Ibiza FR Technology 1.4 Ecotsi Sports Tourer

[Jupiter 8]

Hi,

Picked up a '66 plate ex-demo Ibiza ST FR Tech with the 1.4 150hp engine a few weeks back for a great price and couldn't be happier with it - seems like a hell of a lot of car for the money . I'm told it was one of the last ST Ibizas to be registered in the U.K.; seems a shame to me that SEAT have decided to kill off this practical body style. Super mini estates work best for me because I need a car with a compact footprint (primarily dictated by having a narrow drive at side of house) that is still able to lug decent loads. Any love for the estate version of the Ibiza here?

 

[bcr5784]

I have a similar car (66 reg) - one of the very last as you say. I think it's a great shame that the ST isn't continuing. Mind you an ST version of the new Ibiza wouldn't do you much good - it's 3 inches wider!


I think it's a terrific car and, for me, just the right mix of passenger and luggage space. I can understand why Seat ditched it - it just isn't popular, but why it's not more popular is a mystery. I can imagine there are plenty of families with young children who don't need that much passenger space, but have lots of kit they need to put in the boot. In my case our kids have left home but my wife and I are short so there is plenty of room in the back for 2 adults and space for luggage for the 4 of us.

I suppose the estate may continue as a Skoda, but at the moment it doesn't come with the 1.4tsi engine - a standout feature of the car and it's loss would be a killer for me.

 

[Jupiter 8]

Thanks for your reply! I also find it mysterious that supermini estates aren't more popular. I guess that the rise of the small SUV-type vehicles is killing them off. I much prefer the traditional estate bodystyle though - they sit lower (and therefore likely handle better), have longer boots and tend to be narrower. My previous car was a Skoda Fabia Mk 2 1.9 TDi estate and it was great - fitted into the tightest of car park spaces with ease and could carry a single mattress or chest-high fridge freezer in the back. Not sure that a Nissan Juke could tick those two boxes!

Much as I loved the Fabia estate the Ibiza ST is in another league when it comes to refinement and style though. The 1.4 EcoTsi is a peach of an engine with its punch and smoothness, and the FR Technology spec certainly gives you plenty of kit. An agile and nimble little sport wagon for sure. I think the ST is much better-looking than both the Mk2 and latest Fabia estates. Mine's in Chilli Red with the Titanium pack and tinted rear windows - a very smart-looking combination IMO!

 

[KXL]

A rocketship of an Estate.
Estates don't seem so popular in UK...was recently in Portugal, seen so many Leon and Ibiza estates and even saw a Golf R Estate...

Even Renault Clio had an estate there!

Where I'm from there is even a VW Polo Sedan!

 

[bcr5784]

Much as I loved the Fabia estate the Ibiza ST is in another league when it comes to refinement and style though. The 1.4 EcoTsi is a peach of an engine with its punch and smoothness, and the FR Technology spec certainly gives you plenty of kit. An agile and nimble little sport wagon for sure. I think the ST is much better-looking than both the Mk2 and latest Fabia estates. Mine's in Chilli Red with the Titanium pack and tinted rear windows - a very smart-looking combination IMO!

I have mixed feelings about kit. My previous car was a Nissan Note - top of the range nTec+ (2012 model) and much better equipped - 4 electric windows, 3 power points, grab handles, lights in the rear compartment, dual height boot, vast refrigerated glove box (the one in theTechnology model is all but useless) , under seat stowage, - none of which are even options. Privacy glass, climate and a spare wheel were standard - as of course was a sliding back seat.

All that said Ibiza is a far more fun car and the performance is on another planet. I certainly wouldn't swap back.

Perhaps, as you say SUVs are squeezing estates out from one side - and MPVs from the other.

 

[Jupiter 8]

Fair point about the spec - plenty of technology and clever convenience (e.g. auto lights and wipers) in the FR Tech but it is more sparse on the comfort side. Manual winders at the rear seem very stingy for the highest spec in the range as does manual air con - even my '57 plate Fabia (Level 3 spec) had climate control, arm rest, rear parking sensors and rear electric windows as standard! My ST has rear parking sensors but they were an option I believe.

 

[Jupiter 8]

A rocketship of an Estate.
Estates don't seem so popular in UK...was recently in Portugal, seen so many Leon and Ibiza estates and even saw a Golf R Estate...

