| Seat Ibiza 2.0 FR first drive |
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| Monday, 06 February 2012 10:30 |
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I know I have said this before, but the cars of today are fitted with such a staggering amount of technology. Every vehicle on the market has some sort of electronic wizardry such as: ABS, DSG, MP3, HHF, TTC, ESP, TPM, HBA and XDS, and the list just keeps getting bigger. Of course it’s all to do with safety and comfort, which is good, but, all I ever hear from manufacturers when a new car is born is a new set of acronyms. This is all well and good, but a lot of manufacturers seem to have forgotten how to make a car sound good without using all those dippy words. The good news here is that there are still a few manufacturers that try to make a car sound good without all that twaddle. This brings me neatly onto my current road test. This car may have the odd acronym here and there, but it’s right up my street, because when it arrived it was painted in ‘Speed Blue’ and was sporting a little badge that said simply ‘FR’. I am talking of course about the little Seat Ibiza FR. Firstly, just look at that picture and tell me you don’t like the look of the Ibiza. It looks mean in it’s lavish blue dress. This is the sort of car that all the boy racers in the land dribble over. Also for some strange reason the more I stare at it - the more I think that any minute now it’s going to bite my head off. This makes me happy, and I haven’t even driven it yet! Maybe I am being ridiculous, but be warned; this Ibiza is not for the faint hearted. Please fasten your seat-belts and prepare for takeoff. The little Ibiza FR I was testing is powered by a 2.0 -litre 6 speed TDi Diesel engine that has 143PS on tap, so it’s certainly no slouch. Top speed is a respectable 130mph and it has no less than 320Nm of torque, plus a 0-62 time of 8.2 seconds. Fuel consumption is also very good with a combined figure of 60.1 mpg. On the road it scoots around corners like its on rails as you would expect for a hot hatch, except that the front wheels don't slip and slide as you nail the pedal to the floor. The little Ibiza also feels very well balanced. A big plus point for this car though is it’s torque, which if I am honest is absolutely brilliant. It can pretty much pull from any gear, and it will jump out and rip my arm off. This thing does overtaking without even breaking a sweat. Then there are the brakes, which feel good and the sporty suspension actually absorbs England’s bumpy roads really well. As with all Seat’s, the interior is of a good standard - if not a little dull, but Seat is a part of VW group, so it will last for years. The seating is actually rather good even after a long journey, and the dials and switches are laid out very well and are very clear and precise. Standard equipment is good with options such as, cruise control, ESP/ABS/EBA, ipod/MP3 connection, gearshift indicator, coming home headlight function, twin chrome exhaust pipe, climate control, child-locks on the rear doors, head thorax front side airbags and it doesn’t stop there either, but I am running out of writing space. Remember this car is only £17,980 in standard form, and from the outside it has clean lines, fancy LED lighting, and dark tinted windows to the rear. As far as I am concerned you get a lot for your money, and I really do think it has something more to offer a modern driver. If I was in the market for a fast and affordable hot hatch that could stand out from the crowd, then the little Ibiza fits the bill perfectly, I am going to give the little Ibiza five stars in this test, because I like it a lot. If you are after a little hot hatch that goes well, then you are definitely in the right place with the Ibiza FR. Seat Ibiza 2.0 FR 5 door Price: £17,980 OTR Worth Checking - Motoring news - Road Tests
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