SEAT Ibiza TDI

FIRST UK DRIVE Does diesel supermini add up?

First UK drive of supermini fitted with 1.6-litre engine

SUPERMINIS still account for a big proportion of new car sales. But small diesel cars have suffered in recent times, thanks in part to the uncertainty on future taxation troubles.

Yet for many high-mileage motorists, diesel is still the best solution. And some of those users still value the convenience and practicality that a small five-door hatch can offer.

With these buyers in mind, SEAT has just added the frugal 1.6 TDI to its popular Ibiza range – and this is our first chance to try one in the UK. In big-selling SE Technology trim, it comes with all the kit you’d want, too.

But price is a sticking point. At £17,110, it’s just over £2,000 more expensive than the excellent 93bhp 1.0 TSI petrol, and even on a PCP deal you’ll be paying around £60 more per month. You’ll need to do an awful lot of miles before you break even.

SEAT claims 74.3mpg economy, but on a steady 70-mile trip our car’s computer posted a scarcely believable 79.4mpg; the Ibiza TDI is an incredibly frugal car.

One thing it isn’t is fast. The sprint from 0-62mph takes a leisurely 13.3 seconds, and at low revs the engine can bog down and feel sluggish. You’ll be changing gear more often than you’d like, thanks to the narrow torque band (1,400rpm to 2,400rpm), but keep it in the sweet spot and it’s sprightly enough. The steering is as sharp and body control as decent as on other Ibiza models.

The TDI feels perfectly at home on the motorway, too, where it’ll happily sit at 70mph all day long. It’s not as quiet as the turbo petrol model, but it’s as hushed as you’d expect a small-capacity diesel engine to be.