SEAT Ibiza FR
The Spanish warm hatch may still be settling into life on the evo Fast Fleet, but it’s already shown its love of the Dark Side
HAVING GOT TO KNOW THE Ibiza a little better, I’m finding its interior is full of contradictions. While the bang-up-todate design is sleek to look at, it’s also very dark, with enough gloss black plastic to put Darth Vader’s helmet to shame.
At least being a warm FR means the interior gets a smattering of brighter accents. The black Alcantara seats (£365) certainly look the part with their contrasting red stitching – also used on the handbrake, gearlever gaiter and steering wheel. Strangely, though, SEAT’S online configurator won’t let you spec anything other than rather plain-looking Nora Black FR cloth seats, so check with your dealer if they take your fancy.
Meanwhile, the chunky, flat-bottomed steering wheel gets an FR logo to match those on the front grille and tailgate. Like an excited puppy, the infotainment screen has also been welcoming me with an FR logo on start-up in case I’ve forgotten which model I’m in.
Unlike the recent penchant for dashtop infotainment screens, the Ibiza’s is integrated below the central air vents. Granted, this is neater and makes it easier to use, but the downside is the heating controls are set lower down, drawing your eyes further from the road. And because the connectivity hub takes up the space beneath, the cup holders have to live behind the gearlever, meaning if you do have a cup of coffee on board, or even worse two, your left arm must work at an unnatural and uncomfortable height when changing gear.
More impressive is how quickly I’ve felt ‘at home’ with the car, and finding a comfortable position has been a doddle. Some cars take a little getting used to, but not the Ibiza. It just feels right.
Having five doors – the only option on the current Ibiza – adds practicality, but getting in and out is quite tight for the driver, as the B-pillars are set quite a way forward. If, like me, you pull the seat back a bit before getting out, things get even worse. The seat bases are quite steeply raked, too, all of which can call for a bit of Houdini-like contortionism. Or maybe that’s just me.
Other niggles? The matt and highgloss surfaces show up fingerprints too easily, and the shallow rear window combined with the privacy glass makes reversing into tight spots a bit of a chore.
So a bit of a mixed bag, then. The cabin does seem well screwed together and looks and feels like it will stand the test of time. I just wish, being an FR model, the interior was a little less like looking out from the bridge of the Death Star.