

While the Ibiza may not have the polished driving precision of the Ford Fiesta, it has light steering that makes it easy to perform tight turns or guide the Ibiza into a narrow parking space. The small door mirrors do hinder visibility a little at the sides, but overall vision is generally fine thanks to the large windscreen and side windows.

The engine line-up spans three petrols, with the entry-level three-cylinder 1.0 MPI engine being the weakest link in the chain. The turbocharged 1.0 TSI is far superior, with more low gear pull and lower running costs. Both the 95PS and 110PS version of the 1.0 TSI will return a real-world 50mpg.

Depending on engine and trim, the Ibiza gets a five- or six-speed manual transmission. A seven-speed dual-clutch DSG-auto gearbox is available as an option for the 1.0 TSI 110 motor.

The SEAT Ibiza comes with autonomous emergency braking as standard. Further helping with keeping clear of an accident are ABS anti-lock brakes, ESP traction and stability control, and Multi-collision braking.

All Ibizas get twin front, side and full-length curtain airbags, three-point belts for all five occupants, and Isofix child seat mounting points in the two outer rear seats. There's also lane keep assist, cruise control, speed limiter, and driver fatigue recognition.

With all this kit, it’s little wonder the SEAT Ibiza scored a five-star rating from Euro NCAP with a very impressive 95 cent rating for adult occupant safety and 77 per cent score for children. It all adds up to make the SEAT one of the most protective cars in the supermini sector.

The SE starts the SEAT Ibiza range with 15-inch alloy wheels and electrically adjusted door mirrors. Inside, it has an 8.25-inch colour touchscreen, cloth upholstery, air conditioning and electric front windows. It also comes with an 8-inch digital cockpit display for the main dials.

The SE Technology adds 16-inch alloys and an 9.2-inch infotainment screen with navigation, 3D map display, voice control, and SEAT Connect online services.

The FR gets 17-inch alloy wheels, firmer suspension, twin exhaust pipes, and rear privacy glass. There’s a flat-bottomed steering wheel with red stitching, cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, and SEAT Drive Profile that has Normal, Sport, Eco and Individual modes for the steering, accelerator and gear shift.

The FR Sport has 18-inch alloys, climate control, Microsuede upholstery, and a 10-inch Digital Cockpit dash screen.

Highlights of the SEAT Ibiza Xcellence include 17-inch alloy wheels, chrome exterior styling, Burgundy colour interior air vents, rear parking sensors, comfort suspension and keyless entry/start. It also has rear privacy glass and dual-zone climate control.

The SEAT Ibiza Xcellence Lux features the larger 10-inch Digital Cockpit, adaptive cruise control, rear-view camera, front parking sensors, SEAT drive profiles, and dynamic road sign display.