For a while now Seat have been creating fun, yet frugal, versions of their sporty hatchbacks. Both the Leon and Ibiza have had FR badged models that sport diesel engines under the bonnet, and they manage to combine miserly running costs with half-decent performance.
Now the latest Seat Ibiza has been given the FR TDi treatment. This time it’s powered by a 143bhp turbo diesel that manages to combine 62.7mpg and 119g/km with 0-62mph in just 8.2 seconds and a to pspeed of 129mph. Not bad for a warm hatch, and with such low emissions you only pay £35 road tax.
2009 was a good year for Seat as they managed to grab 1.5% of the total UK car market (doesn’t sound a lot, but it’s growing) and cars like the Ibiza FR will surely help them grow further in 2010. It’s available in both three and five-door models, with deliveries starting in March at a cost of £16,465. That price gives you a six-speed manual gearbox, climate control, ESP and SEAT’s new XDS electronic ‘virtual’ limited slip differential. There’s also the usual FR detailing inside and out – bigger alloys, silver door mirrors and FR badging.
