TAKE A SEAT IN SPAIN’S SPORTY BUDGET HATCHBACK This year sees a totally new model coming in for the Seat Ibiza but I don’t think it will hit the popularity of the current car too hard. That’s maybe not such good news if you are in the market for a used Ibiza because your intended car will still have strong prices. But dealers shifting their current Ibizas may well have some late plate bargains on their forecourts which it would make sense to snap up. Seat is the sporty brand of the VW Group, intended thanks to its Spanish origins to inject some southern European flavour into its products. Like the Skoda brand, it has been lifted completely since Volkswagen took control and these days there are VW mechanical parts underpinning the Seat models. The Ibiza platform, for instance, is also shared with the VW Polo and Skoda Fabia. Like the Fabia, it has a sporting 130 bhp diesel derivative but the Ibiza also gets powerful 158 bhp diesel and 178 bhp petrol models, too. The Ibiza is one of those cars best finished in a bright colour - it looks particularly striking in the canary yellow that is very well suited to the brisk Cupra derivatives. But I've just been getting about in a Cupra finished in metallic silver that made the car look too anonymous - the Cupra, as it appeals to younger drivers, just begs a strong and vibrant hue. But at the other end of the scale, there are some fairly simple Ibizas, too, such as the 1.2 litre three cylinder petrol. This is real economy car motoring but then that’s exactly what many people are looking for in cars like the Ibiza. If you are one of them, then this small Seat will not disappoint you. Walk into a Seat dealership and you’ll notice that three of the company’s models, the Altea, Toledo, and Leon, share the same basic design. Only the Ibiza and ageing Alhambra people carrier stand out for being radically different. The Ibiza is a high-waisted car with a narrow window line which helps reinforce its sportiness - when inside you feel you are sitting low in the car. The 1.2 litre engine has a roar that’s distinctive of three cylinder units and even though this is the poverty model it still feels good to be in. Younger and inexperienced drivers will warm to it because it still shares the sporting pedigree of the brisker models and can be dressed to look like them but comes with just Group 2 insurance, making it one of the cheapest cars there is for premiums. As this 1.2 petrol engine is good for 40 mpg without really trying, you don't have to pay the extra the diesels cost to get good economy and low running costs. If you do decide to take the diesel Ibiza route, then the SDI with its 68 bhp engine is probably best avoided unless you enjoy a pedestrian pace of travel. There are better turbocharged diesels starting with a 1.4 litre three cylinder and these are the ones to go for. The Cupra cars are something else, coming with a 20 valve petrol engine delivering around 180 bhp or a diesel that pumps out just shy of 160 bhp. Now, believe me, we are talking quick whichever one you go for but I would prefer the diesel for its low rev, high torque output that really whams you up through the gears. On the other hand, if you are after a Civic Type R, screaming engine experience then the more free revving petrol Cupra will fit the bill but won't bring Honda-sized bills for running costs. Service intervals on the latest cars are 10,000 miles, with variable intervals for the diesels. As I mentioned, insurance starts at Group 2 rising only as high as Group 8 for the better diesels but to 15 for the Cupra performance cars. Current shape Ibizas, which were launched in 2002, are now around for about £3,700. Late plate cars hold their values well, and a 1.2 three door on an 07 plate would be £6,450 against £8,000 new. If you want to burn some serious rubber, a 56 plate Cupra diesel is around £13,000 while opting for petrol power would get an 07 for £600 less. Maurice Hardy