Review of the new SEAT Ibiza Sportscoupe Range

SEAT's Ibiza SportsCoupe is a great-looking three-door supermini with bags of potential. The design flair of the exterior isn't really carried over inside and the engine range doesn't quite fit the sporty remit but otherwise it's a thumbs up.

The term 'Sports Coupe' evokes a certain kind of car and to be honest, the SEAT Ibiza SportsCoupe isn't it. This is the three-door version of the Spanish marque's latest Ibiza supermini and not some rakish sports car. The naming policy isn't entirely misleading though. The Ibiza does have a strong sporting flavour to its styling and SEAT is eager to highlight the corresponding dynamic element to its behaviour on the road. Calling the five-door version the Ibiza ExecutiveEstate would have raised serious questions but at a time when dizzying degrees of marketing spin accompany every new car launch, SEAT should probably be allowed its artistic licence here. SportsCoupe, SC or plain old Ibiza three-door - call it what you will, this car is a massively important one for the brand.

As you may be aware, SEAT is part of the Volkswagen group of companies which includes, amongst others, mainstream marques Volkswagen and Skoda. Product overlap is the sworn enemy of any well-run manufacturing group and to maintain the differentiation that's needed to avoid these three brands pinching each other's sales, Volkswagen is pitched up market, Skoda prioritises value and SEAT goes sporty. SEAT's younger, more fashion-conscious buyer profile is a perfect fit for the Ibiza SportsCoupe and how well this car is received will be crucial to the marque's fortunes.

The Ibiza's mainstream engine range doesn't quite have the same buzz about it as the SportsCoupe branding might lead you to expect. By and large, these are tried and trusted powerplants with low running costs but where's the sporty intent? The line-up gets under way with the 1.2-litre 12v engine which produces 69bhp. Then there's the 84bhp 1.4-litre 16-valve unit and the 1.6-litre engine tops the petrol range. The Ibiza SportsCoupe models that are worthier of the name are the FR and Cupra. These get the 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine which uses a supercharger and turbocharger to extract fireworks to the tune of 148bhp in the FR or 178bhp in the Cupra. There's also a 141bhp 2.0-litre diesel in the FR TDI.

The main diesel option is an excellent 1.6-litre TDI common-rail injection unit. It's quick, economical and probably the best bet until the turbo petrol arrives. The other oil-burner is the 1.4 three-cylinder engine in the ECOmotive which offers very little by way of excitement.

"Call it what you will, this car is a massively important one for the brand."

The previous Ibiza's driving experience won praise from all quarters and this car continues that approach. It remains impressively composed in corners and the sharp steering makes it easy to spirit about the place. The Sport models feature firmer suspension but even here, the ride isn't harsh and the things that shine through after a stint in an Ibiza are its comfort, refinement and the overriding big car feel. These are qualities we'd more readily associate with Volkswagen's Polo than SEAT's Ibiza but they're highly desirable ones none the less. The FR and Cupra models are firmer still, adopting a more hardcore approach.

The Ibiza SportsCoupe certainly isn't a 2+2. Rear leg and head room are very generous for a three-door supermini and positively luxurious by sports coupe standards. This is despite the fact that while having the same wheelbase as the five-door model, the SportsCoupe is 18mm shorter and 17mm lower. The front end of the two cars is identical but from the windscreen pillars backward, the SportsCoupe's curvy roofline takes over to visually lower the car and give it a more purposeful stance. The Ibiza SportsCoupe is definitely one of the most attractive superminis out there at the moment.

The interior of the Ibiza is an upmarket affair with some nice trim finishes and good amounts of space front and rear. The sparky design of the outside isn't really carried over internally and the dash follows a more conservative feel that veers towards style rather than fashion. The colour scheme might be a little grey for some tastes but the Ibiza always feels a quality product when you spend time sat in it.

The mainstream trim levels are a familiar S, SE and Sport arrangement and the entry-level SportsCoupe models come reasonably well-appointed. There's a height and reach adjustable steering wheel, a height adjustable driver's seat, speed sensitive power steering, electric front windows, remote central locking and an MP3-compatible CD stereo with controls on the steering wheel. The SE adds air-conditioning and some styling upgrades while the Sport model has lowered suspension, sports seats and bigger alloy wheels than the SE. Another option that's available to SportsCoupe buyers is the advanced seven-speed DSG twin clutch gearbox which is becoming increasingly ubiquitous across Volkswagen Group models. |The hot Cupra and FR models top the range along with the stylish Bocanegra version of the Cupra.

The safety provision in the SportsCoupe includes twin front airbags and front side airbags as well as ABS brakes. ESP stability control and EBA brake assist are bundled up with some other functions in an optional package which is available for a distinctly reasonable £280. Pricing for the Ibiza SportsCoupe positions it at £400 less than the equivalent five-door car when the models are compared on a like for

The Ibiza's competent but ultimately, unexceptional engine range doesn't pull any rabbits out of the hat in terms of economy or CO2 emissions but the ECOmotive models does. The 1.6-litre unit manages 42.8mpg and 160g/km while the 1.4 and 1.2-litre petrols pump out 149g/km and 139g/km respectively. These aren't bad showings but buyers intent on keeping costs down will want the 76.3mpg ECOmotive with its 98g/km emissions. Alternatively, the 1.6 TDI manages 67mpg and 104g/km.

SEAT has high hopes for the Ibiza SportsCoupe. The vehicle tallies extremely well with SEAT's youthful customer profile and three-door versions of the previous generation Ibiza out sold the five-door by three to one. The SportsCoupe naming may be a little far fetched but you can see what SEAT is driving at in the car's curvy lines and polished chassis. If only the engine range had a little more sparkle about it.

There's often the suspicion with SEAT products that internal politics are at work within the Volkswagen Group. Particularly in the car's interior but also with the unexciting engine range, there are elements of the car's make up that although perfectly adequate, could have been better. Could this be a deliberate ploy to preserve the status of Volkswagen's own Polo supermini? As the Ibiza SportsCoupe range is fleshed out with the hot ticket performance models we'll know more but SEAT has the basis of an extremely capable platform here that's ripe for exploitation.