2004 Seat Ibiza SX from UK and Ireland - Comments

Everything worked perfectly from the go... and still does.

When it came to looking for a new car, I looked at many 3 door "superminis" in the range for a few weeks... test drove some, read countless reviews of others, etc... until I started hearing more and more about the SEAT Ibiza - I very much liked the look of it, so I decided to test drive it. I immediately put the order in for a brand new Ibiza SX 1.4 16v.

My previous car was a '97 VW Polo 1.4 so I know what a well built, quality car is like... many things I've heard and read from owners of this car is that it is poorly built, interior wise - I would have to disagree. It does look a tad sparse, but so do most other small cars in this range, take the Renault Clio for example. Quality wise, though it feels nice and solid, just like a Volkswagen... and when the headlights are on, the dash controls light up red which looks very nice indeed.

Another negative point about this car that I've read by a couple of motor journalists... the 1.2 and 1.4 engines lacking in power. Well the 1.2 5 door Ibiza S I test drove did seem a bit tame, but the same cannot be said for my 1.4. The power is there - you just need to know how to drive the car to it's limits. That is if you don't mind paying more for petrol... I should also mention that the engine seems to have a VERY pleasing sound to it from inside the car when you're in the low gears.

Handling now - this thing is GREAT for handling. Very light when you're trying to park or swerve in and out of lanes at low speeds, but satisfyingly meaty and heavy at speeds over 60mph, which makes overtaking fun in a "Har har, I'm faster!" way. This car just grips the road perfectly. Bends that felt scary in my previous car unless I slowed right down are now a joke to this car. I will warn you though, that those not interested in a "fun" drive may get irate at the stiff suspension causing you to feel pretty much every bump in the road more than some other cars... doesn't bother me, though.

On an aesthetic level, this car definitely turns heads. When I got it, my friends were jealous and I feel proud that I'm not just another 206 or Fiesta driver. Let's not forget the extremely fair share of nifty features that you get as standard with the model I went for (SX) - 15 inch alloy wheels (which really compliment the car's looks), automatic air conditioning (just remember to turn it off if you don't really need it, it burns petrol when on), CD player, very impressive 8 speaker sound system which I believe comes with all Volkswagen models as standard. It also has ABS and of course remote central locking.

The automatic air conditioning system is very impressive. You just set your temperature and it does what it has to... it responds very fast. If your windscreen fogs up, hit the de-mist button and it's gone in seconds.

All this kit at a competitive price (at the price I got it for, I could've gone for a Renault Clio 1.2 with a few more extras) does come with a trade off - some of the various levers and handles etc feel a tad flimsy and plasticy whereas you wouldn't find this drop in quality in, say, a new Polo... but these are just minor complaints. Perhaps a more relevant complaint would be that the leg room for passengers in the back is not exactly plentiful... almost all passengers of varying sizes I've had in the back have commented on it. But who cares about them anyway. Furthermore, if you do nothing, but town\city driving then you will find yourself spending quite a bit on petrol... but then again, what are you doing with a 1.4? You're better suited to 1.2 anyway. My first full tank lasted me about 350 miles and this was varied driving (town, motorway cruising, busy dual carriageways etc etc) considering my sometimes boisterous driving style, I'd say that is pretty good.

Overall, I'd recommend this car to absolutely anyone looking for a small, affordable car. The only way you'd get better overall quality in this range is to go for the more expensive Volkswagen Polo, but then you wouldn't have the enjoyable responsive handling and features like alloy wheels and air conditioning wouldn't be standard, that's for sure.

Top review fella. I'm picking my Ibiza 1.4 16v up in the next couple of weeks and cannot wait, especially after reading your detailed review!

I must admit when I test drove the 1.4 I was a little shocked at how nippy it was, this is coming from a 2.5 V6 driver... obviously not as quick by a long way, but it has a lot of zest in it and I hope, much cheaper on fuel!

Roll on delivery day!

First of all, I have to say that this is a great review. You've covered all the key aspects and have GREATLY HELPED to influence my choice - thank you.

I've been keenly searching for a Renault Clio 1.2 Dynamique, that is I WAS until I read your review.

As you mention, the equipment that comes as standard with the SX (mainly Climatronic Climate Control) is worth somewhere around £850 for a Clio.

The standard features + SAME NCAP SCORE as the Renault Clio (renowned for safety) + SAME INSURANCE GROUP + larger space + BETTER BUILD QUALITY (Volkswagen after all) + NOT COMMON (Clios are absolutely EVERYWHERE these days), make the Ibiza SX the car for ME!

I'm about to pick up my SX soon and CAN'T WAIT - HA HA HA!

