SEAT Ibiza Toca review

The SEAT Ibiza Toca is a fine way to get a very well-equipped, moderately priced SEAT Ibiza supermini. It looks good and drives well but the engine option SEAT offers with this trim lets the side down.

A 2012 facelift helped cement the fourth-generation SEAT Ibiza’s place towards the upper end of the competitive supermini market. The SEAT Ibiza Toca version adds to its value proposition with a generous haul of equipment.

Stylish, fun to drive and reasonably priced, the Ibiza lines up against supermini rivals like the Ford Fiesta and the Volkswagen Polo, which shares the Ibiza’s platform.

Based on the popular SE trim, mid-range Toca spec features extra standard equipment, including SEAT’s touchscreen Portable System – a small cassette box-sized unit attached to the top of the dash. Controlled via a five-inch touchscreen, it includes satellite navigation, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming connectivity, a Micro SD card for music storage, and the trip computer functions.

On top of this, the Ibiza Toca comes with air conditioning, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, electric door mirrors, electric front windows and electronic stability control.

There are exterior changes, too. Front fog lights with cornering function and an upgrade from 15-inch to 16-inch alloys help the Toca stand out visually from lower-spec S and SE variants.

Standard kit carried over from entry-level variants includes LED front, rear and daytime running lights, body-coloured door handles and mirrors and an optional Convenience Pack featuring automatic headlights and windscreen wipers.

Above the Toca – depending on the body style chosen – FR, Cupra and FR Edition trims offer eye-catching exterior additions such as a body kit, alloy wheels, nice touches inside, and extra kit.

(SEAT Ibiza Toca interior not shown)

Customers are also spoilt for choice when it comes to selecting their preferred Toca model, as this trim is available with the full range of Ibiza body styles, from the five-door hatchback to the three-door SC coupe and the practical ST estate.

Despite the wide range of set-ups, each incarnation of the Seat Ibiza is good to drive and looks great. Compared with the VW Polo, it’s rather fun to drive on the open road and even around town, making it a great real world choice, even if it does trail the Ford Fiesta.

The Ford’s superiority is largely down to the slightly firm suspension on the Ibiza which, although it’s part of the sporty package and was softened in a recent update, doesn’t improve the handling sufficiently to make the comfort compromise worthwhile.

In Toca trim, you’re limited to one engine choice, the 84bhp 1.4-litre petrol unit. This gets the three-door car from 0-62mph in 11.8 seconds with a top speed of 110mph. It manages to emit 139g/km of CO2 and combined economy of 47.9mpg.

It’s a fairly well rounded unit, with enough power for most people, but it’s no match for the 1.2 TSI offered on other Ibizas when it comes to performance. The running costs are slightly higher as well, which further holds Toca trim back, highlighting the limitations of the single engine choice.