SPANISH car maker SEAT has made a raft of changes to its most widely-owned model - the sporty Ibiza supermini.

Among the alterations to the familiar three- and five-door range is the arrival of the 1.4-litre 100 PS Sport.

A permanent addition to the Ibiza range, the £9,395 model features a 100 horsepower 16-valve petrol engine (the output is up from the previous 85 horsepower 1.4-litre) mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.

This combination delivers crisp acceleration - the 0-62 mph time is a spirited 11.2 seconds - while the top speed, where permissible, is 118 mph. Dynamics live up to the model's name thanks to specially-stiffened and lowered sports suspension that delivers sprightly handling and a composed ride.

As one would expect, the Sport looks the part inside and out, too, thanks to suitably chunky 16-inch alloys shod with ultra-low profile tyres, and the body-coloured rear spoiler Inside the Sport, there are grippy sports seats, a leather-clad three-spoke steering wheel and gearknob, and an MP3-compatible CD/radio.

Another newcomer, fresh for 2008, is the all-new, ultra-economical Ecomotive, which is already causing a stir among buyers keen to maximise their mpg while minimising their carbon footprint.

At more than 74 mpg on the combined cycle, and with an official CO2 figure of just 99 g/km - even with its standard-fit air conditioning - the Ibiza Ecomotive aims to help in the push for greener motoring on a budget, thanks to a price tag of £10,995.