Our Fleet: Seat Ibiza SE Copa - November 2011

My Seat Ibiza is now wearing a set of new winter tyres thanks to continental so it’s time for me to see what all the buzz is about.

Winter tyres are a major talking point with companies at the moment, although the industry seems divided on their true benefit. Safety is one of the main reasons to opt for winter tyres as they offer better performance during the colder months for grip and handling, but this comes at an extra cost.

The team at Kwik Fit did a quick and thorough job at fitting the tyres and the whole process was completed smoothly.

Considering its winter tyre programme is relatively new, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the experience was.

Simon Harris, the deputy editor at Fleet News, had winter tyres fitted last year and was impressed with the extra grip and braking ability. Feeling safe and secure while driving in poor conditions is something that cannot be underestimated and already having the winter tyres has made me feel more reassured although the real test will come in the next few months.

I had the tyres fitted last month and was surprised when a sticker appeared on the dashboard telling me the Ibiza had a new top speed of 118mph, 11mph faster than the official figure!

But it does raise an interesting question in why Kwik Fit feel the need to tell drivers this, unless anyone is heading off to Germany, not many countries have a legal limit that exceeds 80mph.

Since having the tyres fitted I have noticed that my average mpg has gone down as much as 10mpg across an average journey, all of which cannot be attributed to the tyres, however they have had a negative impact on my average mpg. I have had the tyres now just over a month and noticed little improvement, coupled with a new engine, the MPG is a far cry from the official figure of 80.7.

On paper the fuel economy of the Ibiza is one of the biggest advantages, to not be achieving it I am finding myself increasingly frustrated, it feels like biting into a doughnut and finding no jam.

I have done a few long distance journeys in the Ibiza and found the ride to be comfortable and the handling very responsive. As the climate continues to cool and harsher weather comes our way, the winter tyres are a very welcome asset to my long termer.