DIESEL do nicely were the words SEAT used to describe its latest Ibiza and after an extensive drive covering most types of road I realised they were smack on.
Any new vehicle produced by the VW Group must be taken seriously these days.
Its petrol engines are competitive and its diesels offer both frugal fuel use and performances bordering on red hot.
Its long list of models also encompass family motoring, executive styling, and class leading safety and security, all wrapped up to varying degrees of sophistication.
Audi's R10, the VW Golf, Skoda's Octavia and SEAT's Ibiza, are prime examples of a spectrum of marques within the group, which continues to produce quality models at competitive prices.
Take SEAT for example. This Spanish brand burst on the motoring scene with a multitude of sporty cars in bright colours.
And from day one it adopted the VW drive for quality and performance, whilst standing alone to give its own take on automotive flair.
The latest SEAT Ibiza FR takes this a step further with an the impressive array of modern technology in its make-up.
With its 2.0-litre TDI common rail engine offering a redline speed of 130mph, and the capability of accelerating from 0 to 62mph in 8.2 seconds, its road hugging is almost perfect due to the electronic XDS system which mimics the function of a limited slip differential and maximises traction.
But to my mind the most important factor in its DNA is its economical use of fuel. With prices at the pumps reaching the for the stars, it is exciting to find a car that returns up to 60 miles on a single gallon of fuel and has a CO2 rating of 123g/km.
During a 70 miles drive on dual carriageways and rural backwaters, I stretched its performance and my fuel consumption figures were a satisfying 59.8mpg almost matching SEAT's claimed 60.1 average.
The interior of the new Ibiza diesel, which is sold in either three or five door format, is bright, trendy and will appeal to motorists of all ages, although I feel the 'younger set' will be most enamoured.
The sharp edged exterior enhances the sporty look which features specific bumpers, front honeycomb grille, SEAT Arrow Design silver coloured door mirrors, 17-inch alloy wheels. and twin exhausts as well as FR badging.
With an insurance group of 8E, a price tag of £16,430 for the three door, and £16,840 for the five door version, the new diesel Ibiza FR is a nice little package with a combination of specification, avant guarde technology, hot hatch performance, and a miserly use of fuel, designed to suit all tastes and all budgets.