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Ibiza shows its green side. Image by SEAT.

Ibiza shows its green side
SEAT's fuel-sipping Ibiza Ecomotive delivers greenness without compromises.

   



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| First Drive | Bedford, England | SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive |

SEAT's Ibiza Ecomotive delivers hybrid-rivalling fuel economy and emissions in a conventional supermini package. Green motoring now no longer means making compromises for the environment, the biggest compliment we can give the Ecomotive is that it feels entirely normal. Except for its ability to stretch 750 miles out of a tank-full of diesel, that is.

In the Metal

The Ibiza is a great looking supermini. That's especially true in SC (three-door) guise, where the sharp creases and squat, purposeful look work particularly well. Even parked alongside its racier Cupra relative the Ibiza Ecomotive looks good, the hub-caps covering the steel wheels so neatly integrated you could easily mistake them for alloys. Look a little closer at the Ecomotive's grilles and they're blanked, that all part of SEAT's quest to have its economy champ slip through the air as efficiently as possible - the black roof mounted rear spoiler also helping.

Get inside and there's nothing giving away the Ecomotive's green credentials, it all looking and feeling exactly the same as its Ibiza relatives. It's a neatly styled interior, which, a few iffy plastics aside, is right up with the best in the supermini class.

What you get for your Money

A bit less weight, a slipperier shape and the ability to theoretically stretch fills of the 45-litre diesel tank to 750 miles is what you're paying for. In everyday driving that's likely to be more like 650 miles, but you don't have to drive it too sensibly to see big economy figures - we achieved 68mpg without holding anyone up or switching off the standard air conditioning or radio. Equipment levels are good too, that radio a six-speaker unit with an auxiliary input, MP3 capable CD player and steering wheel controls. We'd add Bluetooth, a TomTom dash-top cradle and iPod integration off the options list and not want for anything else.

Driving it

Three-cylinders of diesel engine mean a vocal start up. You'll forgive it the rather agricultural introduction on the move though, the unit proving eager and settling to a more pleasing off-beat sound. Putting out 79bhp it's quick enough with a 12.9-second 0-62mph time, the small 1.4-litre engine's strength being its tremendous low-rev flexibility and ability to trickle along barely at tickover in high gears.

The steering is light and accurate and the handling is tidy - which makes picking 'economical' lines and maintaining momentum rather enjoyable. It rides well too, the suspension isolating the nasty surfaces that pass for roads in the UK rather effectively. It drives exactly like you'd expect a supermini to do so as well, the Ecomotive not making any concessions for its fuel-sipping ability.

Worth Noting

The Ecomotive's 98g/km CO2 rating puts it firmly among the lowest CO2 emitting cars on sale in the UK. It also means you'll pay less tax - whether that be company car tax or your road fund licence. Real-world economy of over 60mpg will help keep the fuel bills sensible too.

Summary

Superminis are economical by nature, but the SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive is even more so - all without bringing any compromises to the drive or ownership experiences. It's a conventional hatchback that looks good, drives well and happens to have an extraordinary mpg figure. What's not to like?

Kyle Fortune - 21 Aug 2009



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2009 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive specifications: (three-door)
Price: £11,805 on-the-road.
0-62mph: 12.7 seconds
Top speed: 110mph
Combined economy: 76.4mpg
Emissions: 98g/km
Kerb weight: 1065kg

2009 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive. Image by SEAT.2009 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive. Image by SEAT.2009 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive. Image by SEAT.2009 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive. Image by SEAT.2009 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive. Image by SEAT.

2009 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive. Image by SEAT.2009 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive. Image by SEAT.2009 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive. Image by SEAT.2009 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive. Image by SEAT.2009 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive. Image by SEAT.



2009 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive. Image by SEAT.
 

2009 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive. Image by SEAT.
 

2009 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive. Image by SEAT.
 

2009 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive. Image by SEAT.
 

2009 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive. Image by SEAT.
 

2009 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive. Image by SEAT.
 

2009 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive. Image by SEAT.
 






 

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