If you are in the market for a proper little hot hatch, just hold on for a minute and read this. This article is about the new SEAT Ibiza CUPRA and how at £18,100 it represents extremely good value for money. On paper at least, this thing looks like an excellent buy.

Let’s start with the engine which is the first thing any genuine hot hatch lover looks at when trying to judge a car. It’s a 1.8 TSI engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, developing 192 PS and 320 Nm of torque. Working the gear lever and the throttle pedal, you’ll be able to hit 60 mph from nought in 6.4 seconds, and if you keep your foot in it you’ll eventually hit 146 mph.

So the performance SEAT Ibiza CUPRA is more than satisfactory for the money you pay, and the best part is it doesn’t gulp fuel like lemonade generating it. The car does 45.6 mpg. Then there is the trim specification and all that, and the Ibiza doesn’t disappoint there, either. The hot hatch comes only in SC (Sports Coupé) bodystyle and in two normal and Black versions, the latter costing a little bit more at £18,900.

As for the questions of living with the car, you are not likely to get tired of that emotional design in a hurry, and you certainly won’t suffer from lack of features, either, what with the five-inch media touchscreen and DAB digital radio, Bluetooth, 17-inch ‘Barcino’ alloy wheels, auto lights and wipers, XDS electronic differential lock, CUPRA front sports seats, electrically adjustable, heated and folding door mirrors, plus climate control and cruise control.

The main highlights of the Black Ibiza CUPRA include black alloy wheels with red brake calipers, Navigation System with 6.5-inch touchscreen, 3D map display, voice recognition and two SD card slots. Honestly, you’re better off with the regular version.