• Dashboard is simple and user-friendly
• Infotainment is simple
• Quality trails its rivals in places

How is the quality and layout?

Jump into the driver’s seat of the Ibiza and you’ll notice how restrained it is compared with the exterior styling. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though, because it means it’s simple and easy to get comfortable, while all of the controls are well-sited and stress-free to use.

There is plenty of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel, and all seats are supportive and comfortable. What surprised us was just how much thigh support there was, which is often a niggle of smaller cars with smaller seats.

There’s a full-width piece of trim across the dashboard which aims to add some interest, but it’s only on higher-spec models where this features plusher-looking materials other than grey plastic. There are a few quality question marks as well, with very few soft-touch materials found, even on top of the dash. A VW Polo this is not, but it does still feel solidly constructed and like it’ll last the life of the car.

120

Those in the back will be in for a world of even more grey plastics. Even the internal door handles are downgraded to plastic while those in the front enjoy metal.

Physical dials dominate the interior of the Ibiza which is a welcome sight. Controls for the air conditioning remain as physical dials, not buried within the infotainment screen. There are no haptic screens to worry about here like are present on many other Volkswagen-based cars. The steering wheel is a little cluttered to look at, but the buttons are easy to master through muscle memory alone.

Infotainment and tech

Entry-level SE models come with a super-slick 8.2-inch infotainment screen and it grows to 9.2-inches for the rest of the range. They’re slick and easy to use, but it did crash and require rebooting twice on our 250-mile test. All versions of the Ibiza ship with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

120

The way the main controls in the centre of the dash are ever so slightly angled slightly towards the driver is a nice touch, and you feel very much like you’re sitting in the car, rather than on it. It instantly makes you feel more involved in driving it. Even the Fiesta couldn’t offer this, with a loftier driving position that feels at odds with the driving experience.

Comfort

• Solid seat comfort
• Impressive sound insulation
• Size of alloys make a difference

All Ibizas offer good levels of comfort for four adults, with a fifth relatively comfortable for a short journey. The seats offer a good level of support, with the microsuede examples found in the FR being particularly nice. The extra bolstering is supportive, and they don’t have a short base either, which you often find in superminis. The rear seats in all versions are nicely sculpted for longer journeys and offer solid support, a rarity in this segment. A long journey brought no discomfort whatsoever.

The engines have a tendency to make themselves known in the cabin when you really rev them out, but the Ibiza remains relaxed if you do this. Sure, you can hear when it reaches higher revs, but it’s not coarse and it doesn’t upset the calm inside the cabin.

120

It’s a similar story with wind and road noise with only slight blustering around the angular door mirrors at speed. The optional 18-inch alloys do kick up some extra road rumble at speed, with some road surfaces a contributing factor in this too.