The Cupra proves that running a performance hatch needn’t be expensive. Economy is a very impressive 44mpg while respectable emission levels mean annual road tax is reasonable. Insurance is affordable too – the Cupra is group 14 which is lower than the previous Ibiza Cupra models and also better than alternatives like the Corsa VXR and Renaultsport Clio.

Add to that competitively priced servicing from SEAT dealers and the sporty Ibiza makes plenty of sense.

Although the Cupra uses a turbocharged and supercharged engine, its small size means it’s impressively efficient for a car with 180bhp. Emissions are 148g/km of CO2 while average fuel economy is 44mpg.

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. The TSI engine has also been well proven in other models in the Volkswagen Group range.