Seat Ibiza review

Even if you’re well over six feet tall, you won't feel your hair brushing the ceiling in the Seat Ibiza, and the seats slide back far enough to accommodate anyone long in the leg. Shoulder room is also better than in most small hatchbacks, making the car feel as roomy as many from the class above.

The front door pockets aren’t the biggest, but there’s a small cubby in front of the gear lever to stash your phone or keys, along with a decent-size glovebox.

Yes, the Ibiza is a small car in the grand scheme of things, but you might be surprised by how spacious it is in the back. There's considerably more leg room than you'll find in the rear of a Ford Fiesta or Skoda Fabia, for example. The only cars in this class that offer more are the Volkswagen Polo and the MPV-shaped Honda Jazz. 

That said, as with all cars in this class, squeezing three adults in the back makes life a little uncomfortable for everyone concerned. It’s manageable if the journey isn’t too long, though, and the fact that the Ibiza is broader than most small cars means there's less of a fight for shoulder room. There’s also plenty of head room to cater for six-footers.

Rear seats with a 60/40-split folding configuration are standard on all trims – par for the course in the small car class.

All trims (apart from entry-level SE) come with height adjustment for the front passenger seat, but, as for the driver's seat, adjustable lumbar support isn’t available, even as an option. 

Seat claims the Ibiza has a bigger boot than the Ford Focus, and while that seems a bit optimistic to us, there’s more room for luggage than you'll find in nearly any other small car – including the Fiesta and even the Polo. 

A couple of big suitcases or a small buggy will fit quite easily and we managed to squeeze in five carry-on suitcases without removing the parcel shelf or folding down the rear seats. There is a small load lip at the boot entrance to contend with, though.