SEAT Ibiza vs. Ford Fiesta

We adore the Ford Fiesta. The problem is, we also love getting value for money – and that gives us a headache, as our Car of the Year 2009 is looking rather expensive these days. You can blame the blue oval’s rising production costs, which prompted four price increases last year.

As a result, the cheapest Fiesta is now a hefty £11,536, and the best-selling 1.25-litre Zetec five-door is £13,886. For that kind of money you could upsize to a budget family car. Alternatively, you could save cash by buying a SEAT Ibiza. In more powerful 1.4-litre Sport form, it costs £12,005 – and matches the Ford for kit.

The Spanish brand is carving out a niche as a builder of stylish and affordable cars with sporty handling. Its supermini runs the Ford close for kerb appeal and is the default choice for would-be Fiesta buyers. The Ibiza is the work of a man who shaped Lamborghinis for a living – SEAT chief designer Luc Donckerwolke – and is set apart by its sharp creases and distinctive lights.

If you don’t need a five-door, the three-door SC – short for SportCoupé – has a more racy profile and unique rear end.

Distinctive cabins are a feature of the Ford and SEAT. The former has a mobile phone-inspired centre console; the latter classy VW Group switchgear. Boot space is virtually the same. On the road, the Fiesta is beautifully balanced, and handles, steers and stops with real panache. While the Spanish car is every bit as sporty, this comes at a price: the Ford manages to mix back road fun with town centre comfort, but the Ibiza falls down on the latter.

However, SEAT offers a superb range of petrol and diesel engines, including the latest, 65.7mpg, 1.4-litre TDI. The model line-up is simpler, too, with only three trim levels to choose from (S, SE and Sport). With the exception of the 1.2-litre petrol S, all come with air-con, while Sport variants feature stylish 17-inch alloys.

Look at the options list and you will see innovative extras such as SEAT’s TomTom cradle, which allows you to plug an aftermarket satellite navigation system directly into your car. It is a much neater solution than the Mobile Navigation set-up available in the Ford, which uses Bluetooth connectivity to display road directions using compatible mobile phones.

Surprisingly, SEAT also leads the way by selling performance variants. While you’d expect Ford to have the upper hand here, it still doesn’t offer a hot Fiesta, even after a year on sale. Buyers have to make do with an approved tuning kit for the 1.6-litre petrol model, supplied by Mountune.

In contrast, there is a pair of sizzling Ibizas. The Cupra and Bocanegra use the VW Group’s acclaimed 1.4-litre TSI engine –with a supercharger to boost low-end power and a turbo for the upper range. It delivers 178bhp through a slick-shifting seven-
speed DSG twin-clutch gearbox.

The Cupra is priced from £17,245 – yet if that’s too much, the 1.4-litre FR turbo has 150bhp and sells for £15,520… less than the 118bhp Fiesta Zetec S.

Ford Fiesta- the UK's best seller
Supermini is the clear class leader, but it’s not the good-value choice it once was

The Ford was the UK’s top seller last year – and it’s easy to see why. Our reigning Car of the Year is a class act: from its sparkling chassis and stylish looks to its lively engines and comprehensive model range, it really is the best supermini money can buy. The only downside? You need a lot of money to do so!

The sharp-handling supermini is also crying out for a hotter variant – an area where the SEAT really scores. And while the Ibiza isn’t as polished as the Fiesta, strong residual predictions across the range suggest the Spanish model will hold on
to more of its value when you come to sell.

If you do buy a Fiesta, our pick is the sweet 1.25-litre model. It’s cheaper than other variants in the range, and offers just enough performance.