SEAT Ibiza vs Peugeot 208 & VW Polo - pictures

The SEAT Ibiza has been given a mid-life refresh. Here it stands up to the facelifted Peugeot 208 and VW Polo.

The Ibiza tested here is the 1.2 TSI Connect model, producing 89bhp. It costs £14,620.

On the road, the Ibiza's updated springs and dampers have given the SEAT a softer, smoother ride than before, while cornering is sharp, grippy and composed.

Inside, the SEAT's smartly styled interior has lots of handy features... 

New touchscreen infotainment system looks and works much better than the previous unit that sat on top of the dash.

12V power socket and USB port are handy touches.

Rear seats are roomy, but the small door openings make access tricky.

Load bay is the biggest on test with a 292-litre capacity.

Redesigned lights are part of the subtle facelift.

One again, it appears VW is trying to keep some distance between its own products and the sister brands. The Ibiza does without modern, hi-tech kit like stop/start, autonomous braking and adaptive cruise control. Instead, models like t

On the surface, you'd be hard-pushed to notice the cosmetic changes.

Personalisation is key in the small car sector, so SEAT and Peugeot have responded with different colour options for the wheels.

A raft of updates for the VW Polo last year sent it straight to the top of the class, and this is our favourite model - the 1.2 TSI SE.

It's the same engine found in the Ibiza, producing 89bhp. As standard, the Polo costs £14,410.

The Polo's cabin is well put together and feels just like a mini Golf.

Touchscreen infotainment system is slick and boasts a DAB radio.

Space in the rear is good, and access is better than the Ibiza.

False floor creates a flat load area with the rear seats folded down, plus it means you can store items out of sight.

280-litre boot is the smallest here, but there's a low lip and wide opening meaning access is easier than the two rivals here.

Compared to its rivals here, the Polo appears a little straight-laced, but you can't argue with the classy image and solid build.

The looks and interior of the 208 have been given a tweak, and a new 1.2-litre PureTech turbo petrol engine has been dropped into it.

It produces 108bhp so it's easily the fastest car here. It handles well when being pushed, too.

Small steering wheel obstructs the driver's view of the dials, while the touchscreen system is fiddly, especially compared to VW Group systems.

Cruise control comes as standard, and it's easy to set and operate.

Fusebox isn't moved in switch to right-hand drive cars, so the glovebox is nigh on useless in the 208.

Rear seat room is generous, with more legroom than either rival here. 

Maximum boot capacity of 1,076 litres is the biggest here.

Peugeot placed an impressive 10th overall in our Driver Power 2015 manufacturer survey. Yet if the wayward ESP system in our test model is anything to go by, there's still some work to be done on reliability.