The fifth generation of Seat Ibiza makes do without a Cupra-branded performance version: the carmaker had considered releasing it with 200 hp (150 kW) under the hood, but dropped the idea due to low market demand. Today, a new Ibiza spec debuted, packing a so-so mill we have seen before.
A few months after its initial launch, the Ibiza received a new TSI Evo 1.5 spec based on a turbocharged four-cylinder engine rated at 150 hp (112 kW) and 250 Nm (186 lb-ft) of torque. A year after that the Spanish automaker ditched the spec, leaving the 1.0 TSI with mere 115 hp (86 kW) at the top of the range. Today, the old TSI Evo 1.5 suddenly made a comeback.
The updated car no longer comes with six-speed manual transmission. Your only option now is a seven-seed DSG that takes the hatchback from zero to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 8.2 seconds. The top speed amounts to 219 km/h (136 mph).
To put things into perspective, let’s reminisce about the older Seat Ibiza Cupra armed with a 1.8-liter turbo. That one made 192 hp (144 kW) and up to 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque, only supported manual gear switching, and needed 6.7 seconds to hit 100 km/h. It also didn’t hit its speed ceiling until 235 km/h (146 mph).
On a side note, the demand for the Seat Ibiza is on a constant decline in Europe, where fewer than 100,000 units were sold in 2019, marking the all-time low in 23 years. For comparison, the technically similar Volkswagen Polo found around 257,000 new owners – maybe in part because it had kept its 200hp (150kW) GTI spec.