The Ibiza IV was launched with the usual 3-door and 5-door bodies, and later even had an estate version. For the first time, the 3-door variant was given its own identification, SC, an acronym for SportCoupé… ( (read more)
Launch: Mid 2008
End of production: October 2016
Price: 12,900 €
Number built: 1,400,000 approx. (total Ibiza IV)
Petrol, 4 cylinders in-line
Position: At front, transversal
Bore x stroke: 76.5 mm x 86.9 mm
Capacity: 1598 cc
Valve gear: DOHC, 16 valves
Fuel system: Multipoint electronic injection
Power output: 105 HP at 5600 rpm
Max. torque: 153 Nm at 3800 rpm
Top speed: 189 km/h
Drive: FWD
Gearbox: 5-speed manual, plus reverse
Clutch: Dry single-plate
Front suspension:
Independent, McPherson struts, coil springs, hydraulic dampers, anti-roll bar
Rear suspension:
Independiente, torsion beam axle, coil springs, hydraulic dampers, anti-roll bar
Steering: Rack and pinion, power-assisted
Front/rear: Ventilated discs /discs
185/60 R15
Body: 3-door hatchback, 5 seats
Length/width/height: 4034/1693/1428 mm
Wheelbase: 2469 mm
Weight: 1015 kg
The Ibiza IV was launched with the usual 3-door and 5-door bodies, and later even had an estate version. For the first time, the 3-door variant was given its own identification, SC, an acronym for SportCoupé.
SportCoupé had been the name of the concept car that anticipated the design of the Ibiza IV. The fourth generation of the SEAT Ibiza was the first production model designed by Luc Donckerwolke as SEAT’s head of design. In March 2008, SEAT unveiled the Ibiza SportCoupé Bocanegra concept car at the Geneva Motor Show.
Two months later, at the Madrid Motor Show, the production model was launched, initially with a 5-door body. The 3-door SC version appeared at the London Motor Show in July. Both featured the "Arrow Design" design concept at the front and the evolution of the "Dynamic Line" on the sides, which gave the Ibiza IV a sportier look, with strong geometric lines instead of the smooth lines of the Ibiza III.
The innovative design and quality of the Ibiza SC and 5P won the prestigious Red Dot Awards in Germany in the 2009 Product Design category.
The acronym SC identifying the 3-door variant of the Ibiza IV came from the SportCoupé name of the Geneva prototype, and would later also be used for the 3-door body of the Leon III, unveiled at the 2013 Barcelona Motor Show. The Leon III was the Leon’s first and only generation to feature a 3-door variant.
The Ibiza IV also had an estate body, introduced in 2010 and called Ibiza ST. It stood for SportsTourer, which had already been used on the Exeo ST and would also be used on the Leon ST, the estate version of the third generation.
Thus, the Ibiza IV offered the SC variant, compact and sporty, the 5-door, dynamic and versatile, and the ST, practical and elegant. In 2011, even an Ibiza SC Comercial was launched, with no rear seats and a cargo capacity of 930 litres.
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 car to be offered 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 latter, the Ibiza Bocanegra, evoked the styling of that Ibiza IV prototype, the SportCoupé unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. The prototype had a dramatic black front end and the "Bonanegra" name, a nod to the mid-1970s SEAT 1200 Sport. It was so warmly welcomed that, between 2009 and 2012, a limited-edition Ibiza SC Bocanegra was available.
That year, 2012, the first restyling of the Ibiza IV was launched. Focusing on the exterior, it featured a new front end with sharper headlights (in the style of the new Mii) and LED daytime running lights from the Style trim upwards. This new look anticipated that of the imminent Leon III, launched at the end of the year.
The second restyling, in mid-2015, focused on the interior, incorporating a 6.5" screen in the centre of the dashboard. The new connectivity and infotainment options anticipated what was to come in the Ibiza V and future SEAT models.
Earlier, in 2014, SEAT celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Ibiza with the launch of a limited "30th Anniversary" edition at the Paris Motor Show, the same venue where the first Ibiza had been unveiled in 1984. It was an Ibiza SC Style, with a TDI 105 engine and exclusive trim and equipment.
In October 2016 the SC and ST bodies were discontinued, and the Ibiza IV ended its commercial life in mid-2017 only with the 5-door variant, the only one available in the Ibiza V. This Ibiza SC with 1.6 petrol engine is one of the very first units of the model, registered in 2008, and forms part of the SEAT HISTÓRICOS Collection.