One of the odd things about SEAT is the fact that, having disassociated itself from Fiat and become part of the Volkswagen Group, it has gone to great lengths to stress its Mediterranean origins.Not long ago it was claiming to be VW's equivalent of Alfa Romeo, and although that's not a phrase you hear much these days, the marketing emphasis is still very much on Latin charm.Which is all rather strange when you consider that SEAT's most powerful cars are generally high-speed cruisers rather than out-and-out sports machines, even in comparison with the Volkswagens, Audis and Skodas to which they are so closely related.What SEAT actually does best (though I appreciate this isn't sexy enough to be the basis of a marketing campaign) is to produce simple, no-nonsense transport without too much in the way of frills. That's certainly the case with the Ibiza TDi tested here.The Ibiza is one of the smartest looking of the current small hatchbacks, though it helps if it's painted in a strong colour. The yellow model shown at the top of this page demonstrates the point. The light metallic blue of the test car was quite an attractive shade in itself, but it muffled many of the nicer styling touches.Indoors, there has been no attempt to make the Ibiza look flashy. It's simple and undramatic in a way that is becoming unusual these days even at the lower end of the motoring food chain. At the same time, you know immediately where everything is, and there are no bizarre curves to confuse the eye. A stern critic might describe the general effect as "plasticky", but it doesn't feel as cheap as some rivals and build quality seems to be fine - there's no suggestion that a year-old Ibiza will deafen its occupants with a symphony of squeaks and rattles.My only concern about the interior was the CD player, which was apt to become confused every time the car went over a bump. This week's CD of choice has been a compilation of Monty Python songs, and lines like "I didn't want to do this - I wanted to be . . . a lumb-" (skip) "to be . . . a lumberjack!" added an extra level of surrealism to the listening experience.Whatever you're listening to, you have to keep the volume up, as the TDi is a fairly noisy unit. It's also a lot of engine for this size of car, with the result that performance is very strong indeed. Whatever the standing-start acceleration times may suggest, the impressive mid-range urge combined with relatively little weight make the Ibiza a fabulous car for overtaking.In fact, there's perhaps a little more power than the suspension can handle. As with previous-generation Ibizas (and indeed most cars of German origin), this one has a lot of front-end movement, so if you're pressing on you have to get your timing right if you don't want to end up with a hefty dose of roll understeer.Assuming you're concentrating, though, the car handles well on interesting country roads. It's also very easy to drive round town, and a relaxed motorway cruiser, not least because it's very roomy for front occupants and has seats which are more supportive than they look.This is a highly impressive collection of accomplishments, particularly for a small hatchback, and it made me feel that as a day-to-day all-rounder the Ibiza is one of the best cars in its class.Second opinion: Having attended several SEAT press conferences where the "Mediterranean" aspect was stressed, I was another one surprised at the unflamboyant interior of the new model. I'm not complaining about that, mind you, because the build quality is indeed obvious, and I think it's more the colour scheme than anything else in the test car's cabin which would bring that word "plasticky" to mind. It wouldn't have been my adjective. The Ibiza is stylish and individual about the front end, and there's nothing out of place inside, although there don't seem to be many really neat details like the adjustment controls on the four fascia vents. Rear legroom has been eased out partly because of the extended wheelbase and partly thanks to the latest front-seat design, but it doesn't seem to be all that much greater than in the previous model. Headroom there is excellent. Fair luggage space too, even with a full-size spare wheel. Not a great gearchange, although I liked the latest electro-hydraulic power steering. But the real appeal of this car is when the engine gets to its 177lb/ft of torque at 1800rpm. It scores high marks for hillclimbing, mid-range pull and economy. But it is noisier than its French rivals. Ross Finlay. Engine 1896cc, 4 cylinders Power 100bhp Transmission 5-speed manual Fuel/CO2 56.5mpg / 135g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 10.8 seconds Top speed 118mph Price £11,995 Details correct at publication date
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