Faults:

General buzzes and rattles.

Stereo that didn't want to find a channel in town.

Air vents that fell off.

Bonnet catch mechanism snapped.

General Comments:

I bought a 1999 Ibiza knowing that there was a new model coming - I wish that I had waited. The car had an air of 'Friday afternoon' about it. Not quite the fit and finish I had read about and was expecting.

Fuel economy was good (around 37mpg) and it went around corners with an Elan that its sister the VW Polo couldn't manage.

More fun to drive than to own.

Faults:

Nothing!!

General Comments:

Quick, handles like it's nailed to the road.

The brakes are fantastic, a really good ABS system.

The electronic traction control doesn't work very well.

You will get through tyres very quickly if you start throwing it about. Forget the Golf GTi, this will nail them in every way, from acceleration to handling, even the interior is better. To put the icing on the cake it's far cheaper to run!!

Faults:

The ignition switch went in March, at 4000 miles, but was repaired straight away, and I was lent a new Ibiza, which has tempted me to change it yet again, but I may go for the Sport 1.6 next time.

General Comments:

Wow, I walked into the showroom, and was told that the Ibiza 1.4S in Bengal Yellow was the last new yellow one of that shape in the country so I had to have it. It stayed pretty much basic for a couple of months, then I fitted a set of 15" 5 spoke alloys, and fitted a front GTi style air intake at the bottom of the bumper, so it almost looks like the GTi, (minus the front fog lights).

It is a real head turner when it is clean, and I just love it to bits. It says that the top speed is 98 but I have had 112 out of it (down a hill), but it remained a firm ride and didn't rattle.

Faults:

The speedo head went wrong which caused the whole clockset to stop working intermittently, it was like that from the day I picked the car up, a new clockset was ordered and fitted by the dealer under warranty. This is quite a common problem on all Ibizas, Cordobas and VW Golf, Polo and Vento models amongst others which use the same part.

General Comments:

A well equipped, very good handling car which is fairly quick and comfortable, also relatively cheap to buy, run & insure.