The new Seat Ibiza bursts onto the scene full of energy and youthful dynamism, but true to its origins. It's an innovative proposal whose precision quality, sportiness and new "Arrow Design" concept combine perfectly with high levels of safety and comfort. The car shows how well the new platform developed by the VW Group for this segment adapts to the Spanish maker's newcomer.
To be produced exclusively in the Martorell facilities, the most modern technologies have been applied on the new generation Seat Ibiza in all the manufacturing stages, resulting in a development time shortened by 14 months compared to the previous Seat Ibiza and featuring the use of virtual models in the initial stage, instead of the traditional physical models.
The most significant result of this has not only been reduced lead times and lower expenses, but the enhancement of one of the values that Seat applies to all its models, namely quality, which has reached its highest level on the new Seat Ibiza.
Paying special attention to detail, both on the exterior as well as the interior of the car, several elements can be found on the new Seat Ibiza that have been crafted with exquisite care, for example the detailing on the dashboard, the instrument panel, the new ventilation nozzles or the central console, where the newly designed radio includes a Bluetooth connection that can be activated via controls on the steering column.
Externally, the new "Arrow Design" concept makes a bold statement, where the headlights and radiator grille's lower positioning provide a sportier, more forceful silhouette. These qualities are also present in the modified "Dynamic Line" that makes an impressive sweep across the side of the car. The robust rear shoulders and attractive wheel arches complete the design of the new Seat Ibiza, the first production model created by Seat's Design Director Luc Donckerwolke.
The novel platform used on the new Seat Ibiza lengthens the car's wheelbase by 7 mm and widens the track, 30 mm more at the front and 33 mm more on the rear. This has led to modifications to the steering gear, front sub-chassis, stabiliser bar, lower transversal arms and the silent-blocks that attach to the body.
The greater distance between the axles and greater diameter wheels have also contributed to the significant evolution of the characteristic "Agile Chassis" concept, which affects the performance of suspension, steering and brakes.
All of these changes provide the new Seat model with enhanced dynamic qualities, greater driving comfort, more room and more practicality. Besides, an 8% increase in boot space makes it among the leaders in its segment, with a total capacity of 292 litres (25 more than the previous Ibiza.)
The new Seat Ibiza features outstanding environmental friendliness - it can be almost fully recycled and its CO2 emissions have been lowered across the board. All Diesel engine emissions levels are below 120 g/km, while on the petrol versions the figure is below 160 g /km.
A lot of time has also been dedicated to safety, with demanding virtual simulations, real crash tests and more than two million kilometres of gruelling road tests. The addition of a standard head-thorax airbag increases passenger safety on the new Seat Ibiza, and pedestrian safety has been improved with a newly-designed bonnet and front bumper.
Furthermore, the new Ibiza offers standard ESP electronic stability in selected markets such as Spain and Germany, as well as Hill Hold Control, which maintains the vehicle stationary on slopes for two seconds between releasing the brake pedal and accelerating. A static cornering light function on the fog lamps is also available, which improves visibility when turning corners, or at speeds lower than 40 km/h.
Other important new features very well worth mentioning are the powerful Bi-xenon headlamps with AFS (Adaptive Frontlighting System), rear parking sensors, a radio-integrated Bluetooth connection or the pre-installation in the middle of the dashboard of a handy dock to connect a portable satnav system.
Although the initial engine range features three petrol versions (70 hp 1.2; 85 hp 1.4 and 105 hp 1.6) and one Diesel option with the DPF particulate filter (105 hp 1.9 TDI), the range will soon expand to include the 80 hp 1.4 TDI and 90 hp 1.9 TDI. All the engines are mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. The new Seat Ibiza will be available with three trim levels - Reference, Stylance and Sport, with an outstanding standard equipment level even from the entry-level model.
Exterior Design
The modern, ground-breaking design of the new Seat Ibiza stems from a new design language. The car's imposing sportiness is highlighted by its "Arrow Design", which resorts to simpler, more defined geometric lines that create both balance and aesthetic continuity.
The front end looks much more aggressive due to the positioning of the captivating eye-shaped headlights and the radiator grille. Both elements have been lowered, conferring an arrowhead design which is characteristic of the new car.
In the design concept of the new Seat Ibiza, Seat Design Director Luc Donckerwolke underlines that "there is greater tension on the car's body surface treatment, with incisive concavities that create reduced colour shades." He recognises that on the new body "there are more surface nuances and more obvious lettering."
There is a highly important new element in the design of the Ibiza that emphasises the car's sporty nature - the distinct shoulder line that rises over the rear wheel arch to convey more strength to the rear of the vehicle. The robust shoulders stand out visually over the striking wheel arches.
The "Dynamic Line" that personalises the silhouette of Seat's current model range lends special significance to the new Seat Ibiza. Compared to the others, this one is a distinct line that begins at the hatch on the side of the body and the rear lights, creating a perfect visual continuity with the line of the boot, and contrasts with the line that runs lengthwise from the front end over the doors and downward to finish in the centre of the rear wheel arch.
According to Luc Donckerwolke, "this Dynamic Line is different and lends greater balance to the car's volumes."
Furthermore, the sporty looks and clearly youthful image surrounding the new Seat Ibiza are emphasised by the door mirrors located beneath the base of the windows and the efficient air intake underneath the bumper.
Interior Design
The philosophy applied to the design of the interior is based on facing all the instruments toward the driver to create a sporty atmosphere to match the car's exterior. At the same time, the shape of the surfaces lets in enough light to set the interior mood, creating a perfect balance in the passenger compartment between functionality and design.
The interior dimensions are uncluttered, resulting in greater roominess and practicality. The first thing that draws your attention is the sporty driving position, which has been lowered by 22 mm compared to the previous model. Now there is a distance of 986 mm (20 mm more) to the ceiling for both the driver and passenger, and 60 mm (16 mm more) from the head to the area where the ceiling and the doors meet.
