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What Is It?

This is the three-door version of the new Seat Ibiza supermini, although the company prefers us to call it SportCoupe. The new Ibiza SportCoupe is a handsome design, much sportier-looking than its predecessor and in the mould of the shapely Vauxhall Corsa three-door.

The Luc Donckerwolke (ex-Skoda, Lamborghini) sheet metal is very well resolved with sharp creases on the flanks and gaping air vents in the nose making the Ibiza SportCoupe one of the best-looking su...Read the full article

How can it be  a coupe? It has 3 seatbelts in the back and three doors, looks to have better visibibility than the five door too, even if it still has a useless front quarterlight.

Also you never mention the autobox in the text which is visible in the pictures.

JR wrote: "The new Ibiza is the first model based on VW’s new PQ25 supermini platform."

 Realy? Here is a quote from Skoda Fabia test, Autocar 17 April 2007:

"If anything, the second-generation Fabia is less radical that the first, the platform an updated version of the previous generation, with the same MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam rear axle, although this tweaked floorplan again previews that of the next Volkswagen Polo."

So which version is correct?

I think this new Ibiza is a visually refreshing update from the current model, which since the mid 90's seems to have focussed on continued facelifts. On top of this the all new platform and the talk of using the new 7 speed DSG (in previous Autocars) make this a very interesting option. Just why do we have to wait 6 to 9 months for the new engine line up of the 1.4TFSI's and the punchy diesels?

I'm pretty sure this latest info from Seat is right. Cropley's story on the five-door made a similar point. The new Fabia is based on the PQ24, the previous generation hardware. As to the gearbox referred to by another poster, this week's mag had room to mention it - its the VW group DSG on the 1.6. Not perfect in operation, it has to work the gears hard to give enough performance, just as a conventional auto would on a small capacity, high-revving engine. But it shifts smoothly and more quickly and I'd guess is better than a clunky robotised manual or a sluggish torque-convertor auto would be. It'll be a pricey option, though, dual-clutch boxes are about as complex as conventional autos to make and are usually priced similarly.

 I like the looks of the new Ibiza, although a side elevation of it would have been a nice inclusion in the report!

Wasn't it designed by the Dutch guy who did the Reventon? 

Great looking outside, but the insides of the ones I've seen in Spain are a mess. I think somebody said we don't want another monochrome look, so they've seem to have added variously-textured materials for the sake of it. Shame really - ticked a lot of boxes for me.