SEAT Ibiza Cupra Maidstone

Few small cars pack as much technology as the latest SEAT Ibiza Cupra. The Spanish firm is famed for its hot hatches – but the company isn’t so renowned for its advanced engines and gearboxes.

All that is set to change, though, because under the bonnet is VW’s acclaimed 1.4-litre TSI unit. With a supercharger to beef up low-down torque, and a turbo to improve high-end grunt, it delivers 178bhp and 250Nm of torque. Better still, it’s paired with a seven-speed twin-clutch DSG gearbox, which provides quick changes at the flick of one of its steering wheel-mounted paddles.

Enthusiasts may complain about the absence of a manual box, but the engine and transmission are perfectly matched. The linear power delivery from the TSI engine and clever gearbox provide seamless acceleration, so the hot Ibiza is deceptively fast. It also comes with an unusual soundtrack. With compliant suspension and a refined cabin, the grown-up Cupra will be alien to many hot SEAT fans, who are more used to an uncompromising ride and rev-hungry engines.

But does this count against it? On the track, the answer is yes. The Cupra doesn’t involve you as a full-on hot hatch would. There’s fun to be had from racing up and down its gearbox, using the race-style paddles, and performance is lively, but the trade-off for its softer set-up is a less absorbing experience.

In the wet, it’s all too easy to break traction as the nose ploughs straight on ahead. And in the dry, it doesn’t respond to throttle inputs as a genuine hot hatch should. Its new-found maturity makes the latest Cupra more user friendly and comfortable, but it has sacrificed some of its character in the process.

SEAT Ibiza Cupra