The SEAT Ibiza is a car in the European supermini class, constructed by the Spanish car maker SEAT S.A., is SEAT's best-selling car and perhaps the most popular model in the Spanish firm's range.
The name Ibiza itself comes from the Spanish island of Ibiza, and its use in SEAT's supermini car inaugurated the firm's new nomenclature in naming models after Spanish locations.
It was introduced in the 1984 Paris Motor Show as the first car developed by SEAT as an independent company, though it was designed by SEAT S.A. in collaboration with well-known firms such as Italdesign, Karmann and Porsche. From the Mk2 version onwards, the SEAT company formed part of the German automotive industry concern Volkswagen Group, and all further Ibiza generations, like the rest of the SEAT model range, have been built on Volkswagen Group platforms, parts and technologies.
The Ibiza spans today four generations, among which it has debuted twice - in its second as well as in its fourth generation - a new platform of the Volkswagen Group. All of them were the top seller model in SEAT's range, and a rebadged redeveloped version of the first generation Ibiza remains under licence still in production in China by the Chinese automaker Nanjing Automobile Group.
The Ibiza has been available in either three- or five-door hatchback variants; and since 1993, saloon, coupé and estate versions are sold as the SEAT Córdoba.
