Having owned my17 1.2 Ibiza FR for now 2 years and 30,000 miles I thought I might pass on my experience.
Collection day:
Boy was I excited, never had a brand new car and at the age of 23 was finally trading in the 2.2 vectra Sri for a more tech based Ibiza’s
I loved the look and all the gadgets that came with it, the Apple car play, sat nav in the cockpit etc. The only worry I had was a drop in power from the vectra.
However as you will learn, the Ibiza FR is very quick off the line and in my two years has caught out unsuspecting BMW, Audi and Mercedes drivers at the lights. Getting to 60 is relatively quick for such a small engine, however a burst of speed when needed on the motorway is left wanting.
My first problem, exactly a year to the day of collecting the Ibiza I had the AA to take her away. After a 150 mile journey I went to move my car from the street to the garage. It struggled to start and felt like a flat battery, however when I got out the drive was soaked in petrol, as it was midnight I waited till morning to ring seat for assistance.
They arrived promptly and I cannot fault the service, AA arrived in 10 minutes taken away in half an hour and a golf replacement in another 2 hours.
The problem? A derailed fuel rail, yep, the repair team were just as confused.
Back with me in 2 days and a small lingering smell of petrol I set about my business happy to have the Ibiza back but also missing the golfs superior interior.
3 months passed and petrol was still lingering in my nostrils. Seat were called, AA arrived, the Ibiza went back to the garage and a polo arrived to replace the Ibiza. Side note: the polo was shite. This time the service was poor, I was fobbed off by the repair team, “the fuel will linger it’s had petrol all over the engine, we will send it you back in the morning when I put a bomb in the engine to remove the smell”. To my luck in the morning they noticed a bad smell of fuel still and began removing engine parts. 2 days later a split fuel pipe was spotted replaced and sent back to me.
As I come to the end of ownership I have loved the car for approximately 3/4 of the ownership, my Mrs has a “not so limited edition corsa” it looks sportier, black alloys, bigger spoiler, more aggressive bumpers and all round sportier looking car.
For me the Ibiza began to look a bit ugly, riding too high on small alloys, standard looking and boring. I ordered the cupra to quench my thirst for more power and I’m thoroughly excited to receive it in October.
The Ibiza is a great car for younger drivers to run around in and have that little bit of pace at 0-60. But if you are like myself and need more power maybe it’s time to look at a Leon.
Collection day:
Boy was I excited, never had a brand new car and at the age of 23 was finally trading in the 2.2 vectra Sri for a more tech based Ibiza’s
I loved the look and all the gadgets that came with it, the Apple car play, sat nav in the cockpit etc. The only worry I had was a drop in power from the vectra.
However as you will learn, the Ibiza FR is very quick off the line and in my two years has caught out unsuspecting BMW, Audi and Mercedes drivers at the lights. Getting to 60 is relatively quick for such a small engine, however a burst of speed when needed on the motorway is left wanting.
My first problem, exactly a year to the day of collecting the Ibiza I had the AA to take her away. After a 150 mile journey I went to move my car from the street to the garage. It struggled to start and felt like a flat battery, however when I got out the drive was soaked in petrol, as it was midnight I waited till morning to ring seat for assistance.
They arrived promptly and I cannot fault the service, AA arrived in 10 minutes taken away in half an hour and a golf replacement in another 2 hours.
The problem? A derailed fuel rail, yep, the repair team were just as confused.
Back with me in 2 days and a small lingering smell of petrol I set about my business happy to have the Ibiza back but also missing the golfs superior interior.
3 months passed and petrol was still lingering in my nostrils. Seat were called, AA arrived, the Ibiza went back to the garage and a polo arrived to replace the Ibiza. Side note: the polo was shite. This time the service was poor, I was fobbed off by the repair team, “the fuel will linger it’s had petrol all over the engine, we will send it you back in the morning when I put a bomb in the engine to remove the smell”. To my luck in the morning they noticed a bad smell of fuel still and began removing engine parts. 2 days later a split fuel pipe was spotted replaced and sent back to me.
As I come to the end of ownership I have loved the car for approximately 3/4 of the ownership, my Mrs has a “not so limited edition corsa” it looks sportier, black alloys, bigger spoiler, more aggressive bumpers and all round sportier looking car.
For me the Ibiza began to look a bit ugly, riding too high on small alloys, standard looking and boring. I ordered the cupra to quench my thirst for more power and I’m thoroughly excited to receive it in October.
The Ibiza is a great car for younger drivers to run around in and have that little bit of pace at 0-60. But if you are like myself and need more power maybe it’s time to look at a Leon.
