Years go by, cars go by, segments go by, but some names always remain. This is the case of the Seat Ibiza which, together with its ‘SUV brother’ Arona, continue to triumph in the lists of the best sellers in Spain.
One has been with us for almost 40 years. The other, less than five years. But they complement each other perfectly. One, in a segment that continues to resist the push of the ‘young’, the Seat Ibiza. Another, which has been going very strong, the Seat Arona. Both have just received individual ‘restyling’ to continue being a reference among the best-selling cars in the Spanish market.
This is how the new Ibiza paints after returning to renew itself.
The Seat Ibiza is renewed, once again, in all aspects, and especially in technology, not in vain its main objective is to seduce a young audience. Thus, in this new facelift, the mythical Spanish utility has 100% LED headlights as standard, with the name of the model engraved in handwritten letters.
In addition, it increases its connectivity by integrating the Seat Connect system, which offers wireless access to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and voice recognition with activation by the “Hello, Hello” command. And new driver assistance systems are added, such as the travel assistant and the side or blind spot assistant.
As for the engines, the Seat Ibiza, like the Arona, is committed to gasoline and CNG, leaving diesel for older generations. In this way, the new Ibiza is available with five engines, whose powers fluctuate between 80 and 150 hp. Those who bet on natural gas have the DGT environmental label ECO on their windshield.
In the words of the Spanish firm of the Volkswagen Group, the interior of the Ibiza presents a complete revolution in terms of design when compared to its predecessor. The soft touch areas on the dashboard and the infotainment system equipped with larger floating screens stand out, which are located in an elevated position.
Ergonomics are also improved and a new Nappa leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel arrives, which brings greater quality and a new personality to the driving position. Added to all this are the new illuminated air vents and ambient lighting technology.
“An icon of the industry”
The Seat Ibiza has undoubtedly been a key pillar of the brand’s success since it was introduced in 1984. After 37 years, five generations and almost six million units sold, it has become one of the brand’s most important vehicles. . The renewal of the current generation aims to maintain that winning mentality, positioning itself as a key model in its segment in Europe.
“The Ibiza is an icon of the automotive industry and of the brand itself, helping to consolidate our market position thanks to its incredible sales success,” said Wayne Griffiths, CEO of Seat and Cupra. “The new exterior modifications and the interior revolution, together with the new levels of connectivity and safety, put the Ibiza in a position to continue the success story.”
Arona, the “Ibiza SUV”
And if the Ibiza is important for Seat, fundamental begins to be the role that the Arona plays in times very different from those of four decades ago, when the utility was born.
Today, the B-SUV segment, or small SUVs, begins to be predominant in the Spanish market. And here comes the Arona, which at the moment is the best-selling vehicle in the Spanish market, when we have already consumed the first half of 2021.
And also, at a great distance from its pursuer. The Arona has sold a total of 12,686 units in the first six months of the year, while the Citroën C3 has not been able to reach 10,000 registrations, remaining at 9,996. But … guess who is third on the podium? Yes, the Seat Ibiza, with 9,724 units. So it is easy to guess that Seat is by far the leading brand in the market in 2021,
And, following the example of the Ibiza, those responsible for Seat know that to renew is to survive, and that is why a “new” Seat Arona is now arriving, the urban SUV of the Spanish firm that is updated with a more marked character image, This is especially clear in the new X-Perience finish, endowed with an off-road aesthetic that provides a feeling of robustness and safety.
As in the Ibiza, the brand’s communication insists on the “revolution” of the interior of the model, which comes from the hand of a modern and digital design language, with new illuminated air vents and infotainment systems with floating screens of larger size.
The Arona, of course, brings more connectivity by also including Seat Connect, wireless access to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as natural speech recognition that is activated by the command “Hello, Hello.” Just like the Ibiza.
In addition, the new Arona adds state-of-the-art safety systems such as the travel assistant and improves others such as the lateral or blind spot assistant, with which the Arona continues to incorporate higher segment functionality.
As for engines, the Arona traces those of the Ibica, with five options with powers between 90 and 150 hp in gasoline (TSI) and CNG compressed natural gas (TGI). The finishes Reference, Style, FR and the new X-Perience expand the standard equipment and increase the options to suit each customer in the best way.
“A key pillar of the Seat range”
“The Seat Arona was the brand’s second best-selling model in 2020. This makes it a key pillar in the brand’s range,” said Wayne Griffiths, CEO of Seat and Cupra. “The renewed version enhances the incredible attributes of the urban SUV, with an even more complete offering and an updated design, which revitalizes the segment.”
In this way, it is clear that the Arona is a reference model in the present and in the future of the Spanish brand of the Volkswagen Group, which knew how to “cope” very well with the approach to the SUV segment.