One last thing, as I understand it, the Ibiza was What Car? of the Year 2003, and What Car? Supermini of the Year 2004 & 2005 - now it makes EVEN MORE SENSE. How did the Spaniards make such a good car in between their long siestas?! (Probably 'cos it's German after-all - hurrah!)

Just picked up a new Ibiza 1.4 Sport, totally agree with your comments, it's a great car and an absolute bargain compared with the competition! It's also got that X factor that is missing from most superminis. The handling is fab, just could do with a little bit more power from the engine to back up the sporty exhaust note. And some of the trim is a tad flimsy - but certainly not as much as in some rivals (Clio or 206 for example!) Other than that, can't complain at all!

I'd agree with all the points in this review, I'd know as I've just bought a 9month old 1.2 SX 5 door Ibiza at a cracking price and I am sooooo pleased with it! The Ibiza sure has it all, looks, economy and as its basically a VW it should be reliable, the build quality is certainly excellent. If an Ibiza fits into your price range then give them a test drive and I'm sure you'll be won over!

Just picked up a brand spanking new Seat Ibiza 1.2 Reference. It is absolutely wicked! What a pleasure to drive!

We could have chosen a Citroen C2 or C3 with all the bells and whistles, but when we tested the Seat Ibiza we realised there was 'something' about it! Someone who commented above mentioned the 'X Factor', and they would be absolutely right!

The engine sounds awesome from within the cabin and when you put your foot down it responds very quickly, obviously it's not a Ferrari, but it is very quick and it's got a nice sporty growl.

It's fun to drive and when it is night time the interior lights up in red, which is very, very smart!

So far, (it's only got about 30 miles on the clock!) there are absolutely no problems and I would definitely recommend a Seat Ibiza to anyone—they're superb! (maybe I should be part of their sales team!!)

I agree with all the comments, I bought a brand new 1.2 SX 3door in emocion red for £8060 in May and it's a great car. I got the mp3 CD player and steering wheel controls added on for £60, what a bargain! It's very quick for a 1.2 and can handle Motorways as easily as city roads. I've been to Cornwall and Scotland in mine and there's been not problems. Factory 0-60 time of 14.9 is well out as I have done it in 11.5 seconds and someone I know had it 'RRd' at 75bhp and according to the figures they are only 64bhp. There's more to the Ibiza than meets the eye!

I've been looking and looking for a new car for the past 2 Months.. The only ones that caught my eye were the 'Seat', 'MG-ZR' and a maybe on the 'Bravo'.. but I thought about it, and after a few test drives it all made sense to me.. The Seat, after the first test drive of a 1.2sx I had to buy it!! Well to be honest the price it was on at for an 04 was so cheap and the condition is amazing, I was amazed by all of the interior, the drive, last, but not least. The colour! I got the dark grey one. LOVE IT!

I didn't really get to give it a good test drive, but my dad did.. We both thought it was a little slow on acceleration, but time will tell as I go and pick it up in 5 days time. Can't wait! I had a citreon saxo to start and boy, that was quick off the mark.

I've never been so happy in my life from buying a car! its what I've wanted for so long and could only dream about getting.

Thanks for the extra good comments!

Very good review! I bought a Seat Ibiza TDi PD 130 FR yesterday, and am looking forward to picking it up on Tuesday. I've seen a lot of comments that the particular car I've bought can be uncomfortable, but then I heard a lot about that from my current car (Skoda Octavia 2.0) After a lot of problems I had recently with my Skoda, decided to get a Diesel and jump ship!

Reading reviews like does help when you've just spent thousands on a new car!

This all looks very promising... I've just upgraded my 2002 Arosa 1.0 to a 2005 Ibiza 1.2SX and will hopefully be picking it up next week all being well... it's in excellent all-round condition, felt amazing on the test drive, and the price was most certainly right... very reasonable for an 05-plate with a slightly below-average mileage. I've consulted several different sources on-line and have hardly heard anything bad about the 1.2SX, so I'll (hopefully) be reporting back fairly soonish with a positive review... watch this space!!

I have had a Seat Ibiza Chill (1.4 engine) for a couple of years now, and really like it. The only problem has been that the driver's door window fell down, and to repair it cost the best part of £250. Apparently this is quite common in modern cars - I was told by the garage that they get at least one of these a week (not just Seat, I hasten to say!). The only criticism I have is the lack of interior storage space. The glove box is a joke, and there is no cup holder. Surprisingly there is less space for small items than in my previous Daewoo Matiz! But apart from that it's great. Oh, and being 55 years old I got the garage to remove the word "Chill" from the door - I'm not driving around in a car with the word "Chill" on it!