Even Renault Clio had an estate there!

Where I'm from there is even a VW Polo Sedan!

I certainly see a fair number of Leon estates and German barges but yes, the small estates seem to be more popular elsewhere in Europe than here.

I guess the Ibiza ST with the 1.4 150hp engine is kind of a rocketship compared with the other supermini estates that are (or were once) available! The Fabia estate certainly doesn't come with such power, which is a little strange considering that it gets other VAG engines also used by the Ibiza.

I looked at the Mk 3 Fabia but as bcr5784 points out, it's expanded in width compared with its predecessor, as will the next Ibiza and Polo! Cars get bigger and bigger but my house's drive has no room for expansion and car park spaces appear to have been designed for cars available in the 1970s!

 

[gh2]

I changed to an Ibiza ST for those very reasons. I need space for a new baby, which means a big, easy to load boot but not masses of space in the back seats.

I drove the Skoda Rapid Spaceback which we really liked because of the panoramic roof but it didn't have the power that I was used to from the Leon.

The car doesn't skimp on features; the only thing missing is the sport button.

I bought a 16 plate with 2800 miles on the clock - it's still less than 12 months old. Apparently it was driven by someone that works for Bentley.

Was the chili red Ibiza from the garage in Chippenham? If so, I had previously test driven it!

 

[Jupiter 8]

I changed to an Ibiza ST for those very reasons. I need space for a new baby, which means a big, easy to load boot but not masses of space in the back seats.

I drove the Skoda Rapid Spaceback which we really liked because of the panoramic roof but it didn't have the power that I was used to from the Leon.

The car doesn't skimp on features; the only thing missing is the sport button.

I bought a 16 plate with 2800 miles on the clock - it's still less than 12 months old. Apparently it was driven by someone that works for Bentley.

Was the chili red Ibiza from the garage in Chippenham? If so, I had previously test driven it!

Just goes to show how few end-of-the-line STs are around! Doubt we'll see many 2015 facelift STs on the roads. I'd been keeping my eye on the Chippenham motors ST for a while and when they dropped the price to 12 k I had to bite! They gave me a decent PX for my Fabia estate so was very happy.

Although it has a family car-sized boot I reckon the space in the back would be a bit tight for A family of 4 with 2 bigger kids. My 10-year old daughter has plenty of legroom behind the front passenger seat and the car will easily swallow up our kit for a fortnight's holiday, so it's a perfect package for a family of 3 though. A little less space than our previous Fabia estate (Mk 2) but the far superior driving characteristics and tech more than make up for it

 

[bcr5784]

It clearly won't comfortably cope with 4 6 footers. But, to be specific, 4 at 5' 8" or some such mix is fine. ie it's just OK for an average family - 2 males at 5' 10" and 2 females at 5' 6", beyond that you'll be cramped.

 

[Jupiter 8]

It clearly won't comfortably cope with 4 6 footers. But, to be specific, 4 at 5' 8" or some such mix is fine. ie it's just OK for an average family - 2 males at 5' 10" and 2 females at 5' 6", beyond that you'll be cramped.

I'm 6' 2", so need the driver's seat to be fully back. My daughter, at a little under 5 foot, fits in behind me but her legs are pressed up against my back seat! Fortunately, the other rear seat behind the front passenger is almost always available for her, so there's ample legroom with the 3 of us in the car. I reckon rear headroom would also be an issue for tall rear seat passengers but that's not something I need to worry about for some time! Other than the limited rear passsenger space the ST with the 1.4 EcoTsi is a great small family car though - comfortable, ample power for all driving situations and more luggage space than most family hatchbacks from the size class above despite being lighter and narrower.

 

[bcr5784]

We hired a 1.2 Leon saloon when on holiday. The Leon was a bit more comfortable (16" wheels) and more refined cruising, but felt very laggy and sluggish compared with our ST (despite the fact that the 1.4 engine has a higher specific output, turbo lag is far less obtrusive) Having tried a 1.2 Ibiza and found it perfectly pleasant I was surprized the engine was so disappointing. Perhaps it was a poor example or the extra weight of the Leon and 4 passengers had a big effect - the 1.4 engine seems to completely shrug off the extra weight of passengers and a full boot (I know it canna defy the laws of physics, Jim, but it seems to). In terms of luggage space the ST was much bigger - our cases filled the Leon boot but there was plenty of space spare in the ST.

