FIRSTDRIVE SEAT IBIZA 3-DOOR:YOU CAN understand why the Spanish are rather cock-a-hoop these days. They seem to be winning everything in sight on the sporting fields, with a flair that enlivens even the most comatose couch potato.
No wonder their confidence is rife. You can forgive their ambition in referring to a three-door supermini as a sports coupé. Then again, the man who penned it does carry some sporting pedigree. Seat's new design chief is Luc Donckerwolke, whose last job was drawing the lines at Lamborghini.
His arrival strengthens a brand whose design has intermittently fitted the tag line "auto emocion". While the current Leon is arguably the best looking car in its class, Seat's other models have been rather hit or miss when it comes to styling.
Thankfully for the Spanish brand, the new Ibiza fits firmly into the emotional motoring ranks.
Already released in five-door format, the new car has the toned exterior styling that first saw public acclaim in the Bocanegra concept car at the Geneva motor show. Now we have the three-door version, which is even closer to the concept car.
The sharper design could not have come at a better time. Superminis are attracting renewed attention with the arrival of a very smart Opel Corsa and a new Ford Fiesta set to draw yet more publicity for the segment. The importance of a new smartly-dressed Ibiza doesn't end there: the model currently represents 45 per cent of all Seat sales.
Currently the split between three- and five-door sales depends on the country. In markets like Germany and Britain, three-door versions represent nearly 74 per cent of all supermini sales. The exact opposite is the case for the home market of Spain, and in Ireland or Italy.
That may change however, as the new generation of three-door models take to the road. This is a very smart little car, with sharp lines on every curve. The only limitation is the rear seats, which are practical for a short journey, but would be rather cramped for any longer trip. On a more positive note, the Ibiza's bootspace is very good for this class.
A total of five engines is intended for the new Ibiza, though only a 1.2-litre petrol version will be on offer for the first few months in five-door and for some time later when the three-door arrives at the end of the year. The other petrol options are 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre units.
Seat will later introduce the option of a DSG dual-clutch paddle shift gearbox on the 1.6-litre petrol engine.
We tested the 1.2-litre and found it rather noisy, if not lacking in pace.
The diesels - a 1.4-litre and 1.9-litre - were both well able to pull the small car along, although the latter was quite heavy up front, and rather gruff even at low revs. The 1.4-litre was a better trade-off between refinement and power, and seemed better suited to the car.
The greatest surprise, however, is the official CO2 figures for the diesel engines. While the smaller 1.4 manages a very impressive 139g/km, putting it into band B for taxation, Seat claims an incredible 119g/km for the 1.9-litre engine, which puts it in the lowest band alongside the likes of the Toyota Prius.
Seat is proud of the car's handling, and its new chassis will go on to form the underpinnings of the upcoming Audi A1 and next generation VW Polo. The good news for both German siblings is that this car feels confident on the road and there is undoubtedly more that could be wrung out of it with the right combination of engines.
While Seat has released prices for the five-door - 1.2 'R' at €14,850 and 'S' at €16,920 - we still don't have any figures for the three-door version.
Spain is in the spotlight right now, and there's never been a better time for Seat to take advantage of its Iberian roots. Certainly the new Ibiza is worth shouting about.