ECHO
motors-merseyside
.co.uk
Friday, September 26, 2008
CUT A DASH New Ibiza aimed at the younger driver
Ford’s clean, green line-up gets bigger Mondeo ECOnetic
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VW IS HOT STUFF
Scirocco sultry and fast
CUTTING A DASH: The Seat Ibiza SC and (inset) the stylish interior which is designed to appeal to the younger driver
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SLEEK and sporty version of SEAT’s new Ibiza is going on sale aimed well and truly at the younger driver.
Anyone out to cut a dash will be won over by the sharp lines of the Ibiza SC. That’s little surprise since, like the five-door hatch model which went on sale only a few weeks ago, the SC is designed by former Lamborghini style guru Luc Donckerwolke. SEAT is bold enough to refer to its new car as a sports coupe to demonstrate it’s not just a three door version of the Ibiza. The SC is noticeably lower and a fraction shorter but Donckerwolke has worked some magic with the slashed back roofline and rear styling which sits on sharply cut haunches. These are evident every time you glance in the door mirrors and give the SC a feelgood factor all of its own. If that’s not enough to make the SC stand out there are also some vivid paint finishes, including an electric green. Inside, the SC is as user-friendly and
smartly-finished as the five-door Ibiza although the shape does lead to reduced leg room in the back. Priced from £8,595 the SC is £400 cheaper than the standard Ibiza and the range tops out at £10,895 for the top line 1.6-litre Sport. The SC makes use of the same engines as the regular Ibiza – 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrols – and while economical the smaller ones have to be worked hard to make the car sing. There’s nothing earth shattering about the performance – even the 1.6 takes more than ten seconds to reach 60mph from standstill – but it is lively enough through the gears, particularly for its target audience. Fuel consumption is in the low to mid 40s for all versions and the 1.2 and 1.4 engines fall below the 150g/km CO2 emissions mark. The car also qualifies for low insurance – the 1.4-litre is in group three. The SC is available in four trims and even
the basic S model has remote control central locking, tinted windows and front and side airbags. Air conditioning is available for around £500 more. Strangely, cruise control is standard fit on the mid-range SE models, priced from £9,995, but is a £150 option on the higher specification Sport which is available from £10,295 for one with a 1.4-litre engine. Options are plentiful and not prohibitively expensive. They include ESP with hill start assist and tyre pressure monitor at £280, adaptive headlamps at £650 and amounting for a Tom Tom navigation system at £35. Without a shadow of a doubt the Ibiza SC is a trendy car – and it’s fairly slick when it comes to handling. The Ibiza may share its underpinning with the Polo from SEAT’s parent company VW, but the Spanish treatment gives this car a zest of its own. The kids will love it.
edited by Mike Torpey
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