The Seat Ibiza Test Drive

I was quite looking forward to test driving the Seat Ibiza; after all it’s quite a funky looking car with its dazzling lime green paint job, and its aggressive looks and stylised headlamps. So armed with my coolest shades I took the Ibiza out for a drive.

Seat has carefully aimed this car at the Young and young at heart market, not only with the external look of the car, but also with its musical mod cons inside. There are also steering wheel mounted stereo controls so you can skip the tracks on your CD that you’re not really that into without having to move your hands from the steering wheel. There is also a point to plug in your Ipod or MP3 player. This means that your car isn’t cluttered up with CD’s. This does seem like the manufacturers attempt to tidy up the younger generation, because we all know that what teenager’s bedrooms are like, so Imagine what they could do to a car!

For a small 3 door car, it was rather spacious inside. With ample leg room in the front, but as always not so much leg room in the back, but ideal for shorties and kids. However the passenger seat features the "Easy entry" system, where the backrest folds and slides at the same time, providing more room and better access to the rear seats.The boot however was very roomy, perfect for getting all that dirty washing back from the university digs back home for washing. The front seats are low and hug your bottom, making them rather feel sporty. However this sport appearance doesn’t compromise their comfort, on a long motorway journey the seat proved to be very comfortable.

Another feature that I rather liked was that the doors automatically lock when you start to drive. I don’t know if this is cool from a young person’s perspective, but from a parents view point it was a comforting thought knowing the car would lock itself and protect the occupants inside.

Other safety aspects have been carefully considered, with the application of strenuous virtual simulations and real crash tests. The addition of new head-thorax airbags as standard enhances the safety credentials on the new Ibiza, while a newly defined bonnet and front bumper greatly increase pedestrian safety.

Driving the car was rather fun, small and a bit nippy. Being a small car, with a length of 4.034 meters and height of 1.428 meters, it was easy to steer and a doddle to park, a great city car.

Enhancements to the Seat Ibiza have made modernized its appeal. Painstaking interior and exterior detailing on the new Ibiza SC include the dashboard, the instrument panel, ventilation nozzles and central console, which houses audio equipment and the Bluetooth connection, accessed via controls located on the steering column. It is a practical, well built and fun to drive car, an ideal for young funky people and can also be appreciated by older funky folk who want to have some fun. The Ecomotive 1.4 diesel is due in May and a 1.6 diesel follows in June so watch out for their launch.

Seat really have done a fantastic job with designing this car and my only concern is that it will just be a little too popular and not quite so exclusive out on the road. Only time will tell.

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