What's this then?

This is the 2015 SEAT Ibiza...

No it's not.

I can assure you it is the 2015 Ibiza. It is an updated version to give the Spanish supermini a fresh injection of life before it is replaced in a couple of years.

Looks the same as the 'old' one...

Admittedly the cosmetic changes are minimal, amounting to little more than new LED equipped headlights, some swanky new alloys and a couple of new paint colours.

I told you it was the same.

Moving on... aside from the (minimal) exterior changes there is also a range of customisation options that mean you can have a contrasting grille surround, wing mirror covers and interior trim inlays in various colours. The dashboard has also received some long needed soft-touch material and the Ibiza now gets the same infotainment system as the Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia.

You mean the one that has DAB digital radio and can connect to all manner of smartphones by way of Mirror Link, Android Auto or Apple CarPlay?

One and the same. However, the biggest news is on the engine front - all engines are now Euro 6 compliant, plus stop-start is standard across the range. The line-up begins with a naturally aspirated 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol unit that is good for 75hp. There are also 95- and 110hp turbocharged versions of that engine and indeed the former is the first petrol powered Ibiza to wear the Ecomotive badge thanks to emissions of just 94g/km. At the other end of the scale is the 150hp 1.4-litre TSI engine with cylinder-on-demand technology.

That's the one from the Polo BlueGT right?

Yes. In the Spaniard the engine is said to return a very reasonable 58.9mpg. Then there are the diesels - three of them, kicking off with the 75hp 1.4-litre three-cylinder unit. It has emissions of just 88g/km and is positively adverse to fuel, clocking in at 83.1mpg. There are also 90- and 105hp diesel units, while the 90hp diesel and the 110hp petrol are offered with the option of DSG.

Paul Healy - 7 May 2015