Road Test: Seat Ibiza 1.6 Sport 5dr

Seat says that the Ibiza buyer is, on average, several years younger than the supermini mean. Which is surprising, because though the Cupra and FR models were quite lively, the rest of the range had got positively fusty. Anyway, the new one has far more of a spring in its step. In the perverse way of the auto industry, I predict pensioners will rush to it.

It was shaped under the eye of Luc Donckerwolke, he of the Gallardo. Designer soundbite: "Inspired by a cut diamond, where the lines define the facets." We're in the five-door, and the small 15-inch wheels are pictured, so it's not shown in its best light. The three-door isn't revealed until the London Show in July, but actually has exactly the same sheet metal as the rather nice Bocanegra concept car.

It loses space but gains style: the roof slopes, the shoulders are a lot more muscled, the window line is inverted, and the tailgate, rear screen, lights and bumpers are all different. Donckerwolke's PR minders make him put a euro inthe swear box every time he calls it a three-door. It's a 'SportsCoupe', don't you know.

Under that, the Ibiza platform is all new, and vital to the greater VW empire because it doesn't only serve the next Polo but the Audi A1 too. It ain't revolutionary, mind. Just careful evolution everywhere, an increase in strength and a slight growth in dimensions. Even so, they've managed to hold the line on weight.

I had a crack in a 1.9 105bhp diesel with the comfort suspension and 15-inch tyres. It's a flexible but clattery engine, and in saying the chassis is non-sporty they aren't being overly modest. It can get positively wallowy. Yet there's a good base to build on. The steering is progressive and has fine feel, dittothe brakes; the basic chassis balance is fine, the ride supple.

Sure enough, trading up to a 1.6 petrol on sport suspension and 17-inch alloys secures quicker responses, more grip and a sense it's happy to the chucked around, but there's still a slight layer of sogginess in the responses. Ah well, it's more playful than a Fabia or Polo, and the ride doesn't seem to suffer much.

The 1.6 petrol is still a bit raucous though, and doesn't care for being revved. Most other forms of racket are decently suppressed. The driving position is, in the VW way, spot-on. The dashboard has some nice bits, including a sweep of light colour across the front, and cable-free docks for iPod and TomTom. Oh and the stereo, Luc says, has been designed to look like a PlayStation. That'll be for the youth, then.