Test Drive Seat Ibiza FR 5 doors since 2010 Hatchback
Two unlike cars
If the Spaniards, colonized America, moved adventurism and gold fever, then their descendants showed amazing caution and weighed a long time before making landing on the Russian automotive market. Their arrival was posted. Honor of opening new lands belongs not to them.
The Spaniards assumed that a full-scale access to the Russian market was associated with great risk. Therefore, the debut of the SEAT brand, which is part of the Volkswagen Group, was held after all one-labels settled in Russia - Volkswagen, Audi and Skoda. Only at the end of the autumn of 1996, Seat began official sales in Russia.
SEAT car gamma is presented with three models - Ibiza, Cordoba and Toledo. There is also a fourth, the smallest and most old Marbella model - an analogue of Fiat Panda, which is reasonably decided not to supply Russia.
Interest in SEAT is predetermined in the same way as in the case of Czech Skoda, namely, involvement in Volkswagen Group and technical relationship with the most popular European brand.
Let's try to deal with the consumer qualities of the Spanish Volkswagen, comparing Seat Ibiza with Volkswagen Polo.
Within the framework of the unification program of automobiles of all four European branches of the Volkswagen Group, the model of Ibiza and Polo are equipped with the same motors. Many other nodes are also unified. However, it does not allow you to talk about SEAT Ibiza as a Spanish Polo. We have rented both models with Sodinka 60-strong 1.4 liter engines and found a lot of reasons for not identifying Volkswagen and SEAT cars.
Let's start with the platforms of both machines. The SEAT Ibiza platform (along with the suspension and power elements of the body) dates back to the 1984 model of the model. The first Ibiza was designed to cooperate with Fiat concern.
Many aggregates had Italian origin, in particular from Fiat Uno and Ritmo models. Modernization of the engine and the development of suspensions conducted Porsche. (By the way, then this company engaged in the engine and the chassis of the VAZ-2108). The body design and interior were instructed by the studio Ital Design. At one time, Ibiza has been demanding not only in Spain itself, but also in neighboring countries. The best recommendation of the car of a little-known brand, except for a relatively lowest price, served the authority of contractors - Porsche anditalDesign.
After purchasing the Volkswagen concern, the controlling stake and the rights to the brand SEAT, a complete change of force aggregates, a solid restyling of the body and interior was carried out. In May 1993, the Ibiza of the second generation was presented at the Motor Show at Barcelona. But the platform of this car is not preserved changes. What can the car decline if its running part is designed (albeit Porsche) almost 15 years ago? An example of a thirty-year-old Porsche 911 is not suitable - mass cars morally and physically stole much faster than supercars. Therefore, despite all subsequent innovations, on the ideology of Ibiza closer to the tuning version of the old cheap Fiat than a modest but modern Volkswagen.
Considering the fiato origin of the platform, Seat Ibiza has no analogues among Volkswagen models and does not fit into a single-size German company. Ibiza's dimensions occupy an intermediate position between POLO and GOLF models. And although in the production range of Seat is Ibiza with a 2-litermotor, we did not risk attributed this car to the Golf class. And the sparing partner of Ibiza became Volkswagen Polo.
Presented on the test car - POLO of the third generation. Compared to Polo 1975 and 1981, it has become more noticeable. Detailed Polo is described in Motor 3, therefore there is no particular need to repetitive. Next we will dwell only on the features of the 3-door version and 1.4 liters of the engine.
Since the Ibiza of the second generation is the Premiere model of the Seat after entering the Volkswagen Group, her debut had to become largely indicative. For incomplete 3 years, it was not easy to update, but radically change the appearance. More, that is, on the full replacement of the model and the entire factory technological equipment, Volkswagen did not pull. It became a tradition that the restyling of the body instructs it to the first developer. The rate on the appearance was justified. The car turned out with an even more original and memorable appearance than in 1984. The skill of Georgetto Judjaro, in parallel, who designed on the request of Fiat Punto's body, did not allow the Ibiza of a certain similarity to the Italian hatchback. At the same time, Ibiza is not like both on their one-logs on the VW Group. There is a special Spanish charm in it, if not to say the southern temperament.
Ibiza is available with 3 or 5-door Hatchback bodies. Sedan (two or four doors) on the same base is referred to as Seat Cordoba.
Against the background of the Spaniard Polo looks more restrained and even conservatively. Typical Volkswagen, typical German quality. Polo is offered with three types of bodies: 3- and 5-door hatchbacks, as well as 4-doormed by POLO Classic.
