Seat Ibiza long-term test review: report 6

The car Seat Ibiza 1.0 TSI 95 FR Run by Chris Haining, digital reviews editor

Why it’s here To find out if a small, economical car can cut it as an all-rounder, for weekend pleasure and motorway commuting alike.

Needs to Sip petrol, absorb long journeys without stress, come alive on a country road.

Miles 3845 List price £19,185 Target Price £16,722 Price as tested £19,980 Test economy 49.4mpg Official economy 51.2mpg

20 January 2021 – Facing the music

I’ve really grown to enjoy the growl that my Seat Ibiza’s 1.0-litre, three-cylinder engine emits when pushed, but it’s still nice to set my own soundtrack for a journey. Handily, the DVD-based navigation system you get with FR trim puts the Ibiza among a thinning list of cars that caters to those of us who prefer CDs to MP3s. But is my car’s upgraded BeatsAudio sound system worth the £380 cost?

Well, it’s rare that a small car’s audio setup does music real justice; all too often the top and bottom octaves are lost in the roar of tyre and wind noise. Not so with the BeatsAudio system, which certainly isn’t short on treble or bass. To my ears, its sonic signature is like that of the brand’s headphones: lots of welly, if not the last degree of sophistication when handling vocals. Not the very Highest of Fi, then, but it ensures that you hear every note, and I’d rather have it than not.

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