Toyota iQ vs SEAT Ibiza

Small enough to rival the Smart ForTwo and cool enough to take on the Fiat 500, the iQ is a unique city model. But Toyota has also come up with its own take on micro-car pricing...

For the cost of an iQ you can buy a conventional supermini! So before you hand over £10,000-plus for your Toyota, you’d better consider what rival makers offer for the same kind of money.

One of the newest, best-value cars in the supermini class is the SEAT Ibiza SC. The three-door version of the Spanish hatchback is called the SportCoupé, and it gets sharp angles and creases, which provide a racy stance on the road.

But this model is not small. The Ibiza is one of the biggest superminis in its class, and measures more than one metre longer than the iQ. Although that’s great news for practicality, the car won’t squeeze into the same parking spots as the ultra-compact newcomer. Still, the Toyota’s width makes the cabin of the iQ seem spacious. With its upright dash and prominent, triangle-shaped centre stack, you don’t feel as if you are in a small car from the driver’s seat. In fact, the higher seating position and big glass area give a lofty view of the road.

In the SEAT, you sit lower and the cabin wraps around you, although the supportive seats and ample steering wheel adjustment mean it has the more comfortable driving position.

It also features a curved soft-touch dashboard and ebony centre console.

The interior is neatly designed, too, benefiting from proper rear seats– unlike in the iQ – and a useful 284-litre boot.

What stops many supermini owners from downsizing – apart from the obvious loss in practicality – is the fact that tiny city cars demand dynamic compromises. But this isn’t the case with the iQ, which has already proved fun to drive and resistant to body roll. Despite its narrow tyres, the limit of grip arrives progressively and the superb stability control keeps things in check.

The Ibiza still has the upper hand in corners, with its bigger wheels and tyres, plus longer wheelbase. What’s more, at the track, the SEAT took 36.7 metres to stop from 60mph – that’s 3.7 metres less tarmac.

Our 1.4-litre SC was far from fast, but its 84bhp four-cylinder engine is torquier than the iQ’s unit. From 0-60mph the car was 1.9 seconds quicker, with an 11.9-second time, as well as being more responsive in-gear.

However, it emits 149g/km of CO2 to the iQ’s green 99g/km. Plus, the Toyota has the edge in terms of safety, with its comprehensive line-up of airbags. The iQ is the first city car able to compete with a fully fledged supermini. The question is whether it can finish ahead of the cheaper, roomier, and arguably sharper-looking Ibiza.

In detail:SEAT Ibiza SC 1.4 SE
* Price: £9,985
* Engine: 1.4-litre 4cyl, 84bhp
* 0-60mph: 11.9 seconds
* Economy: 31.8mpg
* Turning circle: 10.5 metres
* Annual road tax: £120

What will it cost you?
Offering more power, space and practicality than the iQ, the SEAT seems great value. Not only does it look the part, but at £9,985 it is well priced, too.

Servicing costs are also low, and when you come to sell it after three years and 30,000 miles, the car should be worth 50.6 per cent of its original value – much more than the iQ. You will have to pay road tax, though, and you get a miserly two years of roadside assistance, compared to three with the Toyota.

Extra details:SEAT styling
Three-door Ibiza is styled differently to the five-door, and the sleek profile and striking tail-light clusters (below) help to set it apart. Plus, when you consider that it costs less to buy than the iQ, its cabin space and practicality are very impressive.

Results:Toyota iQ vs SEAT Ibiza
1ST: SEAT Ibiza
There’s nothing particularly clever about the SEAT Ibiza SC, but it has a tremendous blend of talents. They include entertaining dynamics, a spacious interior and, crucially, a competitive price tag.

2nd: Toyota iQ
If there’s proof that the iQ is too clever for its own good, the Ibiza provides it. While the Toyota is entertaining, plus capable on the motorway, it only beats the SEAT if your drive is three metres long.

Details

Model tested: SEAT Ibiza SC 1.4 SE
WHY: It’s a full scale supermini, but three-door Ibiza has looks, space and price to rival Toyota.