With the Ibiza IV, the Ibiza once again made a big step forward in design and technology. It was also the only generation with three different body styles, as the usual 3-door and 5-door models were joined by an estate, called ST.

The fourth generation of the SEAT Ibiza was the first production model designed by Luc Donckerwolke as head of design at SEAT. In March 2008, SEAT unveiled the Ibiza SportCoupé Bocanegra concept car at the Geneva Motor Show, which showed the design of the Ibiza IV.

The "Arrow Design" design concept at the front and the evolution of the "Dynamic Line" on the side gave it a sportier look, with sharp geometric lines instead of smooth lines.

The standard model, with 5-door bodywork, was launched two months later at the Madrid Motor Show, while the 3-door SC version was unveiled at the London Motor Show in July.

With the launch of the Ibiza IV, the Córdoba, the Ibiza's saloon derivative, was discontinued. However, at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show SEAT unveiled the Ibiza IBZ concept car (the first of SEAT's four prototypes with the "IB" acronym), which previewed the estate version of the Ibiza. Called Ibiza ST, it was launched at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The SportsTourer acronym had been used for the first time on the Exeo ST.

The Ibiza ST therefore became the successor to the Córdoba Vario, a model that had not been available on the second-generation Córdoba. The Ibiza IV, however, ended its commercial life only with the 5-door bodywork, the only one available on the Ibiza V.

Developed on a new platform at the Martorell Technical Centre, the Ibiza IV stood out for its excellent dynamic qualities and its interior roominess, where it took advantage of the slight increase in length to just 4 metres. In both these areas, it was the undisputed leader in the category. It also achieved 5 stars in occupant protection in the Euro NCAP safety tests.

As for the powertrain range, the Ibiza IV was launched with 3 petrol and 3 diesel engines, topped by 105 HP. The 1.6 petrol engine was the first SEAT available with a dual-clutch DSG transmission, while the 80 HP 1.9 TDI had an Ecomotive version that consumed only 3.7 l/100 km. A 150 HP 1.4 TSI was launched in 2009 and a 143 HP 2.0 TDI in 2010.

The Ibiza IV was also the first model to feature ESP electronic stability control as standard across the range. It also had a tyre pressure monitoring sensor, hill start assist and a head-thorax airbag as standard. It was available in the Reference, Style and FR trim levels, and the CUPRA and Bocanegra sports versions.

The Ibiza IV received two restylings during almost 10 years of commercial life. The first, in 2012, focused on the exterior, with a new front end featuring sharper headlights (in the style of the new Mii) and LED daytime running lights from the Style trim. This new look anticipated the imminent Leon III, unveiled at the end of 2012.

The second restyling, in mid-2015, focused on the interior, incorporating a 6.5" screen in the middle of the dashboard. The new connectivity and infotainment options anticipated what was to come in the Ibiza V and future SEAT models.

Earlier, in September 2014, SEAT built the 5 millionth Ibiza and celebrated the model's 30th anniversary with the launch of a limited "30th Anniversary" edition at the Paris Motor Show, the same venue where the first Ibiza was unveiled in 1984.

The Ibiza IV was discontinued in mid-2017, when it was replaced by the Ibiza V. This red 5-door unit, with a 1.4 petrol engine, is one of the very first to be produced and is part of the SEAT HISTÓRICOS Collection. It was registered in June 2008 and has always been owned by SEAT.