Since the vehicle is 99 mm longer, the boot capacity is 292 litres (25 litres greater than on the previous Ibiza. On selected versions, the side lining includes a storage net for small objects, and a recess with a strap to hold the light bulb case. Surrounding the lock there is also a recess and restraints for the emergency triangles, and there are four further optional anchoring rings to attach a restraining net.
The newly designed, sporty dashboard features a driver-oriented instrument panel with two large circular dials for easy visual access.
Some areas on the dashboard are soft to the touch. They are located away from the windscreen and feature a broader colour range, including light shades. There are also a lot more painted components compared to the previous model, including metallic tones. The new circular air nozzles guarantee an ideal air flow direction for greater passenger compartment comfort.
Safety
Safety aspects on the new Seat Ibiza have been carefully studied since the beginning of the project. Its uniform structure of links and profiles meets the established objectives, after simulations and real tests, of achieving a balanced deformation of its structure. This prevents passenger contact with structural elements that could cause injuries in the event of a rollover.
The new Seat Ibiza features two airbag setups - one standard, which includes side head-thorax airbags and two front airbags; and alternative equipment which includes side thorax-pelvis airbags and head airbags.
The safety concept has been considerably enhanced on the new generation Seat Ibiza. One key area is the development of a new driver airbag module, focusing efforts on improving the airbag's performance under extreme temperature conditions. Results are a weight reduction and less complexity than on the previous model.
Since the deployment area on the lining is seamless and invisible to the eye, also the looks of the dashboard has improved in case of the passenger airbag.
The new Seat Ibiza also features a fasten seatbelt warning system for the front seats, and Isofix anchoring points for the rear seats, enabling two child seats to be securely fastened. A complementary accessory is the possibility of installing a third anchoring point called Top Tether, which prevents the child seat from rotating in the event of a crash.
Active safety elements on the new Seat Ibiza include ABS, TCS and ESP with EBA and tyre pressure warning.
Demanding crash tests
Crash tests were used in the development programme of the new Seat Ibiza at an impact speed of 64 km/h, instead of the usual 56 km/h. Another area of active and passive safety examined was the restraining systems.
Rear crash tests were even more gruelling, with a speed of impact of 50 km/h instead of 38 km/h, while the mass of the impact beam was also increased.
High resistance steel was used on the side protection bars of the doors and at waist height, which contributes to protecting passengers in the event of a side impact.
The wholly new steering column is more ergonomic, weighs less, performs better in case of impact and is more rigid, increasing the sensation of comfort and quality. The total weight is one kg less than on the former model. This has been achieved through design improvements and the addition of greater support on the transversal beam.
The steering column ergonomics have been generally improved by placing the plastic lever that adjusts its position on the side, rather than underneath, providing an important 9 mm more space for the driver's knees in the event of a crash.
Increased pedestrian safety
Pedestrian protection is one area of safety that has been particularly closely studied on the new Seat Ibiza. The two zones on the car that are more prone to cause injuries to a pedestrian's head and lower legs are the bonnet and the bumper.
The bonnet features two areas of maximum energy absorption where the risk of causing head injuries is the greatest. On the whole, the great distance between the bumper and its crossbeam but no distance between the bumper and its rear support both contribute to protecting the legs in the event of collision. The former guarantees that the knee avoids impact and at the same time advances forward and reduces its acceleration. The latter implies that the resulting zone is very rigid (the spoiler beneath the bumper) and not prone to deformation, so a leg impact prevents the shinbone from advancing.
The combination of both features causes reduced angles related to the femur/shinbone, much less than 15 degrees, which implies that a pedestrian's legs are better protected.
The Seat Ibiza has been put through more than two million kilometres of endurance tests, and the resulting data has been analysed at the Martorell Technical Centre as the basis for introducing improvements to the new model during its development.
Engines
Although the engine line-up on the new Seat Ibiza will gradually increase, the initial offer includes four different versions - three petrol and one Diesel. Each one is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox and follows the strict EU4 emission guidelines.
The entry-level 1.2 litre petrol engine has a three cylinder block, a cylinder head with four valves per cylinder and multi-point fuel injection. It develops 70 hp (51 kW) and its maximum engine torque is 112 Nm at 3,000 rpm, giving it exceptional fuel consumption and performance levels. Average fuel consumption is 5.9 litres per 100 km and CO2 emissions are listed at 139 g/km.
The intermediate 1.4 litre petrol engine has four cylinders, a cylinder head with 16 valves and multi-point fuel injection. It delivers 85 hp (63 kW) and its maximum engine torque is 132 Nm at 3,800 rpm. As with the smallest engine, this one strikes a perfect balance between performance, consumption and emissions. Average fuel consumption is 6.2 litres per 100 km and CO2 emissions are listed at 149 g/km.
The most powerful, four cylinder 1.6 litre petrol engine also has 16 valves and multi-point fuel injection. It delivers 105 hp (77kW) and 153 Nm of engine torque at 3,800 rpm. Despite its higher performance, fuel consumption is still contained at 6.6 litres, and CO2 emissions fall beneath 160 g at 157 g/km.
The only Diesel engine available for the moment is the 1.9 litre four cylinder TDI equipped with a direct fuel pump-injection system enhanced with an Intercooler turbo. It develops 105 hp (77 kW) and delivers a maximum torque of 240 Nm at 1,900 rpm. It features a DPF particulate filter and consumes 4.5 litres on average for every 100 km, and maintains CO2 emissions at 119 g/km.
Future additions to the Diesel range will include the 80 hp 1.4 TDI and the 90 hp 1.9 TDI, both equipped with the DPF particulate filter.
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