2017 SEAT Ibiza FR Review

I acquired myself in to the seat of another small car, the 2017 SEAT Ibiza FR. And here’s what I think concerning this spiritually Spanish supermini.

What’s the 2017 SEAT Ibiza FR about?

Well, I say that, however the Ibiza isn’t very Spanish at all. In the first place, Volkswagen owns SEAT in its entirety. Then there’s the actual fact that the Ibiza FR sits on an extremely German, Volkswagen developed underpinning. In ways, you might even say that you drive a German turbo hatchback.

Having said that, most regard the Ibiza as the overshadowed brother of the a lot more popular Volkswagen Polo. I’ll just start at this time and say that’s no more the case. I’ll also bravely make the subjective statement that the most recent Ibiza FR may be the sharpest and best looking of most its siblings.

Before you wield your pitchfork, I show you: the 2017 Seat Ibiza FR.

Isn’t it a snazzy looker? With a fairly major makeover externally, the brand new Ibiza FR looks smarter than ever before. The lines are tightened up and well-defined, honing the Ibiza’s looks and presenting a dynamic looking car. As the front of the automobile is rotund and rounded off, the trunk and sides are aggressive with crisp indents which boast the Ibiza’s sporty ambitions.

The daytime running lights further complements the supermini’s aesthetics, both modernising the Ibiza and sharpening it up. Overall, it’s an excellent looking supermini, specifically for its cost range. It’ll certainly appeal to the young’uns, which may be the market SEAT is certainly going after with the Ibiza FR.

Our Ibiza was in the ‘FR’ trim, the very best sporty variety. In addition, we got those posh looking 18″ ‘Performance’ bi-colour alloys, which remind me a little bit of expensive AMG wheels. Additionally you get twin exhaust tips and feistier rear bumpers within the deal. To check this zesty look, our Ibiza FR was painted in ‘Desire Red’, a captivating, almost orange-burning scarlet.

Powering our Ibiza FR was a sprightly 1.0-litre TSI, a turbocharged, direct injected and intercooled 3 cylinder engine. It generates 113 bhp and 200 Nm of torque. It’s actually not bad at all because of its size, and remains consistent with what Ford is putting out within their EcoBoost engines.

The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission that drives leading wheels. Overall, it’s a good combination. It allows the Ibiza FR to get from 0-62 mph in 9.3 seconds, onto a high speed of 121 mph.

Economy figures are a thing that SEAT targets with the Ibiza. Even though we’ve the hotter Ibiza FR, it’s still rather impressive. It’ll manage 60.1 mpg and 108 g/km of CO2.

It’s worth noting that there surely is a slightly weaker 95 bhp variant of the TSI engine, and an MPI engine that generates 75 bhp. SEAT can be going to draw out the 1.5-litre TSI EVO, with a zesty 148 bhp on tap.

How Does it Drive?

While that is a supermini designed to appeal to a wide audience and match a tight cost range, it’s genuinely rather impressive.

Volkswagen knows steps to make an excellent, small engine. The Ibiza FR certainly displays the traits. In the first place, it’s punchy, with bundles of torque available over 2000 rpm. For a 3 cylinder it’s very smooth aswell, and remains refined and quiet.

If you wish to keep it civil, you’ll need to drive the engine such as a diesel. Short shift it, and keep it below 3,500 rpm. You have a lot of torque down low anyways. The Ibiza FR’s advantage may be the fact that it’s quieter when compared to a diesel, and comparable in efficiency to 1.

Driving the Ibiza FR on motorways is a nice experience where in fact the engine is merely a whisper. Road noise is noticeable but I’d still class the cabin as quiet enough.

It also includes a longer wheelbase compared to the previous Ibiza. A very important thing, especially paired with well-tuned suspension. The Ibiza FR simply shrugs off British roads, and settles quickly even after undulations. We did wear it some rough gravel, and it isn’t half-bad at managing the bumps. Impressive considering SEAT went with your time and effort of putting sports suspension within the FR deal.

Moreover, a well-sorted underpinning means the Ibiza FR remains relevant even in the corners. As the steering feels quite light, and more desirable for city driving, the Ibiza FR is swift and agile. The Ibiza FR attacks corners with remarkable gusto and vigour. It lays flat, and maintains a lot of grip around corners.

What is it truly like Inside?

The inside of the Ibiza FR isn’t half bad too. In today’s car, even one constructed with a budget price at heart, you shouldn’t suffer from a terrible interior. The brand new Ibiza FR is a prime example here.

While it’s a little car, extending the wheelbase implies that it has heaps more capacity compared to the previous Ibiza, which garnered complaints about passenger room. In the FR, we also get sport seats and some additional interior details, just like the red stitching.

A cool addition to add spice to the FR may be the flat-bottomed tyre which looks great. The instrument cluster is pretty typical and readable, with a central information screen. SEAT in addition has gone ahead and softened up the materials they use partly of their effort to modernise the Ibiza.

Additionally you get an nice 8″ infotainment system on the guts console that looks well integrated and nicely tucked in. However, this unit isn’t included on the lower-end types of the Ibiza FR.

The boot space can be enlarged in the brand new Ibiza. At 355 litres, it’s actually decent, and able to handle groceries aplenty. A more substantial wheelbase is really paying down.

Overall, The 2017 Ibiza FR has a nice and functional interior that’s perfectly livable with over long distance travelling.

THE KNOWLEDGE

Driving the brand new Ibiza FR can be an astonishingly nice experience. It looks great, and there is plenty of space for me personally. As a supermini, it handles well, and you may be quite aggressive shifting the lively 1.0-litre TSI engine when in the mood.

There’s without doubt that the Ibiza FR turns some heads. Perhaps that’s partly because of how new the Ibiza FR is. Nevertheless, the automobile is chic and youthful.

Verdict

Well, I continue about how exactly good a value the Ibiza FR is, but just how much could it be really? For the FR model with this engine, it starts from £16,630. That’s very good. If you contemplate it a supermini though, it may be on the upper range – but so may be the Fiesta.

The Ibiza FR is a really supermini in name. It’s roomy enough to defend myself against a lot of passengers, although the trunk passengers will be challenged to find any luxuries. Still, it drives great, looks good, and it’s well-equipped and perfectly serviceable as a daily driver.

If you prefer a small hatchback with decent space, a solid engine, and good dynamics, the Ibiza FR gives its competitors out there a run because of its money. Otherwise, if you wish something a little more luxurious, maybe consider the XCELLENCE trim. Want something a bit hotter? The 1.5-litre TSI looks good, and it’s a different choice from the commonplace Fiesta ST.

2017 SEAT Ibiza FR