LIVING WITH A... SEAT IBIZA

FINAL REPORT Is supermini the perfect first car? We get a teenager’s verdict as it leaves fleet

Our unique ‘teen test’ rates smart supermini’s credentials as a first car.

OUR SEAT Ibiza is leaving the Auto Express fleet with nine months of service under its belt. In that time, it’s served me well, whether it was on the commute to work, going shopping or meeting up with friends.

Those things are exactly what you’d expect of a supermini like the Ibiza, especially as this updated model appeals to younger buyers with its extensive customisation options. But to find out just how good it is as a first car, I took my cousin Luke, who’s just passed his driving test, for a spin.

First impressions were good, with Luke complimenting the car’s styling. “I like the aggressive-looking headlights and the creases down the sides of the car,” he said. “I prefer a squarer look, though, like the VW Polo.” Round one to the Ibiza’s rivals, then.

Hopping inside, Luke told me that the interior “has a high-quality and solid feel”, but the best feature was definitely Apple Carplay (Android Auto is also included). As an iphone user, Luke was impressed by the system, as he already uses his phone for music and sat-nav, and the in-car system in the Ibiza means it’s even easier to operate.

“It’s something a lot of people my age will really like,” explained Luke, adding that “the steering wheel controls are great, too – they mean you don’t have to take your hands off the wheel or eyes off the road”. I’ve praised the infotainment system before, so I was glad to hear that Luke liked it, too.

It wasn’t all positive feedback, though. Sitting in the back, Luke told me that “the seating position feels too high”, and that his mates wouldn’t be too happy squeezed back there. Some of his friends’ superminis have similar legroom but don’t feel as tight inside, including Luke’s own VW Polo. That wouldn’t be enough to put him off, though, and with road tax costing just £30 a year and fuel economy of 46.3mpg, its running costs are low enough to appeal to young buyers on a budget. However, price is still an issue for 17-year-olds like Luke.

“At my age, it would be a strain. You’d have to be loaded to afford this,” he said bluntly, referring to the £14,700 list price – then I told him that our car was fitted with options bringing the total up to £16,030. We got a number of fully comprehensive insurance quotes for Luke on the Ibiza, ranging from £1,540 up to an incredible £8,470. The least expensive quote without a telematics ‘black box’ was £3,460, while the cheapest with one was still £150 a month.

With a deposit of £1,450, he’d be paying around £190 a month for the SEAT on finance, so add that to the insurance premium, and even the Ibiza would be out of reach for many young motorists like him.

“Luke said interior has a ‘high-quality and solid feel’, but Ibiza’s best feature is Apple Carplay”