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SEAT Ibiza SC

Three-door SEAT Ibiza is no Bocanegra

Evo rating
RRP
from £10,895
  • Composed chassis, decent looking
  • Gutless 1.6. We’ll wait for the FR and Cupra

SEAT’s Bocanegra concept was a fine-looking piece of work. All aggressive snout, dramatic slashes and angles, it was built to whet our appetites for the three-door Ibiza. Job done. Appetite fully whetted. Of course, reality rarely lives up to fantasy and so it is with the Bocanegra’s production incarnation, the Ibiza SC, or Sport Coupe.

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Still, despite lacking visual drama it’s not a bad looking car, and by being lower and shorter than the five-door it does appear slightly racier. It also gets a choice of either Comfort or Sport set-ups, although they’re actually separated by a gnat’s whisker of body roll, both models offering a supple, forgiving ride and plenty of grip. But it’s not a sporting car to drive.

This is reinforced by the engines. Even the 104bhp 1.6-litre that currently tops the range requires a lot of rowing through the five-speed manual box. The seven-speed, twin-clutch DSG is better, though while the two extra ratios get the best from the engine at lower speeds it still feels a touch breathless on motorways.

All said and done, the Ibiza SC is a competent and practical little machine, but it won’t fulfil any keen drivers’ fantasies.

Specifications

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