Test Drive: The 2015 Seat Ibiza

So firstly why did no one tell me the Ibiza was getting a 2015 facelift a few months back when I was buying mine?  Raging!  Anyway I recently got the chance to test drive the updated model which will be launching later this year.

In terms of the exterior there is very little change from the 2008 model, in fact at distance you would struggle to tell the difference from the ‘new’ Ibiza and its predecessor.  So what has changed?  Well under the bonnet the new model has a completely different engine and sportier suspension which delivers a far nicer drive.  It was quiet at speed on the motorway and handled the road well.  I especially noticed the difference as soon as I took the wheel of my own car (the previous Ibiza).

Inside the design has been tweaked every so slightly too and the ‘connected’ infotainment system which is available in the Seat Leon makes its Ibiza debut.  It uses mirrorlink technology to mirror apps like spotify directly from your smartphone.  A great new feature as the current set-up which is linked to the included Garmin satnav is a right pain in the nads to be quite frank.

When this new model hits the showrooms later this year there will be 3 trims available  to choose from being the S, SE and FR.   As always the FR model will have a sportier edge whereas the SE model will have aircon and touchscreen included.

The price has yet to be unveiled but little is expected to change from the current pricing structure so expect a starting price mark in the region of £12,000.