 

[Jupiter 8]

I'm happy with my ST's ride; it is a tad crashy on very rough road surfaces but It's definitely better than expected considering it runs on 17" wheels and has the sports suspension. It would be interesting to drive one with 16" wheels for comparison. Quite a bit of tyre noise over 50 mph though! When it comes to changing the Bridgestone potenzas I'll certainly be looking at a quieter tyre.

Had a good drive in it today on a mixture of motorway and bendy A-roads and really enjoyed the drive. The 1.4 EcoTsi is really flexible with the torque and so smooth and punchy, and the handling and steering are precise and predictable. Love the gear change as well. A driver's car with family practicality at a very reasonable price. There's very little to dislike about this car.

 

[KXL]

We hired a 1.2 Leon saloon when on holiday. The Leon was a bit more comfortable (16" wheels) and more refined cruising, but felt very laggy and sluggish compared with our ST (despite the fact that the 1.4 engine has a higher specific output, turbo lag is far less obtrusive)

I didn't know the Leon had a Saloon version.(Toledo maybe?).. but then again...I didn't think a VW Polo Saloon existed until I saw one.

 

[KXL]

I'm 6' 2", so need the driver's seat to be fully back. My daughter, at a little under 5 foot, fits in behind me but her legs are pressed up against my back seat! Fortunately, the other rear seat behind the front passenger is almost always available for her, so there's ample legroom with the 3 of us in the car.

I have the SC Ibiza, but I'm 5ft 8 so there is some space (leg room) behind me.

I did manage to fit 4 in the car...front 2 5ft 8, and the back 2 about 1.8 meters (or 5'11 or maybe 6.0). Few bumps they bumped their head on the roof. They resorted to leaning down/back a little. But anyone 1.8m or shorter (unless they have exceptionally long torso/short legs) should be fine...perhaps not comfortable, but fine.

 

[bcr5784]

I didn't know the Leon had a Saloon version..

I meant hatch - as opposed to estate.

 

[bcr5784]

I did manage to fit 4 in the car...front 2 5ft 8, and the back 2 about 1.8 meters (or 5'11 or maybe 6.0). Few bumps they bumped their head on the roof. They resorted to leaning down/back a little. But anyone 1.8m or shorter (unless they have exceptionally long torso/short legs) should be fine...perhaps not comfortable, but fine.

The 5 door has an inch more headroom in the rear than the SC, and the ST appears to have a bit more than the 5 door.

 

[Jupiter 8]

Credit to SEAT for developing three different body styles for the Mk 5 Ibiza. Can't think of many other manufacturers/models that have done this. The SC looks superb (you can see why they chose to make it the only body style for the Cupra) but the pay-off for the sleek and sporty body shape is even less headroom than the 5-door hatch and estate! A little disappointing that they are only doing a single body style for the imminent Mk 6. It will have better rear legroom and headroom and an impressive 350-litre boot but it'll be noticeably wider than the Mk 5 and still far less load-carrying capacity than my ST.

 

[bcr5784]

Interesting comment on the SC. When we went to test a 1.4Ecotsi at the Seat dealer, saying that we were interested in an ST (note) but my wife was more interested in something more sporty than the Skoda Fabia Estate. The salesman produced an SC (not ST) and said (da da!) is that more sporty? My wife replied (sensible woman that she is) - I've no idea, I've not driven it yet!

Do car salesmen think that all women are airheads?

 

[KXL]

I was in a toss up between the SC and the 5DR before I went for the SC. Didn't consider ST as didn't need one.

It was the fact that I hardly need to use the back seats, lack of electric windows, and less sleek body shape that pushed me to the SC over the 5dr (much to the dismay of a few of my taller friends and parents when they enter/exit the rear gracefully). Compared to entering the rear in a Mini (previous model) Seat's SCs are not that difficult tbh.

Also 2 less doors to rattle (but so far no rattles @ 7 months).

However for the Leon / Audi A3 / A1 / VW Polo I would have gone for 5dr any day.