Ibiza rocks as sporty coupé

Some people are never satisfied. It wasn"t so long ago that making a sporty hatchback was simple: you lopped the rear doors off, changed the badge and ta-da! A car that"s largely the same as its five-door brother but that has greater appeal for the young of heart and the small of family. But that"s not enough these days. Any manufacturer brave enough to offer a simple three-door will find themselves ignored by the fashionistas in favour of a coupe. The big firms are spending a surprising amount of cash turning their humble hatches into something much racier, and to that burgeoning list you can add the Seat Ibiza SC. The five-door Ibiza is hardly dull, with the kind of edgy design that"s become a Seat trademark, but the SC goes one further with a lower roofline and a heavily sculpted rear. It certainly lives up to its sporty tag, especially on the optional 17-inch alloy wheels, and the inevitably young target audience will love it. Step inside and the cabin is less dramatic but still has a strong appeal. The materials are of much better quality than before, and although the predominate colours are grey and black, it"s a pleasant place to be. The centre console is particularly smart, with red illumination bringing a sporty, high quality feel. The three-spoke steering wheel puts you in the mood for enthusiastic driving, while the standard sports seats improve the driving position and offer improved support. This is a thoroughly modern supermini, and you can appreciate the quality of the design from the inside too. With a lower roofline there is the inevitable cost of reduced rear headroom, though that doesn"t mean the Ibiza SC can"t handle adults in the rear. Taller ones will want to be up front of course, but you can still load it up with friends for a night out without having to visit a chiropractor on the way home. What"s more, there"s still 284 litres of boot space out the back, which is only 8 litres shy of the five-door model. Right now there"s three engine options available, all petrol: a 1.2-litre three cylinder, plus 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre four cylinder units. The 1.4-litre is likely to be the most popular, offering a decent compromise between economy and power, although in Sport guise there is more grip than power. The 1.2-litre unit is a real gem, with a keenness to rev that is at odds with its size and output. All three engines offer over 40mpg however, and the insurance-friendly smaller units will be a winner with the young audience. Go for the range-topping Sport trim and as well as alloy wheels and, leather on the wheel and gearknob and sports seats, it also gains stiffer suspension. As a result, body roll is reduced and the SC"s handling is notably more controlled, although this comes at the price of slightly reduced ride comfort. For those who want the sporty feel there"s no contest, but the softer SE model is almost as much fun while offering more comfort on poorer roads. Either way, the Ibiza SC is a fun machine, with responsive steering and plenty of grip. It always feels ready to play, and its enthusiasm is apparent every time you slide behind the wheel. With a sensible head on you should probably go for the five-door Ibiza. It costs a little more, but you get the practicality of the extra doors and a little more rear headroom. But who on earth wants to be sensible? If your life allows you the luxury of only having three doors on your car then the Ibiza SC is going to be right up your street. Enjoy it - and while you"re at it, the upgrade to 17-inch alloy wheels is inexpensive and it looks even slicker as a result. You only live once…