2012 SEAT Ibiza Cupra 1.4L TSI 7AT (180 HP)

Vehicle Overview

The 2013 Ibiza Cupra was the top-version of the small-class vehicle from Seat. It was a small hot-hatch that could challenge the reigning hot-hatch champion, the Clio Renault Sport.

When the compact hot-hatches became more and more powerful and more expensive, there was a niche market for more affordable cars that could offer enough performances. The top contender was, for many years in a row, the Renault Clio Renault Sport. Its handling and the rev-happy engine was one of the best on the market. Then, the Volkswagen Group has decided to offer the Polo GTI and its more affordable version, the Ibiza Cupra.

The Seat Ibiza was unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show and the model range featured a 5-door hatchback, a 3-door version and a 5-door estate, the latter was added in Q4 2010. The Ibiza Cupra was offered as a three-door coupe with different bumpers and a more aggressive styling. The bi-xenon headlights were a standard feature of the car, and the LED daytime running lights as well. Specific 17” light-alloy wheels were fitted as standard.

Inside, there was a new steering wheel that featured the Cupra logo on its bottom. Behind it, there were the shifting paddles for the DSG gearbox. The sport-bucket seats were upholstered in two-tone leather as an option. For the infotainment unit, Seat featured the Seat Portable System that included GPS and Bluetooth connectivity.

For the drivetrain, the Ibiza Cupra featured a 1.4-liter TSI engine, carried-over from the Polo GTI. It was mated to a standard 7-speed double-clutch gearbox (DSG). Power went to the front wheels via an XDS electronic transverse differential lock that reduced the understeer tendency and improved handling, particularly during fast cornering.