SEAT Ibiza 2017 review: It’s one of only a few cars in the world able to take the fight to the Ford Fiesta

THE word “Ibiza” used to fill me with dread.

Hearing it jerked a gag reflex flashback to overcooked lads’ holidays — a Hunter S. Thompson-style replay of serotonin-depleted grime and grubbiness. But not any more.

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Now the word Ibiza makes me think of SEAT’s bang tidy B-segment bomber, one of only a few cars in the world able to take the fight to the Ford Fiesta.

What makes a small car a success? First and foremost, ease of use.

Some cars are just so simple to drive that it becomes instinct from the first moment you turn the key.

The new Ibiza — which now only comes in five-door form — possesses this rare quality.

I can’t think of anyone who would struggle to get to grips with it from the get-go, or be bamboozled by the interior layout.

It’s clear the engineers have thought hard about everything, then thought some more.

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No surprise then that SEAT’s spokesman was keen to announce that the new Ibiza — now in its fifth generation — is “100 per cent designed by SEAT”.

That’s code for: “This is our car, not a re-bodied VW hand-me-down.”

While the test route I drove couldn’t be further from the Balearic island it’s named after, North Wales knows how to do jaw-dropping scenery — and roads to match.

Peppered with steep inclines and declines, hairpins and numerous tractors to box off quickly before blind bends, it was a rigorous testing ground for a car which is likely to spend most of its life in 30mph zones or straight-line motorways.

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For the first part of the day my steed was the 95PS 1.0 litre turbo petrol.

The Ibiza, which debuted in showrooms this week, is also available in a 75PS non-turbo one litre, as well as a peppier 115PS turbo. A 1.5 EVO engine will arrive before the end of the year.

Even in the 95PS, the plucky three-cylinder is highly capable, responding manfully to fourth gear hill acceleration demands.

Third gear is even lively enough to be called fun on twister stretches.

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For driving enthusiasts, it goes without saying the 115PS is more rewarding and the 75PS should only be optioned by those who rarely break 50mph.

Now a word about trims. Like the new Ford Fiesta, there’s a new top-end trim.

In the Fiesta it’s called Vignale (ugh) and in the Ibiza it’s called Xcellence.

Starting at £16,715, the Xcellence offers more comfort than the others.

But by the time you’ve put a decent engine in and specced it up, you’re well into 18-grand territory.

For me, I’d take the sportier FR trim, which is £700 cheaper and comes with 17-inch alloys, the same four driving modes as Xcellence — Eco, Sport, Comfort and Individual — Apple CarPlay and DAB, plus lots more.

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The SE trim, which will be the bulk seller, starts at £14k and still gives you LEDs, cornering fog lights and a gloriously intuitive five-inch colour touch screen.

Here’s a stat: the Ibiza has the youngest customer base of all superminis, ten years younger than the market average (possibly the name helping there?).

And young people are being especially punished at the moment by car insurance, which is at an all-time high across the board.

All the more reason to consider the Ibiza.

SEAT is offering free insurance in the SE trim. That’s going to be an even bigger sell than its massive 355-litre boot space.

Having driven the new Fiesta just a few weeks ago, I expected stepping into the Ibiza would be a let-down.

But I believe SEAT has pulled off a car which is just as good.

Which is a relief, because I’m too long in the tooth for another Ibiza-related comedown.