Look at the car salons. You know, there is such a game consisting of ten distinctions. Insistently into the calculation, a different number of doors (it happened), we found only four differences. These are different emblems in the center of the steering wheel, the absence of POLO power windows (on Ibiza they are in the front door), a different color of the seat upholstery and the sidewalls of the doors and unlike the references on the electrical appliances controls. Everything else is exactly the same - even landing the driver and front passenger.
However, with the visibility of things in different ways. In Polo, it does not cause complaints. What you do not say oisel.
The left head of the windshield strongly interferes with the review, as if the bandage was put on the left eye.
Focus on the road atmosphere, especially in high-speed turns, inconvenient.
You have to slow down and look at the rack.
Passengers who have reached, do not envy. Low ceiling, legs rest in the backrest of the front seats.
Only children will not have problems during a long trip.
With Polo no better - it is necessary to possess some acrobatic skills to be in an embarrassing space. The trunks are also not so hot what are spacious, despite the fact that the salary is hidden under the mats. Somewhat improves the status of the possibility of folding the backs of the rear seats.
Let's go back to the driver's seat. Sitting in them, just say, not quite convenient. It seems everything is in place, but something is wrong. There is a feeling of some kind of toyness, nautomotobility, as if he got into the nursery. I wonder how these toys go?
There is nothing easier - turn a key in the ignition castle, and both engines are in a friendly song. Their voices are similar - the engines are the same, the production of Volkswagen, a working volume of 1390 cm cu., With a capacity of 60l. with.
(4700 rpm) and torque 107 nm (2800 rpm). On Ibiza, the motor started with a suspicious ring, but, as it turned out, it was a false alarm. Just so he starts, and that's it!
Look under the hood. Ibiza has a windscarethe space more spacious. This is explained by the difference in car platforms and the fact that the Spaniard can take power units to a working volume of up to 2 liters, and the German frontier is 1.9 liters diesel.
Now try clutch. Strange, I want to say: I do not understand?. Softness does not know borders. Yes, the length of the course is too big. And this is on both machines - after all, they have the same transmission: clutch with a cable drive and a 5-speed gearbox. Okay, you have to go. We turn on the first, a little gas-and, to our surprise, just removing the leg with the pedal of clutch, we touch without hints on jerks and trying to challenge.
Driving skills are simply no need. No matter what nuances of the game with clutch can not be speech. We turn on the second, the same picture. Motors are quite cheerfully gaining momentum, telling cars quite acceptable acceleration, it would be necessary to stick the third, but there was a unpleasant surprise here. Both cars have a strange drop in revolutions and acceleration dynamics. Wow stretched out! But soon everything turned out - it was the fifth gear, and not the third. Going or rather! After several attempts, the triplet has already been easy. Going on. The fourth turned on without problems, it can also be said about the fifth machine. In the area of \u200b\u200b90 km / h, the decrease in the traction dynamics of cars has become a noticeable decrease in the traction dynamics, it appeared that it was understandable - the motor is weak, but in the city of Egyo, it is enough, and on the highway there may be problems with overtaking at high speed of associated vehicles.
The smoothness of the move was very pleased, the suspension confidently copes with road irregularities, it does not occur in the limiters of the strokes of compression and the aback at any modes of movement. Both cars are sufficiently sparkling, the steering wheel is easy, the cars are well listening, and if it is better to master the control of the accelerator pedal in combination with the steering wheels, then you can feel yourself in some extent a high-end professional. The maneuverability of two brothers did not cause complaints - for urban conditions what is needed. The brakes are also at the proper level, the slowdown of cars is stably, confidently and easily projected in various road conditions.
For whom are these cars intended? The answer suggests itself - for lovely ladies, for lovely ladies. As it seems to us, it should be the car for a woman who is not very driving himself searching for the subtleties in the control of the machine; She is alien to aggressive ride manner - but attract smoothness and softness. And the mirror, prudently located in the Sun-Sunior Drive Part, will not be a secondary detail for it.
So, Ibiza in the company of a classmate looked like a triethrower. But the solid, deserved by the German motor and Italian design. The most modest, but purebred polo made a greater impression. First of all, the organization's workplace organization. Despite the size, he liked more than Ibiza.
A comparison of the SEAT with Skoda is suggested. Ibiza as well as Felicia is a refined FIAT version of the mid-80s. But if Felicia today is the cheapest foreign car today, Ibiza has about $ 17,800, which is more expensive than POLO ($ 16000).
The latter circumstance knocks the last trump cards from the hands of the Spaniards. One label Volkswagen Group is no longer attracting anyone.
Fedor Small, Vlad Nikitin
A source: Motor magazine [№1 / 1997]
