Although the Ibiza is a small car, it’s surprising how big it actually is.

The first Seat Ibiza, launched in the mid-1980’s, was just 3.6m long, while the current model measures just over 4m demonstrating how the Ibiza has needed to grow to compete with rivals and meet customer demand.

When cars grow, it often leaves a void in the area of the market they used to occupy, and it’s perhaps no coincidence that 2012 will witness the introduction of a new, smaller Seat, the Mii. This new car will be almost the same length as the original Ibiza was in 1985.

Steve Robertson, head of fleet, puts the Ibiza’s growth spurt down to small car evolution.

“We are moving with the market, all cars get bigger as they adapt to new equipment and safety features,” he said.

As well as size, the Ibiza’s popularity has also grown over the years with sales in 2011 up at 19,179, 6,864 Ibiza’s were sold in fleet in total, an all-time record in the UK. The introduction of the Copa range has added to this lift, the Copa includes extras like 16” alloy wheels, branded upholstery, dark tinted windows, climate control and light and rain sensors. The SE Copa is now the best-selling Ibiza which contributed to the brand’s success in the UK in 2011.

This could be down the Spanish manufacturer’s higher profile in low co2 vehicles, the facelift version of the new Ibiza, due in spring, is targeting 89g/km for the Ecomotive model.

Our long termer, the 1.2 SE Copa TDI, provides fleets with an economical car, with a great deal of space inside, I haven’t had a single complaint when seating 2 fully grown adults in the back and there was easily enough space in the boot over the Christmas period too. Despite being classed as a small car, the Ibiza never feels cramped or enclosed like some of its competitors, its spacious and the upgraded interior makes long journeys a lot easier to make.