Seat Cordoba - Spanish or family temperament?

Usually there comes a time in life when children are born. And then everything gets too small - and sometimes it's hard for young people to say goodbye to their favorite sports car. In addition, a family bus is something too big and too "daddy", and an inexpensive station wagon is usually old and broken. Is it possible to buy something that retains a pinch of any compromise?

It has always been and always will be that the combination of family common sense and youthful madness, or if you like - stupidity in the positive sense of the word - is the Civic Type-R, Focus RS and others like them. However, they have one drawback. Although they are much cheaper than the Audi RS6, they are still too expensive. Even used. And dumping family assets on a luxury car with a growing family is unfortunately a bad idea, so you'll have to look elsewhere. Preferably a completely different class.

It may be silly, but fresh enough, relatively inexpensive, and quite a hit is the Seat Cordoba, released in 2003. True, this is not the pinnacle of rally or stylistic excellence and it is not known what driving sensations are, but within, say, 20 zlotys, this is a good alternative for people who are sick of the word “Astra” or “Golf”. Although the car is smaller. The Cordoba is nothing more than a 000-door version of the slightly prettier Ibiza. Both models were produced on the VW Polo wheel, but in comparison with it, the Cordoba has two aces up its sleeve. Firstly, this is a Seat, not a Volkswagen, people are not so willing to buy it, so you can get a used one at a better price. Although it still has good value. And secondly, finding a used Pole IV 4-door on our market is a miracle. The protruding rear of the Cordoba may look bad, but inside it has what a Polo hatchback would like to have - a proper trunk. It has 4 liters and this is enough for the whole family to relax. By itself, it has the right shape and is a very big advantage, but its loading opening is like a hatch - it is too small.

The best part is that Cordova competes fiercely with his family on the showroom floor and now on commission. Not everyone will like the VW Polo because of the small trunk, but the Skoda Fabia can be easily bought in a 4-door version, and even in a station wagon. It's also usually slightly cheaper than the Seat and just as practical. She has only one minor problem - compared to Cordoba, she looks so shy and quiet, as if her designer wanted to hide the fact that he was beaten by friends in elementary school. And that's what Cordoba has to offer - small sedans may or may not have striking body lines, but sophisticated taillights and an aggressively designed front end are in line with what Seat considers its strong point - sport and excitement. However, the first one is different.

The car should be a small and inexpensive family car. Well, maybe with a pinch of emotion to tickle the driver's ego a little. However, this does not change the fact that the Cordoba is a quiet car for everyday use and dealing with city traffic. Therefore, it is difficult to understand the intention of the engineers to strengthen the suspension so that the driver feels uncomfortable, but does not yet scream over bumps. In routine use on our roads, this is annoying, but when it comes to driving confidence - well, here the small Seat leaves behind a lot of such cars. It's a bit tall and narrow, but it doesn't flail out in corners or corner too badly. And young dads may like it - only what is under the hood depends on all the driving pleasure and sports emotions.

It's different with engines. The smallest gasoline unit is 1.2 liters and 64 hp. The Cordova is more family oriented, so don't buy it - it will be better in the smaller Ibiza, which will work well in the city. Interesting - it has three cylinders, which is why the work culture of this bike is so-so, but at low revs it is not too audible in the cabin. For such low power, it is quite flexible and at least tries to do something with the car to start it up. Unless overtaking, fights with a loaded car, God forbid with the air conditioning on ... well, good luck in such matters. A good minimum is actually 1.4l 75km. 1.2L is boring, so when someone can't handle it like an egg, you'll be surprised how much you can spend on fuel. In 1.4L, you can usually easily fit in 7L, and in the case of calm drivers, in 6. Dynamics is still an abstract concept, like a vacation on Mars, but for simple movement from place to place, this bike is just fine. Ba - in gusts, even overtaking is quite smooth, because by turning it around at high speed, you can breathe a little life into the car. However, in the long run, this can get boring - the 85-horsepower version is more frisky at low revs, and the 100-horsepower version is generally. And at the same time, it perfectly matches the attacking nature of the car.

As in the Volkswagen concern, there should also be a diesel engine. The TDIs of that time are famous and mostly liked because they didn't break down then like their current generation. Who should be abandoned? Old 1.9 SDi. Yes, it's durable, but that's where its benefits end. The 1.4TDI 70-80KM shocks you with turbo lag, but it's good for economy - it's flexible at low speeds and calls for help at higher speeds. However, it is now difficult to buy something that smokes less. 1.9TDI at the beginning of the 100th century was "loaded" into such a huge number of cars on our roads that it is almost impossible not to associate it. Even a dry sound during its operation. The weaker 2000-horsepower version is more than enough for dynamic Cordoba driving. At the beginning of the tachometer scale, nothing happens, but from about 130 rpm. the car drives well - and then erased again. The strong version is even larger and will satisfy the vast majority.

As for the interior - it is usually gloomy, the materials are crappy and often creak in winter. In addition, the material on the door handles peels off, but this is a problem with most VW cars of that period. On the other hand, the front is very comfortable. The clock is placed in tubes, everything is intuitive and legible to the point of pain. The back seat, on the other hand, proves that the Cordoba is a 2+2 car. There is also not much room for legs and head, but the children will feel great there.

Young families are often afraid of car failures, but in the case of a small Seat, there is usually nothing to worry about. In TDI, it’s enough to take care of replacing the timing belt, and the suspension itself is durable, although you need to know that stabilizer rods and control arm silent blocks do not like our roads. And so much so that they can capitulate even with 20-30 thousand. km. Also, water often accumulates in the headlights, and the rear brakes squeak and need to be cleaned. However, this does not change the fact that for a small amount of money you can buy a fairly roomy and relatively young car. And what, after all, will not replace your favorite premarital sports car? Well, you can't have it all, but at least it looks good.

This article was created thanks to the courtesy of TopCar, who provided a car from the current offer for a test and photo session.

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