SEAT Ibiza Sport Coupe (08 on) - Review

Review by David Ross on
Last Updated: 12 April 2012
Shorter and lower than the five-door Ibiza, the Sport Coupe is the name SEAT has given to the three-door version of its small hatchback. It looks similar from the front with the same sharp nose and distinctive headlights, but the big differences are at the back where the redesigned side window and rear pillars give it a more coupe-like appearance. It's good to drive, just like the five-door model, plus there are different suspension settings available including a sports set-up. Inside it's modern and unfussy with a good driving position but while the boot is a decent size the rear seats are cramped and legroom is limited. That's one of few gripes though and overall the Ibiza SC is a stylish and well-equipped small hatchback. In October 2010 a 1.2-litre TSI engine was added to the line-up. Despite the small size the engine is impressive and an excellent combination of economy and performance.
4.5 out of 5

Other SEAT reviews

4.5 out of 5

Safety

The Ibiza was awarded a maximum five-star Euro NCAP rating for crash safety but it's surprising that ESP stability control isn't standard - even on higher spec cars. Every car does however get side and twin front airbags while curtain airbags are an option. There are two Isofix anchoring points in the rear seats while a third anchor point called Top Tether, which prevents child seats from rotating in a crash, is also available.

NCAP Test

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  • Adult Occupant Rating

    5 out of 5
  • Child Protection Rating

    4 out of 5
  • Pedestrian Test Rating

    3 out of 5
4 out of 5

Reliability

Many of the components in the Ibiza are used in other cars, such as the Skoda Fabia and Volkswagen Polo, so they are well developed and shouldn't cause any major problems.

Car check problem points

Body

No problems reported.

Engine/Gearbox

No problems reported.

Other

No problems reported.