The new Seat Ibiza FR Edition offers warm hatch performance, bold supermini styling and excellent economy with the recent addition of Active Cylinder Technology (or ACT for short) to the list of features.

The tech is shared with other VW group cars and involves shutting down of two cylinders while the engine is running constantly, in order to boost efficiency.

The Ibiza FR Edition, with its 138 hp 1.4-liter TSI engine is rated in the UK at 60.1 mpg, yet it’s still able to complete the benchmark sprint in a very respectable 7.8 seconds.

The new model is less powerful than the one it replaces in the range, though the negative effect it has on performance is negligible: .2 seconds slower to sixty than before; efficiency is 12.2 mpg better, while emissions drop by as much as 30 k/km CO2, down to a small diesel-rivaling 109 g/km.

In FR Edition trim, the Ibiza comes with red seatbelts, red brake callipers, titanium-coloured 17-inch alloy wheels, matching colored door mirrors, climate control and dark tinted rear windows.

Pricing for the model starts at £15,920 for the three-door SC, while the regular five-door hatch is available from £16,470.

By Andrei Nedelea

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