Used Seat Ibiza Hatchback 2008 - 2017 review

If you’ve entertained the vague notion that the Seat Ibiza shares a family resemblance with the Volkswagen Polo, you’d be right. Spanish brand Seat has long played the role of understudy in the Volkswagen Group empire, putting in just as much work as its more prestigious Volkswagen and Audi partners, but rarely getting its time in the spotlight.

As a result, cars such as the Ibiza, which to all intents and purposes is a Polo under the skin, have represented good options for the cost-conscious motorist.

This fourth generation of Seat’s small car was launched in 2008 and carried on for nine years with only a couple of mild facelifts, with the first coming in 2012 and the second in 2015.

You’ll find three-door (SC) and five-door hatchback versions for sale as well as an estate (ST), all with a wide range of petrol and diesel engines. The ST was something of a niche choice, but sales between three- and five-door Ibizas were evenly split. Unsurprisingly it is the latter which makes for the more practical proposition, not only due to its extra doors, but also because the boot is larger; it just eclipses the Ford Fiesta for load volume.

Space in the rear is not quite up to Fiesta standards, however, with legroom in particular being tight for taller passengers. Up front is much better, and if the Ibiza’s dash is rather plain there was at least the option of selecting contrasting colours for selected pieces of trim to liven things up. Reach and height adjustment for the steering wheel, plus height adjustment for the driver’s seat on most versions of the Ibiza mean it’s easy to find a good driving position.

The engines all made their way over from the Polo, and include everything from a 1.0-litre petrol to a 1.4-litre ‘twincharger’ supercharged and turbocharged unit, plus diesels in 1.2-, 1.4- and 1.6-litre capacities. VW's DSG dual-clutch automatic gearbox was offered alongside cheaper manual versions.

Throw in a wide range of trim levels and there’s bound to be an Ibiza to suit most needs and tastes, and while it was never quite as grown-up to drive as its Polo stablemate, or as much fun as the Fiesta, the Ibiza did find a respectable middle ground between the two.

More important for the used buyer, perhaps, is that the Ibiza has always been keenly priced compared with the Polo – and to some extent, the Fiesta – and offers a bold exterior design and a more dynamic image than rivals from Japan and Korea.

The market for fourth-generation Seat Ibizas starts at £1500, but you’ll be looking at a car with a mileage deep into six figures or a repaired Cat D write-off.

By £3000 you’ll start to see some earlier cars with sensible miles and a decent spec, with petrol engines outnumbering diesels by four-to-one.

Ibiza Cupra hot hatches cost from £5500 for the 1.4-litre twincharger engine and DSG automatic gearbox, or for a small premium you can opt for the rarer Bocanegra version with a gloss black nose. Post-2015 facelift Cupras were upgraded to include a turbocharged 1.8-litre engine and manual gearbox, but are also more than twice the price.

Nearly-new Ibizas sitting within Seat’s approved used programme with just a few thousand miles on the odometer might look like good value at £8000 or so, but with a replacement fifth-generation Ibiza now on sale, you can expect depreciation on these run-out models to be quite steep.

The most economical version of the Ibiza is the 1.2-litre TDI diesel in fuel-sipping Ecomotive trim. Low-rolling resistance tyres and revised gear ratios are among the changes that allowed this particular Ibiza to exceed 80mpg in official EU fuel economy tests, and while owners haven’t quite been able to match that figure, you can expect up to 65mpg in normal use.

CO2 emissions of 92g/km also means there’s no road tax to pay, although given the 1.4 TDI is just as economical in normal driving, costs no more than £20 per year to tax and yet is significantly better to drive, it represents the better diesel option.

As far as petrol engines go, you can expect upwards of 40mpg in normal driving in all but the Cupra (even these will average 36-38mpg if driven sensibly), with the standout being the turbocharged 1.2 TSI, which managed 55mpg in official tests and will edge close to 50mpg in normal use. Or, if you’re looking at a post-2015 facelift Ibiza, the 1.0-litre TSI engine offers similarly low running costs.

Servicing is required every 12 months or 10,000 miles and alternates between minor at £169 and major at £279 – both slightly more than you’ll pay for a Ford Fiesta. You also need to factor in a new cambelt every four years or 80,000 miles, which costs £329 on a petrol-engined Ibiza and £399 for a diesel. This is required on all but the 1.2 TSI engine, which instead uses a timing chain.

S or E versions of the Seat Ibiza are spartan, so it’s better to move up the ladder to at least the SE. This includes what many would consider to be the basics of air conditioning, a trip computer, alloy wheels and split-folding rear seats. The Toca special edition adds a portable touchscreen navigation and Bluetooth system that clipped on to the top of the dashboard.

From here the range moves in a sportier direction with Sport, FR and special edition Ibizas such as the Copa (based on Sport but with extras including cruise control).

However, not every special edition was offered with every engine and gearbox combination, so the best approach is to choose your preferred engine first, ignore any cars in the most basic trims, and then buy on mileage, service history, condition and price.

Our favourite Seat Ibiza: 1.2 TSI SE

A Volkswagen Polo will cost you more than an Ibiza, but will also hold on to its value better thanks to its classy image. Don’t ever rule out the Ford Fiesta in this class, either, for it remains the car that best combines practicality, fun and low running costs.

The Vauxhall Corsa and Skoda Fabia are even better value than the Ibiza, if not as good to drive, and it’s also hard to ignore the Kia Rio, particularly if you can find an example that is still within its seven-year manufacturer warranty.

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